Deflating period but patience is required from Aston Villa fans
By Dean Caffrey
As February begins, Aston Villa fans can’t be too pleased with their lot at the moment. Out of the play-offs with just 1 win since the 26th of December and Jack Grealish and Axel Tuanzebe are still missing. Patience is very much required…
One of the main reasons for my plea of patience is that the new structure in place at the club is still in its infancy. Dean Smith, his coaching team, new CEO Christian Purslow and new Sporting Director ‘Suso’ are still getting settled in to their roles.
After 1 transfer window, it’s clear that the new policy at the club is one of long-term thinking and sensible deals. Yannick Bolasie going back to Everton allowed his high wages to be spent to bring in 3 new players on deadline day. Bolasie never shined for long periods in a Villa shirt and Dean Smith made the decision to recall André Green from his loan soon before Bolasie departed. It could have been coincidental that these two moves occurred so close together, but it does signal Smith’s faith in the player.
Let’s hope we see some more of Villa’s younger players given a chance in the next few months and years. A whole raft of them have been sent on loan to lower league clubs, so I think the plan is to introduce some of them next season into the team by which a host of older players would be out of contract at Villa, thereby leaving in the summer.
Results have been poor of late, there is no getting away from the fact that performance levels have dropped. This may have a lot to do with the injury-enforced absences of Grealish and Tuanzebe, who were bossing it previously. Everyone knows what this full strength Villa side are capable of (3-0 away wins vs. Derby and Middlesbrough, win in the Second City Derby) so we know they can perform to a high level. With Grealish expected back soon, and with fixtures against these teams again to come, Villa have a good chance of getting back into form.
Next. Aston Villa Points Predictor: February 2019. dark
I hope the supporters appreciate what Smith is trying to do with the team by trying to play the right way and gradually reducing the age of the squad, but this has and will take time, and shouldn’t be discouraged after a rocky few weeks results wise. There is a long term plan in place at Villa for the first time in a long while.