MOMS previously ran an article questioning the futures of Jack Grealish, Carles Gil and Adama Traore if Aston Villa’s fate is to be the Championship. Would they stick around? Would they be any good in the Championship? And considering the trio’s pretty minimal contribution to this season, does anybody really care?
It has to be said though, all three have suffered from managerial resistance to play them this season, most notably Traore, who whilst a rough diamond was left to sit on the bench while Villa offered very little on the pitch.
Grealish only has himself to blame at the moment for his career going off track in the first half of this season. While MOMS has defended him in the national press from the overbearing obsession shown to his fledgling career by the media, indications are that he’s let the #lifestyle (™ Charles N’Zogbia) get in the way of the graft. Still, he just needs to knuckle down, if he wants to get back on track.
Gil, has seen more game time recently under Garde with varied success. He’d probably flourish more with other players on his wavelength willing to make runs in support, to really unlock his undoubted talent.
Anyway one question came to mind after that article and it was which of the three talents do Villa fans value the most. We did a quick Twitter poll and got over 2000 votes to what was an intriguing question…
Jack ‘He’s one of our own’ Grealish despite a lack of starts perhaps has done the most for the club out of the three players so far, if you count his key assists in the FA Cup semi-final and the vital league home win against West Ham last season. It seems his off-field exploits though have soured Villa supporters regard of him in recent months.
In my book, Grealish doesn’t seem to be a player yet that is capable of influencing a game. Gil on the other hand is perhaps more likely to show a flash of magic to grab a crowd’s attention and approval. I’d actually like to see how the Spaniard does in the Championship, as he could be a real menace to defences there.
WINNER
So, why did Traore win the vote so convincingly? Apart from the odd beast mode run, he hasn’t really had a chance to display his talents yet in a Villa shirt. Yes, he can dribble, has power and has speed to burn, but will he ever learn to look up and use his teammates? At the moment, the Barcelona ‘wow’ factor probably has a lot to do with supporters voting for him, plus perhaps a sense of injustice that he hasn’t seen more minutes for Villa.
Of course, a manager doesn’t have to choose one from the three. All three are at the start of their learning curve, so ideally, if all three are nurtured properly and key players are brought in to support and assistant them, they can all play in the same starting XI.
If Villa’s relegation is confirmed early doors, it might we worth playing all three players regularly in the deadwood games at the end of the season to help see if they are the real deal and potentially the future of Aston Villa.
Follow MOMS on Facebook at myoldmansaid
Jack to stay. Cannot believe I am seeing reports he is worried at his future at Villa. This sort of stuff can’t help. Sherwood spoilt him and as inferred above I think has also been influenced by the deadwood at the club. It cannot be a good thing to allow the spongers to be around the U21’s. Yes, he hasn’t lived up to the hype this year, but that is the nature of hype. And even Barkley at Everton had his dips in form, but look at him now.
Basically it seems Aston Villa fans would rather see foreigners play for Villa than one of their own? Would rather pay money for players than develop and keep the ones they have. Lunacy. And worse it is the SAME policy the board has had for the past few years, and gee that’s been a huge success.
there are four players came through the Villa youth ranks in forward positions who had all the makings in the last fifty years. Brian Little- famously pictured with Vic Crowe when he was fifteen years old, Crowe knew his worth – Gabby Agnbonlahor who after he scored his first goal at Everton I backed to play for England and he did – and Luke Moore, who scored a hat-trick against Middlesborough and was tipped for the top
But the top talent was Cowans. He was so good as a teenager that not only did the club sign him at 15 years old but they signed his Dad. Not that his Dad was a footballer, they gave him a job running the youth hostel so he could keep an eye on his son, his incentive to let the Villa sign him.
All four had the ability to scare the opposition and command headlines, as Jack does. The world outside Villa Park has never heard of Gil and Traore, but Jack has been the subject of a tug of war between two countries – it has not helped him and if anyone =should lay off him the international associations should
But these four all had potential but only one won more than three caps – Moore never got any, Little got one, Gabby got three. Cowans 10 but cut short from injury.
I will back Grealish to get more than any of them, if he stays fit. Wait and see.
But England selection is only part of it. Which Villa player was picked for the world cup ahead of cowans and then featured in one of the most famous incidents of all time?
Trevor Fisher.
Yeah, he’s OK but what’s Grealish done for us lately. Gil’s the regular performer. He never stops running and plays his heart out every game. Much improved in terms of involvement. Traore’s a pocket rocket. A rough diamond, but incredibly determined to effect the course of a game, which I don’t think Grealish is. A great shame Traore got injured. The last game Grealish played well in was against Liverpool in the FA Cup.
shows to me that football fans should never make decisions at football clubs. Stick to playing games of football manager on the internet.
Grealish is the most talented player I have seen of his age at Villa Park since Gordon Cowans came through. His stock may rise and fall depending on the headlines, but nothing substitutes for talent. Form is temporary, class is permanent.
His off field behavior has cast a shadow, but its nothing like the furore which followed George Best, who had journalists outside his house 24-7. But would any Man U fans have said a couple of midfield players on their books at the time were better?
No disrespect to Traore and Gil, but this lad has ability in bucket loads. If he is one fault, at 20 he trusts the wrong people. It had to be a so-called friend who sold the pics in Manchester to the tabloids
Yes he will find the Championship difficult if we go down, but he has to deal with heavy treatment from thus. Cowans is under rated because he only got 10 England caps, he was the most amazing talent in the golden years 1977-82, but then a thug broke his leg and he never got the caps he deserved because he had a year out.
Jack is going to have to deal with that and the media and the rest. Media have been appalling. SInce MOMS has a section on media muppets, why not a section on muppets who believe the media?
Because people who think Gil and Traore are better assets are believing the garbage about jack published in the gutter press.
STOP IT NOW!
Trevor Fisher
Are you Jack’s dad? ‘The most talented player I have seen of his age at Villa Park since Gordon Cowans’ – I’ve seen little proof to back such a big statement up. That’s a big sweeping statement you’re making there. Best to downplay him and let him get on with it.