TERRY INJURY IS KICK IN THE BALLS – BRUCE
ASTON Villa crashed to their first home league defeat for seven months and lost injured captain John Terry for up to three months.
“Terry is in hospital and it looks as if he’s got a broken metatarsal, which is bad news for all of us,” said stunned Villa boss Steve Bruce.
Bruce also had to take off Robert Snodgrass, who had painkilling injections before the game for broken ribs but could not make it to half-time.
“A bad afternoon has got worse with the news that Terry has the injury and he will be out for some time,” added Bruce.
“Let’s hope it’s not so bad and it is going to be six weeks rather than 12 when we get the results from hospital .
“Terry has been immense for us. It will get worse when we think it over. Getting beaten you accept, but losing key players is critical for us.
“It’s this game we are in– it kicks you in the balls.”
Villa keep their place in the top five, while Wednesday, after a moderate start, are closing in on the promotion places. Look out Championship teams – Jordan Rhodes is back in the goals.
He finished off Villa with a 23rd-minute strike, his second in successive games after a terrible run of 24 league appearances without one.
For someone with a career record of 194 in 396 that is as unbelievable as some of Donald Trump’s tweets, and not what Sheffield Wednesday paid £10m for.
It’s also the first time Rhodes has scored in successive games for seven months – all wonderful news for Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal.
The Portuguese has come under pressure this season but has kept cool.
“There is a massive difference from what is said on the internet and the real fans,” he said. “Social media is the enemy of clubs.
“This is something we appreciate because the commitment between us and the fans was really good, even in the bad moments.”
Wednesday climb to within two points of the top six on the back of this win and with three of the top six losing, a challenge for the promotion places is more than possible.
Carvalhal took Rhodes off with 18 minutes left but by then Wednesday had beaten a Villa team who put in their worst performances for weeks .
Adam Reach got Wednesday off and running with a terrific goal after only 19 seconds. Wednesday were in control from that point apart from Chris Samba’s late, late goal.
To be fair Reach’s goal was wonderful; high on confidence, he looked up and cracked one in from 20 yards.
That was Reach’s third goal in three games in one week, a very good week with a draw against Barnsley and wins against Millwall and Villa.
Rhodes also scored against Millwall and what a relief that must have been after such a long wait for a goal.
Now he has remembered what to do he got another, with a typical Rhodes goal from close range having been given the chance by Gary Hooper’s through ball.
The irony is that Bruce tried to sign Rhodes.
Villa had more of the play in the second half but without threat until Christopher Samba, on for Terry, turned in a goal in at the death.
It was their first home defeat of the season in front of their biggest crowd. Something else for Bruce to mull over today.