Half-season report card: Aston Villa recruitment will be key in the battle for survival
Read Matt Maher's half-season report on Aston Villa here, as he highlights the top performer, where the side could do better, the boss's input, where to strengthen and gives an overall grade!
Top performer: Jack Grealish
Jack Grealish is the standout candidate here.
After a steady if unspectacular start to life back in the Premier League, Villa’s skipper has been in excellent form since the start of October.
Grealish has scored six goals in his last 12 top-flight appearances, meaning this is already destined to be his best goalscoring season so far.
Add in five assists and the statistics show no other English midfielder has been involved in more goals than the 24-year-old.
Villa’s second half of the season promises to be nail-biting, but with Grealish in their ranks you always feel they have a chance.
Must do better: Anwar El Ghazi, Trezeguet and Jonathan Kodjia
There are a few players who fall into this category, perhaps most notably the wing duo of Anwar El Ghazi and Trezeguet, whose inconsistent form is thought to have caused particular frustration for head coach Dean Smith.
In the here and now, the season-ending injury suffered by Wesley means Villa need to see more from Jonathan Kodjia.
The Ivory Coast international might have netted twice against Liverpool’s youngsters last month, yet his Premier League performances have left plenty to be desired.
Manager: Dean Smith
There is no doubt Villa’s New Year’s Day win significantly eased the pressure on Smith, who had seen his position come under increasing scrutiny during a run of five defeats in six matches.
A switch to three at the back proved the right call for a head coach who had previously been stubborn to changing his preferred system, while Smith got the reaction he wanted from players following a dismal defeat at Watford.
His first season managing in the Premier League has been a learning curve and there have been occasions when his inexperience has shown, most notably in September’s 3-2 defeat at Arsenal.
But, to this point, Smith has managed to maintain his customary cool and done a solid job of moulding together what was effectively a brand new team following Villa’s £127million summer spend.
Where to strengthen: Forwards and midfield
After losing John McGinn, Tom Heaton and Wesley in the space of just 12 days, the success of Villa’s January business will go a long way to determining whether or not they survive in the top flight.
Heaton’s loss should not be underestimated. The England international has been a big influence in a dressing room largely filled with Premier League rookies and ranks among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.
But the more pressing issue in terms of recruitment is up front, with Kodjia currently the only fit striker.
With McGinn not scheduled to return until late March, Smith is also keen to add a midfielder and while last summer’s spending spree focused on adding players with potential, this time the focus is very much on finding a few experienced heads for the battle to come.
Grade: C-
Despite some lofty pre-season predictions, Villa’s first campaign back in the Premier League was always going to be about survival – and right now they are on course to achieve their primary goal, albeit only just.
Despite coming at a hefty cost with the loss of Heaton and Wesley, the renewed fight – and quality – shown in this week’s victory at Burnley should provide cause for optimism.
More of the same will be required in a relegation scrap likely to last the rest of the season.
A third trip to Wembley in the space of as many seasons, meanwhile, remains a possibility with Villa taking on Leicester in a two-legged League Cup semi-final.
