Aston Villa

Chester update is good but not a gamechanger

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Image for Chester update is good but not a gamechanger

OPINION

Dean Smith provided an update on Aston Villa defender James Chester and revealed he was hoping to have the 30-year-old back from injury before the season ends.

The Villans official website shared that Smith was looking to have the 30-year-old available to choose from in the coming weeks as the defender was continuing to work towards a comeback on the fields of Bodymoor Heath.

Chester, as stated by the club’s website, has missed almost three months of action due to a knee problem, with his last game being the 2-1 win over Ipswich Town at the end of January.

However while Smith provided a positive update on the defender, who has 35 caps for Wales, it only highlighted how the club had transformed for the better in recent weeks.

Out of the 13 league games Chester has missed, Smith’s side have won eight, drawn three and only lost two, in order to give themselves a real chance of making the Championship play-offs.

The Villans looked destined to be disappointed and miss out on finishing top-six but a dramatic transformation of their performances, with several players upping their game, and has made everyone around the club believe they could possibly feature in the Premier League next season.

While Chester did okay in a lot of his 28 outings this season ahead of getting injured, the Villans’ improvement across the board means he won’t walk straight back into the team.

This was nearly unthinkable when news first broke of his injury as you felt the 30-year-old would be a noticeable absentee.

Tyrone Mings, Axel Tuanzebe, Kourtney Hause should all now be ahead of Chester in the pecking order, regardless of his injury status, and maybe even Mile Jedinak should leapfrog the Wales international if he builds on his display against Bristol City.

With that in mind while it is good to hear Chester has a chance of making it back this season, his return will be merely a cherry on top rather than the game changer you thought it would previously be.

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