Smith backs Wes to be a fast learner
VILLA head coach Dean Smith believes Wesley Moraes is ‘starting to get up to speed’ with the Premier League.
The club’s £22 million record buy has come in for stick following their back-to-back defeats.
Former Manchester United and Wolves midfielder Paul Ince has told Wesley to stop moaning when decisions go against him, while Stan Collymore believes Villa should draft in Emile Heskey to teach the Brazilian the ‘basics’ of top-flight forward play.
However, Smith appeared happy enough with the striker’s contribution against Bournemouth. “Wesley did OK,” he said.
“He had a couple of chances, the ‘keeper made a save, one got deflected. He was a presence up front and ran down the sides as well at the end of the first half and again in the second.
“He’s starting to get up to speed with the Premier League and it’s going to take time for a few of them. I’ve been pleased with his performances so far and he just needs a goal now.”
One man who wasn’t involved against the Cherries was Zimbabwean midfielder Marvelous Nakamba.
He followed Wesley from Club Brugge to Villa Park but is still working on his fitness.
“He’s still a little bit off it,” Smith added. “He played one game in the Africa Cup of Nations and got injured and hasn’t done an awful lot of training, so we’ve been working on his fitness.”
But former Villa favourite Lee Hendrie has questioned the club’s decision to only sign one new striker this summer.
Villa spent more than £100 million on new recruits, largely replenishing an ageing and depleted defence with the likes of Bjorn Engels, Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa.
Wesley joined to replace the goals of Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham, who played an instrumental role in securing Villa’s return to the Premier League.
While most agree that Wesley, at 22, is a fine prospect, he has spent all of his career in the Belgian Pro League and the step up to the English top flight is vast.
And Hendrie has questioned whether Villa should have invested more resources in another striker.
Jonathan Kodjia and Keinan Davis are Smith’s only senior alternatives down the middle, with neither ever previously appearing in the Premier League.
“Going back to Tammy, how good he was for us last season, bringing the new lad in, Welsey, he’s a different mould of a player. I feel that might be where they fall short,’’ said Hendrie.
“Defensively, they’re very good but, centre-forward-wise, I’ve got a big question mark and I don’t see who else they can bring on.”