Rudy can’t fail to click with his new strike partner – Villa legend
ASTON Villa will wreak havoc on their opponents when Rudy Gestede and Jonathan Kodjia click as a strike partnership, the scorer of the club’s most famous goal insists.
Peter Withe bagged the winner in the 1982 European Cup Final and admits he’s excited by the new-look forward line at Villa Park.
The ardent follower, now 65, reckons Gestede is the key man to transform Villa’s fortunes and he’s convinced Kodjia’s contributions will make them a feared force.
“I think Rudy is playing his best football now so it’s important to get him back fit,” said Withe.
“He’s doing things this season that he wasn’t doing previously – winning headers, getting on the end of passes and scoring goals. I think, with Kodjia alongside him, Villa have the perfect mix to frighten teams.
“The manager has a system which he’s trying to make work and I think it will soon.
“Villa have dominated games but not been able to see them out. It’s important they start to find a ruthless streak.
“It’s a strong team for the Championship and one the fans are still right behind.
“Just look at the attendances so far. It’s great credit to the supporters.
“As long as they see a team that is going all-out for the win every week they are pleased.”
Withe still speaks passionately about Villa and wants to see his former side return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
However, so far this season other old employers have made life difficult for Di Matteo’s men.
“It’s ironic really that Villa now find themselves down in the Champion- ship and lining up against all my old sides!”Withe joked. “First it was Huddersfield, then Nottingham Forest. On Saturday it was Newcastle and Wolves aren’t far away either. “This is a tough league and, as you’ve seen with other teams, one day they blow hot, the next they’re cold. “It’s the same all across the league but I think Villa will soon shine through. Those big forwards can be the real difference.” Meanwhile, former Villa manager Martin O’Neill has suggested he would have whipped Jack Grealish into shape had the youngster chosen to represent his Republic of Ireland side rather than England. Grealish made the choice to represent the country of his birth last September, rejecting O’Neill’s Irish team. And with the winger making the headlines for the wrong reasons following a party at a Birmingham hotel after the draw at Ipswich, Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo suspended him for the match with Newcastle last weekend.
O’Neill said: “I would have been delighted to have taken him on, but he chose elsewhere.
“Would I straighten him out? There’s a fairly decent chance I would have done.
“I’ve been able to do players during my time.
“I certainly would have been able to sort him out at club level because I’d have been working with him every day.’’
O’Neill, who left Villa on the eve of the 2010/11 season, said Grealish wouldn’t have posed him a problem had he been his club manager.
“Sorting him out at international level, when you only have someone for a couple of days, it’s totally different to club level.
“If I was his club manager he wouldn’t have a problem, I promise you.’’ it with a few