da realbet： Despite claiming an impressive 2-1 win over Everton last week in the Premier League, Aston Villa manager Dean Smith must consider dropping Bertrand Traore for Sunday afternoon’s clash against Manchester United.
da supremo： While the Burkina Faso international claimed the assist for Anwar El Ghazi’s goal, the winger hasn’t been consistent enough over these past few weeks to warrant still being in the starting line-up.
Alan Hutton has raised his concerns about Traore and the rest of Villa’s attack recently, saying that it’s looked a “struggle” to score goals.
He said: “Defensively, they’ve been strong but moving forward they just don’t create enough. Simple as that. They have tried different things, whether it be Trezeguet, Traore, Anwar, Ross Barkley coming off the bench. It looks a struggle at times.”
In response to Hutton’s comments, former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie spoke exclusively to Football FanCast about how Traore, among others, has really failed to step up in Jack Grealish’s absence.
He said: “I think what Hutts is talking about is that with Jack not being in the frame, you need standout players, you need exciting players that are going to step up to the plate and fulfil Jack’s role, because otherwise you’re going to get branded as almost a one-man team.
“So, yes, I’m totally, totally with Hutts on that because when you’ve got someone of his (Traore) ability, that’s where he needs to come on and be that player.”
With no goals in the Premier League since mid-February, Traore just hasn’t shown the kind of cutting edge up front which Smith has desperately needed from him, especially with Grealish out injured – in fact, as per Whoscored, out of the last ten matches he has played for Villa, only once has he gone above a 7.0 match rating.
With high-flying Manchester United to come on Sunday, Smith will need all his players in form and on song, and he can’t afford to be carrying any passengers in his team.
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The £55,000-a-week Traore has been ineffective for a while now, and it’s about time Smith takes him out of the firing line.
Meanwhile, Villa must land this £60m-rated star in the summer…