Liam Delap Leaves Chris Sutton Stunned After Aston Villa Masterclass

Liam Delap has produced a performance that has sent Nottingham Forest supporters into celebration, but it was the reaction from former Premier League striker Chris Sutton that really caught the attention.

The Forest forward was at the heart of a hugely impressive display against Aston Villa, producing the sort of performance that immediately reminded everyone why so much excitement surrounds him.

And Sutton, who is never shy when it comes to giving his opinion, was left seriously impressed.

For a player still establishing himself at the highest level, receiving that kind of recognition from a former Premier League striker is a significant moment.

Delap puts on a show against Aston Villa

From the opening stages of the game, Delap looked determined to make his presence felt.

The striker constantly tested the Aston Villa defence with his physicality, movement and willingness to chase every ball.

He was not simply waiting inside the penalty area for opportunities to arrive.

Instead, Delap repeatedly dropped deeper, linked up with his teammates and then used his pace and strength to attack spaces behind the Villa defence.

That combination made him incredibly difficult to deal with.

Whenever Forest needed an outlet, Delap provided one.

Whenever Villa attempted to push forward, his ability to hold the ball up gave Forest an opportunity to relieve the pressure.

And when Forest moved forward, the striker looked dangerous every time he got involved.

It was the kind of all-round centre-forward performance that supporters love to see.

Chris Sutton’s reaction says it all

Sutton has developed a reputation for being extremely direct with his football opinions.

The former Celtic and Blackburn Rovers striker does not tend to praise players simply for the sake of it, which made his reaction to Delap’s performance particularly significant.

According to the reaction highlighted by AllSport, Sutton regarded the display as the best performance he had seen from a Nottingham Forest player this season.

That is some statement.

Forest have had several players produce important performances throughout the campaign, but Delap’s showing against Aston Villa clearly stood out to Sutton.

And considering Sutton’s own experience as a Premier League striker, his assessment carries plenty of weight.

Why Delap’s performance was so impressive

What made Delap’s performance particularly encouraging was the variety in his game.

The youngster showed that he can offer much more than simply goals.

His movement created problems for Villa’s defenders, while his strength allowed him to compete physically with them.

He also showed the intelligence required to bring teammates into the game and make himself available in different areas of the pitch.

That is an important development for a young striker.

At the highest level, forwards cannot rely purely on finishing.

They have to be able to contribute when they are not receiving chances, occupy defenders, create space for teammates and provide an option when their side is under pressure.

Delap appeared to tick many of those boxes.

A major statement from the Forest striker

Performances like this can change the way a player is viewed.

Delap already had plenty of attention surrounding him, but a display capable of leaving experienced pundits singing his praises only adds to the growing belief that he could become a major player.

The challenge now is consistency.

One outstanding performance can get people talking.

Producing those performances week after week is what separates promising players from genuine stars.

For Forest, however, there will be plenty of excitement about what Delap can become if he continues developing at this rate.

Forest supporters have plenty to be excited about

The biggest positive for Nottingham Forest is that Delap’s performance suggested there is still plenty more to come.

His combination of power, movement, pace and technical ability gives Forest a dangerous attacking weapon.

If he can continue building his confidence and become even more clinical in front of goal, defenders across the league could have a serious problem on their hands.

And Sutton’s reaction has only amplified the excitement.

When a former Premier League striker describes a young forward’s performance in such glowing terms, supporters are naturally going to sit up and take notice.

For Delap, this could prove to be one of those performances that people look back on later as a sign of what was to come.

For now, though, Forest fans can simply enjoy watching a striker who appears to be growing in confidence with every appearance.

And if Liam Delap can produce more performances like this, it may not be long before the wider footballing world is talking about him for very different reasons.

Chris Sutton has spoken. Liam Delap has made his statement. And Nottingham Forest may have a very exciting player on their hands.