The Top Flight
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Talking Points from the Aston Villa vs Liverpool FA Cup Semi-Final

By Brent Stephen Smith

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Credit: Ben Sutherland | Flickr Creative Commons

V. Jack Grealish Is The Future, And The Future Is Now I’m probably one of the biggest admirers of what Jack Grealish brings to a side, and I will give credit to both Paul Lambert and Tim Sherwood for giving him the chance to play in the Premier League.

For those of you who were unaware of Grealish before the FA Cup semi-final: welcome aboard.

He is one of the most exciting young talents, and while it’s only been in the past year that the 19 year old has been exposed to the top flight, he has long been on the radar.

In 2012-13, Grealish was part of the Aston Villa U19 side that won the NextGen Series, essentially the Champions League for U19s. He scored the winning goal in the semi-final, helping knock out the kids from Sporting CP (including older players like Carlos Mané, who now plays for Sporting’s senior side in the real Champions League).

Last season, as only an 18 year old, he was on loan at Notts County, where he regularly made League One opposition look like your average co-ed indoor rec league.

Oh, should I also mention that he was Ireland U21 player of the year? Yeah. He’s pretty good.

Besides his ability to create, he’s also a reasonably good defender. Even better than winning the ball back is never losing it. His best attribute is his ability to protect the ball, and sometimes draw a foul. For example, against Hull City on August 31, this season, Grealish had a fantastic cameo. The script reads as follows:

  • 75 minute: Jack Grealish subbed on for Kieran Richardson.
  • 82 minute: Nikica Jelavic yellow card.
  • 84 minute: Ahmed Elmohamady yellow card.
  • 87 minute: Stephen Quinn yellow card.

Yes, three Hull players were foolish enough to think they could take the ball from little Jack. The fact that he was subbed on for Kieran Richardson just makes it all the better.

That being said, not all short appearances from Grealish are always good. In this year’s FA Cup tie against local rivals West Bromwich Albion, Jack Grealish had another cameo. That script reads as follows:

  • 74 minute: Jack Grealish subbed on for Charles N’Zogbia.
  • 85 minute: Scott Sinclair goal, Jack Grealish assist.
  • 87 minute: Jack Grealish yellow card.
  • 90+2 minute: Jack Grealish red card (second yellow).

I think we should consider referring to two yellows and an assist as a Jack Grealish hat trick. In all seriousness, Grealish didn’t deserve either yellow, but at the same time, Claudio Yacob also got two harsh yellows, so we can look back on that match and just go ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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The truth is that Jack Grealish is now not only ready to be a regular starter (which oddly took the belief of Tim Sherwood to happen, so if I have to package that with the continued use of Richardson and N’Zogbia, I’ll take it), but he is ready to be the key piece of the team.

Benteke is the king up front, and Delph is the midfield boss, but as the FA Cup semi-final versus Liverpool finally showed, Grealish is the key to linking everyone together. He had 59 passes in the game, second on Villa to only Delph, and had an assist to show for his troubles. Along with Delph, Grealish delivered two key passes (in other words passes that lead to offensive opportunities), and had the second best passing percentage (again, behind only Delph).

Grealish was fouled twice (the most on Villa), and yet never committed a foul. Charles N’Zogbia (who again, was praised by the match commentator) was the opposite.

The point to all of this is that he has arrived. Which, knowing how the media builds up young players means he’s going to be put under all sorts of pressure. I don’t think that’s an issue. What will be an issue is the vulture clubs coming for him this summer, hoping to pry him away.

This is a problem. While that price might be fair value on the open market, Jack Grealish means more to Aston Villa than a cash sum. He is from Birmingham and has played for the club since he was six years old.

What’s more, is that it is clear that Aston Villa means more to him than a quick payday.

Welcome to the Jack Grealish Era, it’s just getting started.

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