Aston Villa spent quite a fortune to bolster their squad this summer in order to gain an automatic promotion to the Premier League but things have not gone really well for them. Just one win from 12 games in the Championship this season sums up what kind of trouble they are in at the moment. Steve Bruce’s coronation as the manager of Aston Villa ended with a 1-1 draw with local rivals Wolves with Kodija finding the net from the spot.
Aston Villa did not hesitate to break the bank this summer to bring in quality to the side but the output has been utterly disappointing. The Midlands club have managed to score just 11 goals from 12 games this season in the Championship with summer arrivals McCormack and Kodija scoring just four goals between them so far.
According to reports, Steve Bruce is looking to utilise the upcoming winter transfer window to put an end to the club’s struggles in front of the goal by bringing in Middlesbrough outcast Jordan Rhodes to Villa Park.
Jordan Rhodes is a quality striker and is tried and tested in the Championship level over the years. Despite doing so well in the second tier of English football over the years, Rhodes were never snapped up by any Premier League side which is really surprising. He earned his step up to the big stage with Boro last season by finishing second in the Championship but since then, he has struggled for both opportunities and form at the Riverside Stadium.
The 26-year-old has just two Premier League appearances to his name so far this season, with only one of those coming from the start. With an experienced striker like Alvaro Negredo ahead of him in the pecking order, opportunities won’t come easy for Rhodes and unless the situation improves before January, we might see the Englishman heading towards the exit door.
Rhodes has a brilliant resume to his name and has been one of the best strikers in the championship in the last few years. He can offer Aston Villa exactly the kind of proficiency they are missing. On paper, the Midlands club has plenty of options up front with Kodija, Ayew, McCormack, Gestede, Agbonlahor and Kozák but none of them have been able to impress.
With 91 goals and 16 assists from 189 championship games over the years, Rhodes can easily put an end to the miseries of the Aston Villa fans with his deadly finishing, brilliant movement and a lethal approach in front of the goal. However, Aston Villa need quality and energetic midfielders in order to bring life to their slow midfield first rather than getting another striker.
