Bruce’s goal
JONATHAN Kodjia made it 18 goals for the season with the winner in Aston Villa’s 1-0 win against QPR on Tuesday.
The striker scored after just five minutes as Steve Bruce’s side took all three points against Ian Holloway’s Hoops at Villa Park.
Kodjia again proved his invaluable worth to Villa and this term he’s scored more than 40 per cent of his side’s league goals.
He needs only two more in the final six games to become the first Villa player to score 20 league goals in a season since Peter Withe in 1981.
Of course, good form doesn’t go unnoticed and his constant stream of goals have sparked discussion about his future at Villa. But, for now, Kodjia remains absolutely vital to their fortunes this season.
He has scored seven times in as many games and it’s no coincidence Villa have won six of those. When the Ivory Coast forward is on form, so too are his side.
Following last Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Norwich, where Kodjia was on target twice, Villa chief executive Keith Wyness sent a message to the player saying: “Glad I chased your agent round Europe’’, to which the top scorer replied: “I’m glad you have good stamina’’
n potential interest in the striker in the summer, Bruce insisted: “I’m sure we will do everything to keep hold of him but football is football.
“We will do our best to keep hold of him, that’s for sure. But how can he be denied if Chelsea come in?
“You can’t deny that but he knows he’s in a big football club and he’s wellliked by everybody concerned.
“We don’t want to talk about selling, we just want to add to the team.
“He’s only been here six or seven months, he’s had a wonderful couple of years. He had a great time at Bristol and he’s ticking the boxes at the minute.”
Asked about whether the former Bristol City favourite can get two more goals in the remaining six games, Bruce added: “I hope so.
“You can never take anything for granted in this league but certainly he’s been terrific.
“When you consider the four or five games he missed when he was away in January for the African Nations we missed him with his ability to score a goal. Probably when we look at it and analyse it, he wasn’t here in January and that goal threat unfortunately evaporated.
“How often have I said we’ve relied too heavily on him?”
Villa fans will hope he can go on and reach the coveted 20-goal mark, not only for his sake but for the benefit of the entire team, too.
There is still some talk about the play-offs at Villa Park and if Bruce’s men are to pull off a late burst for the top six, they will need Kodjia’s goals to fire them to it. The gap currently stands at nine points to sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday. Longer term, this summer is .probably the biggest of the striker’s career. There will be suitors knocking at the door but whether Villa let them in – and for how much – is another matter.