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Jordan Lyden needs a loan move to continue development

By Josh Tonti

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 29: Manager of Aston Villa Steve Bruce during the pre season friendly match between Aston Villa and Watford at Villa Park on July 29, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 29: Manager of Aston Villa Steve Bruce during the pre season friendly match between Aston Villa and Watford at Villa Park on July 29, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images) /
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Jordan Lyden made his return to the senior team with a 78th-minute substitute appearance last week. Against Wigan, 18-year old Jake Doyle-Hayes and outcast Gary Gardner were preferred in central midfield.

Think back to the rock-bottom final months of the 2015/2016 Premier League season. Absolutely nothing went right for Aston Villa. Save for encouraging young performers: Jordan Ayew, Jack Grealish, and Kevin Toner to name a few, the season was an unmitigated disaster that brought relegation.

One such name that gets forgotten in that mess is Jordan Lyden. Now 21, the former Australia U-20 midfielder is back fit and healthy after missing almost the entire 2016/2017 season through injury.

What occurred in the final Premier League match against Arsenal, a quadriceps tear, ended up delaying the defensive midfielder’s pre-season. He quickly picked-up another injury early in September that kept him out of training until around March 2017.

After captaining the under-23 side to begin the year, Lyden received another chance with the senior team – a spot on the bench for a cup match. He played well for 15 minutes or so, but future chances in central/defensive midfield will not be coming in the near future.

Jordan Lyden needs a loan. Possibly to a League One side, akin to Aaron Tshibola, who’s playing 90-minutes week in and week out for MK Dons. At 21, with Premier League appearances under his belt, Lyden is not going to improve playing reserve side football.

If fit, he needs a loan to continue development.

Glenn Whelan and Mile Jedinak are firmly entrenched in the number six role. Moreover, competition in central midfield is rife with talent in: Conor Hourihane, Josh Onomah, Henri Lansbury, Callum O’Hare, Jake Doyle-Hayes, etc.

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One caveat: he makes the reserve side considerably better with his presence. Kevin MacDonald surely would relish working with him, but it’s not quite in the player’s best interests.

Besides, giving Lyden professional appearances on-loan opens more space in the reserve side.

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