What has happened to Samir Carruthers?
I was really excited when he began to feature towards the end of last season, in fact he was one of only a few highlights given how bad the majority of it was.
He played against Liverpool, and should have been awarded a penalty but was rather harshly given a yellow card instead. He also featured against Man United in a short cameo, and this is the game I was really impressed with. He came on at Old Trafford, showed absolutely no fear and had United defenders worried.
He did okay in preseason and I believe he scored a cracking penalty in one of the shootouts during our stateside tour. I had real hopes he would push on this campaign, and bring some excitement to the wide areas that has largely been absent since Young and Downing went on to pastures new.
He has yet to feature this season, and I’m not even sure he has made the bench too often. He did make the news after Paul Lambert fined him for using his mobile at the training ground, and it wasn’t long after this he deleted his twitter account.
I’d personally love to see him more involved. He’s certainly improved over the years, and his brief appearances last season offered real reason for Villa fans to be optimistic about his future. We’re crying out for more width, and even though Lambert typically likes to play a more narrow system, players like Albrighton and N’Zogbia have been given chances, so it’s a bit strange not to see Carruthers feature more often. If nothing else he’s a player that has the ability to get you off your seat, and there hasn’t been enough of that in recent seasons.
Lambert has shown he isn’t afraid to use youth, so maybe he just doesn’t rate him as a player (hopefully not), or maybe there are other personal reasons. I thought he might have been injured, but he’s been playing regularly enough for the reserve side.
Obviously Lambert is our manager, but Carruthers is one player I’d really like to be given more of a chance. He has the ability to create and score goals, and brings that x-factor that has been missing for far too long at Villa Park.
UTV.
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He fell out with PL over the phones in the training ground thing.
Is that the only reason? I’d hope not. Looked a real talent last season.
Isn’t he injured? I know he was injured for a while then came back and played a couple of U21 matches, but think he got injured again as not sure he has featured for them recently.
I thought he might have been mate, but looking at the reserves he’s played all the games since mid September time, which is around the same time he got the fine from PL. One for all you conspiracy theorists!
I would love to see him more involved. I like his versatility. He seems like the type of footballer Lambert would like. At the point of the diamond or in the middle of a 4-2-3-1 would probably suit him best at the moment.
I’m quite excited by our future midfield options. Carruthers, Johnson, Grealish, Graham. I can see a future for any of them under Lambert in time.
Me too mate, as you probably gathered by the post!
He’s tricky, can pass and most importantly can pop up with a goal or two, something sorely lacking from our midfield at the moment.
There are some crackers coming up though you’re right.
Wasn’t he in the nextGen side this season?
Yeah think he’s played for that side as well Rob.
Anyone who follows the reserves will think Carruthers, Grealish and Graham and are due a crack this season – all can play wide too, which is what we need right now – i’d say get them tried and tested now before we spend foolishly in the January transfer window, as they may surprise a few people. Bring 2 of our youngsters through, ship N’Zogbia out. Simples
Yeah they’ve all done really well. We do have a habit of building up our reserves/youngsters at Villa, but there are certainly a few who look like they have the talent to succeed.
I think he’s the only one of the youngsters that has previously played, which hasn’t been involved this term. Burke and a player called Williams have been on the bench a few times, Johnson was on the bench for the Tranmere match. Johnson is out on loan now but the other two haven’t been on the bench for the past several matches, nor Bowery either. Gardner made a sub appearance before he got injured. I’m quite sure none of the others have had any playing time though (or did Burke come on as a sub for one?).
The main reason has to be because there’s more established players available for selection lately and by the time Carruthers came back, competition for places was tighter.
But i wouldn’t be suprised if there were personal aspects to it as well though, with stories about Lambert taking a hard line over petty things.
It’s hard to see where any of these youngsters mentioned are going to be given a chance at the moment, so i wouldn’t expect to be seeing much of any of them if at all for the next few months. I hope i’m wrong about that though because a player like Carruthers can’t be much worse than some of the regulars we’ve got currently.
Thanks for that mate. As you suggest a lot of it might be down to the fact that simply put, there are more established players ahead of these youngsters at the moment. Lambert did bring in a fair few after all.
I equally wouldn’t be surprised by a personal element either, it’s quite apparent that Lambert won’t take any messing around.
Even bringing someone like Carruthers off the bench will get the crowd going. We saw last year against some very good sides that he is more than capable. UTV.
Samir got his fine for using his phone to ring for a cab to get back to his digs after training as he can not drive (a bit hard) whats he going to do walk from the training ground !
I think the boss just dont like him, he is also in the last year and i have herd that he may be on his way at the end of the year i have seen a lot of him this year playing for the u21 and the nextgen and he is class it will be a pity to see him go
if you go to any u21 games you always see alot of scouts and you hear his name alot so only time will tell i hope we keep him