As the season has now ground to a halt indefinitely due to coronavirus, I take a look at who deserves the Aston Villa player awards for the 2019/20 season so far:
It’s been a season full of ups and downs for the club, with the high of reaching a cup final tainted somewhat by their position in the Premier League relegation spots. Some players have stepped up with their performances, while others have disappointed, let’s take a look at some of the players that have caught the eye, both for good reasons and bad:
Young Player of the season: Indiana Vassilev
A handful of appearances off the bench for this 19-year-old forward ensure that he’s done enough for fans to take notice and cast an eye over his future progress. He has looked a willing runner when he’s come on and has helped with Aston Villa’s pressing for sure. May need a loan move soon to really progress his career, but he looks a bright talent.
Most Disappointing Player of the season: Wesley
It feels harsh putting him here as he had a tough job leading the line for newly-promoted Aston Villa in the Premier League before he got injured, as well as being the only fit striker in the squad at times, but a return of just 5 league goals for the club’s record signing represents a poor return for the money paid. It is still early days for Wesley though, so here’s hoping that he can improve once he returns.
Signing of the season: Tom Heaton
Despite being part of a team conceding an awful lot of goals before he got injured, Heaton has shown that he’s been a worthy buy, as his leadership skills and shot-stopping ability temporarily put an end to Aston Villa’s annual goalkeeping rotation before his season was cut short. It’s easy to see why he was Burnley’s number 1 for so long and why he was at Manchester United at the start of his career.
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Goal of the season: Grealish V Man Utd (December 2019)
This is a goal that you can never get sick of watching. Grealish picked the ball up on the left-wing, cut inside, and curled an unstoppable right-footed arching shot into the top left corner of De Gea’s net – the keeper didn’t even move. The fact that it was at Old Trafford proved to many watching that Grealish should now be considered a top player in the Premier League.
Player of the season: Jack Grealish
No contest here, Grealish as captain has sometimes won games on his own with his dribbling and eye for goal. A tally of 7 goals and 6 assists represents his best in a PL season by far. He’s the one player that gives this Villa team an x-factor, and you dread to think where they’d be without him.