OPINION
Aston Villa right back Alan Hutton produced one of his finest performances of the season as Dean Smith’s side defeated Bolton Wanderers 2-0 on Friday night.
Jack Grealish and James Chester got the goals and certainly impressed against the Trotters, but it was the display of Hutton that was a real eye opener for Villa fans.
The Scotsman has been shuffled around the backline a bit this campaign, but is clearly far happier in his natural position of right back.
He was his usual marauding self at Villa Park, getting forward at will and delivering a number of crosses that tested the visitors defence. He stayed determined in his defensive duties, also, and generally excelled on a good night for Smith’s team.
However, it is vital that the Villans boss find a successor to the right back at some point in the near future. Hutton is 33 years of age now and cannot go on forever.
Ahmed Elmohamady is available in the position but he is 31, while youngster James Bree is yet to show that he is the answer on the right hand side of the defence.
The 21-year-old has made just three appearances in the Championship this season, only one of them as a starter, and hasn’t been in the match day squad for the last four games.
Clearly Smith doesn’t rate the former Barnsley man particularly highly, and so it’s clear that he will not be the man replacing Hutton in the long term.
Smith cannot let this situation go on forever, though. January would be an ideal time to scout out a suitable successor to Hutton.
Learning from Hutton for six months would be ideal preparation for whoever the club identifies as his successor and, with the veteran having just a few months left on his contract [Source: Transfermarkt],it’s imperative that Villa sort this issue out sooner rather than later.