Villa Championship reshuffle needs to start now

In their last four matches Aston Villa have conceded 15 goals and their terrible season looks to be getting even worse.

The Villans have got Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all left to play in their remaining nine Premier League games, with any chance of survival all but gone.

Eight points separate bottom-place Villa from Newcastle United in 19th with Sunderland one point further ahead outside the relegation zone.

Turning round that gap when up against big sides and possessing one of the worst squads in the top-flight is an impossible task and it appears Remi Garde has given up.

The French manager is set to be out the door of Villa Park one way or another, with The Daily Express reporting that if he doesn’t get sacked, he will resign.

According to the tabloid, the Villans board isn’t confident that the 49-year-old has the presence to get the Midlands club back in the Premier League next season.

Replacing him now may seem unnecessary, but it would give whoever comes in the chance to start moulding a team who can succeed in the Championship.

Traditionally, the second-tier is very difficult to get out of, with only Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers, West Ham and Newcastle managing the feat this decade after being relegated the season before.

The current crop at Villa Park would clearly struggle in the Championship and beginning to plan for life next season now would allow a manager more time to bring the squad up to scratch and assess who he wants to keep and who he needs to bring in.

“Villa sign him up”. pic.twitter.com/vEKpLKPEE9

— City Watch (@City_Watch) March 6, 2016

Villa, despite their many other failings, have a youth setup that would be envied by many in England and this is something they should take advantage of.

Indeed, the academy squad won the NextGen series as recently as 2013 and Garde’s successor would be wise to experiment with the starting lineup for the remaining Premier League games to see who makes the grade.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.