The Aston Villa centre-back has fallen out of favour this season but could have still done a job on Saturday.
Aston Villa fans have mixed feelings about Tommy Elphick and rightly so, and yet the 30-year-old should have been called on for the weekend clash against fellow promotion hopefuls Derby County.
With Chris Samba joining John Terry on the side-lines, Villa boss Steve Bruce had a decision to make as to who would partner James Chester in the heart of the Villans’ defence.
Elphick came off the bench for Samba last weekend, yet against the Rams it was Villa midfielder Mile Jedinak who played out of position and subsequently watched his side lose a valuable three points this side of a hectic festive period.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing in football, Bruce should have learned from his own experiences this season and put his faith in Elphick, who knows the centre-back role like the back of his hand.
After all, Samba was slammed by the club’s fans in the wake of Terry’s broken metatarsal and yet the former Blackburn Rovers man proved his doubters wrong.
Similarly, Alan Hutton has come in from the cold in some style and Albert Adomah has proved Bruce was wrong to overlook him at the start of the campaign.
And yet Elphick was not allowed the chance to join that list, watching from the bench as Jedinak and his fellow defenders conceded twice.
With plenty of experience at former clubs Bournemouth and Brighton and Hove Albion, Elphick should not be cast in the role of unsalvageable flop, with Villa needing their full squad to ensure this is the season they secure promotion back to the top flight.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
