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Aston Villa’s lack of goals will correct itself in the second-half

By Dean Caffrey

BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Albert Adomah of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's 2nd goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Burton Albion and Aston Villa at Pirelli Stadium on September 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Albert Adomah of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's 2nd goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Burton Albion and Aston Villa at Pirelli Stadium on September 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) /
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With only 29 goals in 22 games, it’s been a shy return from the first-half of the season for Aston Villa, especially for a team chasing promotion. Villa’s lack of goals will correct itself.

The rest of the EFL Championship top-8 and 19th-placed Hull City have a better return through the first half of the season. Therefore, it understandably raises questions about the credibility of Aston Villa’s chances of going up.

It has only become very glaring in recent weeks, with just one goal in three games in December. Jonathan Kodjia’s (potentially) season-ending injury and Scott Hogan’s recent operation raised questions about the attack through the better part of the year.

Albert Adomah has been in sensational form this season, but his goals have regressed to his career norms and dried up. Aston Villa strikers have only scored 4 of the club’s total goals this term. It’s a problem that existed last season in that the club relied on Jonathan Kodjia to score every game and it feels the same this term with Albert Adomah.

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The midfield has been contributing more goals, partly due to Keinan Davis’ brilliant hold-up play.

The introduction of Jack Grealish adds flair and guile that Josh Onomah has lacked recently. The inconsistency in young players, Onomah being 20, happens, akin to Keinan Davis himself tiring after a long streak of professional minutes. I believe playing Scott Hogan in front of Jack Grealish will ignite Hogan’s (no goals in league play this term) game, coupled with Grealish’s possession abilities, the attack will correct itself to a better second-half return.

Moreover, Davis/Onomah coming off the bench will be useful against tiring defenses. Not many Championship clubs boast that type of talent on a seven-man bench.

TELFORD, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Andre Green of Aston Villa scores the first goal of the game during the Pre-Season Friendly between AFC Telford United and Aston Villa at New Bucks Head Stadium on July 12, 2017 in Telford, England. (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
TELFORD, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Andre Green of Aston Villa scores the first goal of the game during the Pre-Season Friendly between AFC Telford United and Aston Villa at New Bucks Head Stadium on July 12, 2017 in Telford, England. (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images) /

Furthermore, André Green is nearing a return. Before a painful groin injury, Green was a starter under Steve Bruce as a left winger, placing Albert Adomah on the right. Green’s return provides options on the wing, potentially giving Adomah/Snodgrass a break, or the ability to play Snodgrass through the middle/up top.

While Villa’s lack of goals in the first-half of the season is a concern, there remains a strong possibility the problem correct itself in the second-half of the season.

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