Kirsten Schlewitzz is more than a SBNation.com Soccer editor. Much more. For example, she also contributes to SBNation Seattle and, convenient for this story, SB Nation's Aston Villa blog, 7500 to Holte.
7500 To Holte: Emile Heskey’s Injury Means It’s Time For Nathan Delfouneso At Aston Villa
There, Kirsten says Emile Heskey’s knee injury, set to keep Gerard Houllier’s first choice out three-to-four weeks, should give time to Villa’s future, not Villa’s past.
With Gabriel Agbonlahor still not recovered from groin surgery, even though the Villa said it would be a week, and John Carew having forgotten how to play football, unable to do the simple things like pass, Aston Villa are, in proper terms, "screwed." Discounting Carew--and I do, because he's actively hurt the team--Villa have just one striker left at their disposal:Nathan Delfouneso.
For the complete post, check out Kirsten’s thoughts at 7500 to Holte. Here, there’s a little more ground to cover:
Carew has been a Villa mainstay since 2007-08, the year after he moved to Villa Park from Olympique Lyonnais. Since, he has scored double-digit league goals each season, though he’s unlikely to reach such heights this season. In seven league appearances, Carew has failed to score and has lost his spot in Villa’s XI to Heskey.
Still, Carew did score for Norway in Euro 2012 qualifying during the last international break. Clearly has hasn’t lost all of his mojo (perhaps only 99 percent of it). We have to consider more than one possibility here.
Carew may have lost a step, but this may also be able Villa’s managerial situation. With Villa on their third manager since the start of preseason training, it’s possible Carew’s become unsettled. It’s also possible the new man in charge has no idea how to use a still viable option, or he has instilled an approach that plays away from Carew’s strengths.
It's also possible Nathan Delfouneso has become a better player.
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