Aston Villa should start building for next year - a season likely to be in the Championship - according to former defender Jlloyd Samuel.
Villa are rock bottom of the Premier League, 11 points adrift of safety, having won just once and lost 14 times this season, the latest defeat coming at fellow strugglers Sunderland.
Samuel, 34, left Villa in 2007 after nine years at the club and is a free agent after leaving Iranian club Paykan last summer.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "Villa are really struggling this year. I think they need to build for next year, while the team needs to keep focused and push forward.
"I haven't really seen an improvement since Remi Garde came in. I think it's really difficult at the moment, mentally, for the players. And there is definitely pressure on the manager.
"They need to strengthen the team for the future and realistically look at that side of things. it might be a rush buy in January, but they need a change.
"Garde might be building around younger players but, at this stage of the season, experience is needed. Those players have been around the Premier League a while and know the league.
"But, at the end of the day, he's the manager, he makes the choices. Although I think the older players can help the younger ones."