OPINION
Aston Villa have had an indifferent start to the 2018/19 season, with Steve Bruce’s side earning nine points from their first six games to lie 12th in the Championship table.
Two promising wins to start the season have since been overshadowed by three draws, a Carabao Cup exit, and a damaging 4-1 defeat to Sheffield United before the international break.
A challenging away fixture at Blackburn Rovers awaits on Saturday evening, and Bruce has his work cut out if he wants to get a positive result after that drubbing against the Blades last time out.
Some may think that the international break came at the wrong time for the Villans, with no opportunity to quickly rectify such a loss, but in many ways the break has turned out well for the club.
There have been some positive results on the international stage for many of the club’s players, and that will give the squad a boost as many return full of confidence.
One of those who will be returning with a spring in their step is loan striker Tammy Abraham, who scored for England Under-21s as they beat Latvia on Tuesday night.
Abraham is yet to play for Villa since joining on loan from Chelsea, but that must change this weekend.
The 20-year-old striker will be fit and raring to go after such a performance, and he must be drafted into the starting lineup immediately by Bruce.
Jonathan Kodjia has quite frankly been disappointing so far this season, and the club are lacking many other options in terms of out-and-out strikers.
Abraham is a proven Championship player, having netted 23 goals in 41 games for Bristol City in 2016/17, and the quicker he gets the chance to replicate that form the better.
Now is the perfect time for Bruce to bring him in, and the 6ft 3in giant [Transfermarkt] must start against Blackburn this weekend.