When it rains, it pours.
At least that is the case for Aston Villa at the moment. Their 4-0 loss on Monday against Leicester City leaves them in trouble in the Premier League’s relegation zone – although they do have a game in hand, they are still two points adrift of 17th place, and even that match they need to play to catch up is against high-flying Sheffield United.
Not only that, they are having issues off the pitch as well – at least the one at Villa Park. Danny Drinkwater, who was brought in on loan from Chelsea during the January transfer window, was involved in a training ground altercation with teammate Jota this week – he is even said to have headbutted the former Birmingham City man.
Now, it appears that the Villans are considering whether to send him back to the Blues. Given this recent incident and that he has had little impact in the four games he has started – failing to score or assist – it seems a no-brainer. The bigger question is, why did they even sign him in the first place?
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This is not his first loan spell of the campaign – he was first at Burnley, until January. However, he managed just two appearances there, which came in the Clarets’ 4-1 loss against Manchester City and 3-1 League Cup defeat versus Sunderland. In fact, his time at Turf Moor was more memorable for another fight he was involved in, albeit not with a teammate this time, as he was left worse for wear after a disagreement at a nightclub. That came after he was banned from driving for being drunk at the wheel whilst still at Stamford Bridge – his off-the-field misdemeanours are beginning to rack up.
In some cases, that can be brushed to one side if he at least has something to offer in terms of football itself, but that isn’t exactly the case. Since the start of the 2017/18 campaign, the £5.4m-valued 30-year-old – as per Transfermarkt – has played 1593 minutes of football in all competitions – that would be enough to complete 17 matches.
He is clearly out of touch, hence why he has struggled to show his worth for so long. Why, therefore, did Villa take a punt on him, paying £60,000 of his £120,000-a-week wages, when they find themselves in such a dire situation? Jesus Pitarch should have been looking to bring in someone they could rely on, but the England international has not been able to provide that in quite a while.
By winning the Premier League with Leicester, Drinkwater has done what so few players ever get to do. However, it seems his best years are long behind him. Suso has plenty to answer for by taking the ill-thought risk to take him to the Midlands.
Meanwhile, Villa fans don’t want this man as managed if Dean Smith is sacked.