Skipper’s here there and everywhere, moans boss!
JACK Grealish left Dean Smith with a wry smile after his 20-minute appearance at Crewe – because he played everywhere but his designated position!
Smith threw Villa’s skipper on as the game petered out on Tuesday night with the 23-year-old replacing Jota on the right-hand side.
Another young forward, 18-yearold Cameron Archer, made his Villa debut with a 10-minute cameo at Gresty Road, having replaced Davis.
Smith added: “Cam did really well on Saturday when I went to watch
Just seconds after entering the action, he set up Keinan Davis for his goal – but Smith was left shaking his head.
The head coach said: “I told Jack I was bringing him (to the game), and he made me bring him on the pitch.
“The lads were doing some running anyway afterwards – the ones who didn’t play – him
23s.
“Jonathan (Kodjia) will start training back with us on Thursday. We haven’t got an awful lot of options with Kodjia being missing.
against Norwich and I planned to bring Jack on and brought him on for Jota in a wide right area, but he probably played everywhere but there!
“It was always a plan for me, 20-25 minutes to get Jack on the pitch. It’s a day lost for training, if I’m honest, for the ones who aren’t playing.
“We had five of them back
in
the Under
“I didn’t want to bring big Wes, he’d be too much of an injury risk to bring on or be tempted to.
“Cam’s looked bright, has trained with us and looked bright when he came on.” at the training ground and we worked them before the game so it was ideal to get Jack on in the game. Freddie (Guilbert) got on a little earlier than we would have liked (he replaced the injured Matty Targett) but it’s great for the lads who haven’t played too many games. It’s important to give them minutes.”
Targett’s hamstring injury forced him off shortly before half-time at Gresty Road and he is struggling to be fit for Saturday’s game away to Crystal Palace.
Smith added: “It will probably keep him out for a week or two. It’s not as damaging, I don’t think, as it could be.”