being compared to a household utensil is probably not every premier league footballer’s idea of a compliment, but when tim sherwood called fabian delph aston villa’s hoover he meant it with affection kim and aggie would appreciate you know, the pair from that show that used to be on channel 4, how clean is your house? never mind roy hodgson is another who recognises the need for an instrument in his england machine capable of covering large ground to suck up danger it is why hodgson handed delph his international debut last august and is liable to pick the 25 year old again fabian delph has been likened to a hoover vacuum cleaner his ability to suck up balls by tim sherwood  delph covers a huge amount of ground in midfield and has been brilliant in aston villa's recent resurgence  tim sherwood has helped to turn villa   and particularly delph   around and improve their form of late  hodgson names his squad for the forthcoming matches against lithuania and italy on thursday and has been given reason of late to select delph as villa’s season drifted into the mire under paul lambert, delph’s form was a concern unable to impact games in a meaningful fashion, a continuation of his england career following two months out after shoulder surgery seemed uncertain delph was not doing anything particularly wrong, just not much special his last three games however, since sherwood shook the club by its neck, have seen that spark return he scored his first goal of the season with an arrowed finish against west bromwich albion in that fa cup quarter final, he assisted his second goal of the season with a cross for scott sinclair against stoke, and he has driven villa forward with regularity sherwood's arrival at the club in place of paul lambert has changed delph from a concern to an asset  delph scored his first goal of the season in villa's fa cup quarter final win over west bromwich albion  delph's sweet strike got one over villa's local rivals in a high intensity game that suited the midfielder  there were reasons villa fans mobbed him so feverishly during the west brom pitch invasion: a goal, a combative performance, a freshly inked contract in that moment he was the personification of hope for the season climax and beyond supporters wanted a piece (quite literally in some cases when kisses turned to bites) delph is a willing runner – hitting an average 1059km per game, second only to ashley westwood in the squad – but has undoubtedly benefitted from sherwood’s front foot policy earlier this season delph would emit energy largely across the width of the pitch, now it is up and down delph could end up back in roy hodgson's england squad after his recent resurgence in form  touch maps supplied by opta illustrate the point in the 2 0 defeat to hull, lambert’s last match in charge, delph was in possession 92 times, 46 in each half in the 4 0 victory over sunderland, he had 112 touches, 41 in his own half and 71 in the opposition’s in the 2 0 defeat to hull, lambert’s last match in charge, delph was in possession 92 times, 46 in each half (left), in the 4 0 victory over sunderland, he had 112 touches, 41 in his own half and 71 in the opposition’s  chicken and egg scenario, perhaps did delph’s advanced role come because of the big win or cause it? villa’s possession in both games was roughly the 60 per cent mark, slightly more at the kc stadium in fact so it is what delph did with the ball that changed ‘obviously when a new manager comes in the boys are eager to impress but he’s been nothing but positive,’ said delph after the fa cup win ‘you can see a bit more desire and fight in the boys’ fighting back from injuries is what got delph picked by hodgson a positive campaign last season followed by a summer of hard work in the gym paid off with a first cap against norway michael carrick is fit again for manchester united and looked imperious against tottenham in midfield  jordan henderson is ruling the roost at liverpool and has been labelled as england's best midfielder  hodgson knows that delph offers something different to his other midfielders and could pick him again  he then started the important qualifier against switzerland, emerging with great credit he began the win in estonia too, before dislocating his shoulder, ruling him out of the november squad months have passed but the midfield landscape is not too different michael carrick is fit again and looked imperious against tottenham jordan henderson is ruling the roost at liverpool but delph offers something different a bit of brawn, a bit of beauty, a lot of industry he remains collected ‘england? if it happens, it happens, happy days’
aston villa's aston villa hoover sherwood paul lambert roy hodgson tim sherwood delph fabian delph ashley westwood
tim sherwood referred to fabian delph as aston villa's midfield 'hoover' it was an affectionate term, referring to his ability to suck up danger  and delph's improving fortunes could alert roy hodgson once again  delph's form was a concern under paul lambert but he has turned it round  he runs more than anyone in sherwood's squad bar ashley westwood  click here for all the latest aston villa news 