OPINION
Aston Villa fans have had to endure a turbulent season so far as their side look some way off the top six finish they were seeking at the start of the campaign, with injury blows a regular source of heartbreak among the Villa faithful.
There have been numerous occasions where the supporters have watched one of their star men limp off in the game, or hear that someone has suffered a setback behind the scenes, and it is impacting on their side’s performances in the Championship.
One man who the fans would have expected to see much more of would have been winger Yannick Bolasie, the 29-year-old on loan from Everton, but despite having nine appearances under his belt, not one of those has been in the starting XI, the experienced ace having to settle for substitute cameos thus far.
Injury has played its part in his absence from the Villans’ line ups but a report from the Birmingham Mail has claimed that the attacker is going the extra mile to ensure he is fit and firing for Smith with extra fitness sessions behind the scenes.
A Premier League quality forward, Bolasie does already have two goals under his belt despite the lack of starts and has proven to be a game changing talent, and when back up to speed you can be sure his fitness is above much of the Championship’s.
As a reward for his efforts, Smith needs to be starting the experienced attacker and doing so would give him the chance to truly unleash his abilities – which would no doubt have Villa Park bouncing.
Bolasie’s professionalism is shining through – he could easily sit back and wait for his injury to recover naturally, but it is clear he wants to be dazzling for Smith’s side, and giving him the opportunity is a must for the manager.