The thought of Grealish returning to get Villa going again is probably on the minds of most Villa fans, but having seen the state of affairs over the last few games since the start of his absence, is it not better to ask "Why do the Villa players seem to have depended on him so much?"
This is surely the problem with a one-star team, that the rest of the team seem to adjust to playing to the playmaker's tune - they have lost their self-identity. Matt Target is one - I detected that he really likes linking with Jack down the left, and with Jack not there the effectiveness of Matt's forward play seems to have dropped off.
Sadly, Matt's defensive play also seems to have dropped off after a spell when he seemed to be a super full-back, but has lately been slipping up a fair amount.
But in yesterday's first half against Wolves the over-reliance on Jack seemed to have been put aside. I thought there were moments when the rest of the team seemed to have pulled themselves together and decided that they have to get on with it. But wait, was that the case or was it because Sanson was starting a match for the first time?
I thought he had a good first-half, though I feel there's a lot more to come. The occasion when he skipped down the left touchline, Mortimer-like, leaving a couple of players in his wake, gave me the thought, "This is a player who has not yet played in the same team as Jack and is showing authority." Elmo was also working well down the right, but our Traore was again not showing any great spark, being another (I suspect) who relies on Jack's inspiration.
John McGinn was sensational in the first half, though, and I think that was so because of Sanson's inclusion, allowing John to move forward more.
The Villa should have been leading at half-time. Three times Villa came very very close, with two of those attempts hitting the woodwork and threatening to demolish it at the same time. "All we need is to up our game a tad and the match is ours", I thought.
The second half proved otherwise, but I see that being mainly down to (1) the fact that Wolves seemed to be better organised and (2) Sanson having to go off on around 60 minutes and was seen having his ankle put in ice.
For the rest of the match, the Villa were mainly on the back foot, with Wolves somehow missing two chances, one with Elmo's flank being left bare again (as happened disastrously against the Blades three days before) and the other after being presented with their second chance by the indecisive Barkley. He now seems to be qualifying as a liability and after that point did little in the game after having come on as a sub. But we have a super keeper who spared his blushes.
I get the feeling that the Villa management would be happy for the club to finish in a good mid-table position (and with 40 points now gained we can surely forget about relegation!). That being the case, and with injuries to Grealish, Cash and now El Ghazi and (perhaps) Sanson, then this very average mid-season patch can be seen as an opportunity to mix and play to see who is really worth his salt.
For me, this patch seems to show that (sadly) Davis and Barkley will not be staying, plus the fact that Elmo's contract expires this year. Who, then, will be backup to Matty Cash? Actually, a fit-again Hause might be the interim answer.
Whatever is the case, for me the fact that Sanson has finally started a match is a big plus, and - yes - I would like to see the return of Jack just to see how he and 'the Warrior' will combine. It could well be a fearsome combination.
UTV!
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