OPINION
It is quite remarkable what just one win can do for a team’s confidence and there is no doubting that Aston Villa’s thrashing of Derby County over the weekend will have the supporters and staff in high spirits.
In what was one of the best performances seen by the Villans all season, Dean Smith’s men blew the Rams away in their 4-0 win, Jack Grealish pulling the strings – as well as scoring a sensational strike – on his return to the side.
The midfielder showed why he is crucial to the way Villa operate and why his side missed him so much during his lengthy injury absence – but he was not the only midfielder to dazzle.
Conor Hourihane struck not once but twice in a hugely impressive performance in front of goal while Glenn Whelan did all the dirty work in a dominant display from the centre of the pitch.
As such, Dean Smith is surely not going to shake things up for their next outing against rivals Birimingham – although the return of John McGinn is giving the boss a headache.
He told the Express and Star: “At half-time on Saturday we were in coaches’ room looking at clips to show the players.
“We watched the second goal and I said: ‘Bloody hell, it is going to be hard to get John McGinn in this team!’ It’s nice to have that problem. We haven’t had that enough.”
As Smith says, it is difficult to find a place for the Scottish international in that side – which is exactly why his hopes of a derby return must be dashed.
You simply cannot go handing people their place back in the starting XI after such a dominant display and as frustrating as it will be for the summer arrival, a place on the bench must be enough.