Jacob a cracker for Villa
Former Aston Villa skipper Dennis Mortimer reckons Aston Villa have a gem in Jacob Ramsey – and Steven Gerrard should build a team around the midfield starlet.
Former Rangers gaf fer Gerrard is struggling after 10 months in charge with Villa near the bottom of the Premier League table.
And the fans are restless after just two wins in the manager’s last 11 league games.
European Cup- winning captain Mort y reckons Gerrard doesn’t know what his best team is.
But Ramsey is making it impossible for Gerrard to leave him out of the side.
Mortimer said: “Gerrard is finding it difficult to find his best team. He has too many players and that’s causing him a problem.
“I look at the situation with Emiliano Buendia and Philippe Coutinho and I see two similar players, one younger than the other. Buendia has the appetite, he wants to prove something. But Coutinho has lost that edge from his days at Barcelona. It ’ s a major dilemma for Gerrard.”
Mortimer has a book out
CLASS ACT
that chronicles his move to Villa and the unparalleled success that followed.
Such glory days seem far off at the moment but he admits Ramsey is the best story to come out of Villa Park for several years.
The Birmingham-born kid got the winner in Villa’s last game before the international break and has impressed in team lacking confidence.
Villa are at Leeds a week today then have what is a l ready look ing l ike a relegation battle at Forest.
“I look at Ramsey and I see a player very similar to me,” said Mortimer, who revealed he never wanted to leave Coventry before chairman Jimmy Hill sold him to Villa.
“Ramsey l ikes to get forward, as I did, but the system Villa are playing makes it difficult for him.
“There are little things Gerrard has to do which are going to get the best out of Ramsey. He is a player of the future, a player to build on.
“I had Gordon Cowans to pick me out and Kenny Swain too. Ramsey needs that. He is a great young player coming through – don’t waste it.”