'New Villa boss should use Daly as out-and-out striker'

You would struggle to find a more versatile player in the Women's Super League than Rachel Daly.

Who else can say they have won the Golden Boot ahead of Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr and Vivianne Miedema, but also started both the European and World Cup final's as a full-back.

Having made the decision to retire from international football in April 2024 due to being repeatedly played out of position, I can't have been the only person watching on during Manchester City's 4-2 victory at Villa Park, wondering why Aston Villa's biggest goal threat was playing so deep.

Daly is not the first, and won't be the last player who puts the needs of the team ahead of their own.

There was no sign of frustration at being asked to be a box-to-box midfielder. The work rate was relentless, whether it be making defensive headers, intercepting the ball, supporting attacks or her tireless pressing.

It was a game which typified her importance to the collective, but for me the overwhelming evidence of playing Daly as a forward came in the 94th minute.

Her only chance of the game was tucked away emphatically, only to see the goal controversially ruled out for offside despite the ball coming off a Manchester City player prior to Daly's strike.

After turning 33 last month it's fair to suggest Daly might not have too many more years of elite level football left in her legs.

Yet she is a player who is out of contract this summer, and with the exceptions of Chelsea and Manchester City, I can't see another WSL team who wouldn't benefit from her attacking prowess, and I'm sure she'll have admirers from abroad too.

New head coach Natalia Arroyo will be looking to establish Aston Villa as a team who can consistently challenge for a top-five placing in the league. For me, playing Daly as an out-and-out striker seems an obvious place to start.