Squad enjoy some calm before storm

STEVEN Gerrard has given his non-international players the week off in the hope his squad come back refreshed and revitalised ahead of the visit to Wolves on April 2.

The Villa head coach believes a bit of respite away from Bodymoor Heath could really do the trick as he looks to finish the season strongly with nine fixtures remaining.

The 10 senior players not on international duty – Emi Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Calum Chambers, Kortney Hause, Ashley Young, Douglas Luiz, Morgan Sanson, Emi Buendia, Marvelous Nakamba and Danny Ings – have been given strict training programmes to tick over at home or on holiday.

Gerrard said: “They will be given programmes to do when they’re away from here. At this stage of the season, it’s important to give them some time with their families.

“We probably have 75% that won’t be here. As of yesterday we would have had five on the pitch, even if we kept them in to train, so I’ve decided the best thing is to give them individual programmes and trust them to go and have some family time and tick over.

“They’ll have some time away from here and try to freshen up, from a mental point of view, ahead of the final nine games.

“The training ground will be open, staff-wise, so, if anybody is local and wants to come in, they can. It won’t be shut down. It’ll be open.

“If they want to train at home, go abroad for a few days it’s up to them as long as they stick to their programmes. They’re all under the strict guidance that if they don’t stick to it, they won’t get free time again.

“When you get to March, we can’t move the gauge in terms of how fit we will be. A lot of players have played quite a few minutes now.

“With Covid as well, people haven’t seen family much over the past 12 to 18 months so a decision came back off a combination of all of that.”