Big picture is painting very bright future for Villa – Lee
VILLA are in the midst of their worst run of form of the season – but it’s just a blip, according to Lee Hendrie.
The former club favourite believes Dean Smith’s men have overachieved after only just avoiding an immediate return to the Championship last season.
“What’s gone against Villa this season is the reflection of last season of where they were so poor,’’ said Hendrie.
“They’re in a relegation scrap for most of the season, they end up just staying up by the skin of their teeth.
“And then this season, there’s been a few new additions, and they’ve done reasonably well. I feel Villa have possibly just overachieved a little bit this season.
“I think Dean’s done a fabulous job, I really do. I still think he can take us further on. Since he’s come in, he’s been a breath of fresh air, he’s a Villa man himself.”
Smith is already drawing up transfer plans for the summer and has revealed Villa will continue to look for value in the domestic market, having had success with the signings of Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins from Nottingham Forest and Brentford respectively.
Watkins has scored ten times in his maiden Premier League campaign and netted on his England debut on Thursday night.
Villa also signed Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal and Ross Barkley on loan from Chelsea. Indeed, of the five transfers made last summer only Bertrand Traore was brought in from overseas. However, he spent four years at Chelsea so knows the Premier League.
Morgan Sanson was brought in from Olympique Marseille in the January transfer window, with Smith and transfer guru Johan Lange able to complete a £14 million deal for the player.
“We wanted a British feel about us but that’s not to say we will turn our noses up at good deals abroad,” Smith said.
“We expect player recruitment to be harder because of Brexit so young, British talent is what we’re looking for. I believe that can improve us and we believe we can improve those players as well.
“We can improve them, their value. The fact they can see a clear pathway for them now with England will help too.”
Smith says he is thankful for the backing he has received from club owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
Villa have spent big on transfers in the past couple of summer windows as NSWE look to return the club to the upper echelons of English football.
Assembling a squad that was capable of achieving Premier League survival was the brief last season and looking up the table has been the aim in 2020-21.
Villa looked like they could trouble the top six before Barkley’s hamstring injury interrupted their rhythm and now the leg injury to skipper Jack Grealish has coincided with the club’s worst run of the campaign.
However, while Villa will almost certainly have to settle for a mid-table finish, it is all about the bigger picture. Another crunch summer transfer window is coming up with more bargains to be had and another chance for Villa to add quality to their ranks.
Smith knows the club must improve year-on-year and that is not only done in the transfer market but also at the training ground. Not just on the Bodymoor Heath pitches, either.
“The owners know what they want their football club to look like,”
he said. “My job was to
improve the culture of the club and improve the playing style and players, that has to start at the very top.
“I’m grateful we have good owners and for my part a good culture is always evolving. It can never stay still – it has to get better.
“Not just players but ground staff, catering staff, that everyone’s pushing in the same direction and wanting to improve. The whole training ground therefore becomes a learning zone.”