7 Truths: Fabian Delph far from a Manchester City benchwarmer

Updated 29/11/2015 at 21:16 GMT

Fabian Delph has a bigger role to play at Manchester City than warming their bench, while Bayern Munich youngster Kingsley Coman is staking a late claim for the Golden Boy award for 2015. It’s seven truths…

Fabian Delph celebrates with team mates after scoring the second goal for Manchester City

Image credit: Reuters

1) Criticise Fabian Delph all you want, he made the right decision

Thought Fabian Delph would be paid handsomely to warm the Manchester City bench? Think again. The ‘snake’ excelled alongside Fernandinho in a new-look midfield against Southampton, injecting some much-needed fight and energy on his first start. With City’s illustrious stars incapable of staying fit, Delph will continue to get opportunities providing he too can swerve injury. And if he maintains this form, he can force his way into the starting XI regardless of the available personnel.

He’s already justifying his switch from Aston Villa, even if his seven appearances have mostly been fleeting. Not that he needed to prove anything – he owed Villa nothing. It’s not like he was nurtured through their academy. Who would want to scrap over 17th, when you can battle for the Premier League title instead?

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Fabian Delph celebrates with team mates after scoring the second goal for Manchester City

Image credit: Reuters

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2) Au revoir, Aston Villa

Oh, Remi Garde. The Frenchman was recruited to keep the ship afloat at Villa Park. In reality, he’s a helpless passenger as they sink towards the Championship.

You can’t cheat relegation by the slimmest margin, then sell your two best players and expect to remain in the Premier League. Villa’s problems run far deeper than Tactics Tim’s incapacity to manage the side, and now it’s being proved. Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph’s enforced departures left them with two gaping holes and £40 million. Now they have (at least) two gaping holes and £0 following their summer squanders.

Mathematically, it’s still perfectly plausible Villa can survive. They need 1.375 points per game to reach their 38-point tally from last season. But it’s not going to happen. Villa haven’t got a side remotely capable of picking up such a haul – form usually associated with sides challenging for the top half. They’re doomed.

Aston Villa's Jordan Ayew looks dejected after missing a chance to score

Image credit: Reuters

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3) Kingsley Coman good bet for Golden Boy award

Two questions: a) is there a better teenager in world football than Kingsley Coman, and b) why on earth did Juventus let him leave?

Bayern Munich have the option of making his two-year loan move permanent, a choice they will surely exercise. After some promising displays, Coman scored his first goal for Bayern in the Champions League mauling of Olympiacos and followed it up with another against Hertha Berlin. And it's not just his goals that have caught the eyes. He plays with such effortless ease, and has the pace to stretch the tightest of defences. The kid seems to have it all.

We commissioned a poll a little while ago asking our readers to pick their Golden Boy nominations. It was somewhat hijacked by Serbian fans up-voting Nemanja Maksimovic, but Coman was not even to be seen in the top seven. Surely he’s as good a candidate as any to win the prize for Europe’s most coveted youngster?

Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman celebrtaes the second goal against Hertha Berlin with Thomas Mueller.

Image credit: Reuters

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4) Gerard Deulofeu is a reformed man

From one rising star to another: Gerard Deulofeu. Oft-criticised for his wild dribbles and reluctance to track back during his first spell at Everton, the young Spaniard is now flourishing into a fine team player. Despite making just seven starts, only Mesut Ozil has racked up more assists than him this season. And to think everyone thought the big coup at Goodison Park this summer was pinning Kevin Mirallas down to a contract extension…

Gerard Deulofeu

Image credit: Reuters

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5) Barcelona front three curiously selfless

Much was made of Cristiano Ronaldo chalking up two assists for the first time in his Champions League career in midweek. It’s not the easiest feat laying on two goals for your team-mates in a high calibre competition, but Ronaldo isn’t exactly renowned for helping out his colleagues. In fact, not many footballers are.

Which is why it’s refreshing to see the Barcelona players go to extraordinary lengths to help each other out in the goalscoring department. The ease at which they picked apart Real Sociedad was ominous for the rest of Europe, with the final goal of their 4-0 thumping an exquisite interchange between Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi. Their telepathy sets them apart from their rivals. This isn’t anti-Real Madrid. It’s just obvious.

Barcelona's Neymar celebrates scoring the third goal with team mates Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi

Image credit: Reuters

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6) Jamie Vardy HAS to start for England

It’s time to accept it. His initial England call-up may have provoked scorn, but Jamie Vardy now has to be given a decent crack under Roy Hodgson. Wayne Rooney continues to start, despite his current absence of anything resembling talent. Even if it’s a 4-3-3, with Vardy on the flank supporting Harry Kane,

The Euros are rolling around and England always collapse under weight of expectation (or, more recently, no expectation). Finally we have an individual who seems completely unfazed by the circus and can perform no matter what. No other player in Premier League history has scored in 11 consecutive matches. It’s just a shame England’s next match isn’t until March. If Vardy’s still in form, Hodgson has to give him an opportunity.

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