Unfortunately for Aston Villa, the injuries just keep flooding in at the worst possible time for the club.
Everything that has gone wrong in the past 10 or so days is going wrong, including losing to Manchester United and watching Boubacar Kamara’s season end with an ACL injury.
But the vast majority of the forward players are still on the training pitch and Unai Emery needs to get them going again ahead of a busy fixture list.
One man whose form has dipped off in recent months has been Moussa Diaby, after a strong start at Aston Villa, he has only scored once and assisted once in the Premier League since October.
During that period, the 24-year-old’s game time has also started to reduce, with only five starts since December and he hasn’t completed 90 minutes since November.
But when Moussa Diaby was introduced into the action on Sunday, he was on the field of play at the same time as Leon Bailey.
Whilst many Aston Villa fans were left frustrated with the manager proceeding to sub off the Jamaican, during the brief time they were on the pitch, they were causing havoc and it was the best the Frenchman had played in a while.
It’s pretty clear, going forward, if the gaffer wants to get the best out of his big-money summer signing, then start him alongside Leon Bailey.
The duo have this connection, plus the opposition’s back four hates playing against both of them, rather than being able to double or triple up on just the one of them.
With Boubacar Kamara leaving a void in the middle of the park, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Douglas Luiz steps further back and becomes the defensive brain in midfield. He has done it before.
It would be risky, but making that attacking change by pushing Moussa Diaby into the XI would excite the fans and ensure we go into these final few months on the front foot and nothing else.
Moussa Diaby needs time
Villa fans would have learnt from Bailey and how judging Diaby on this season alone isn’t worth the risk because it will come back to bite you in the back.
Once Bailey settled into his environment in B6, he has proven to be unreal for us and there is no reason why the new boy can’t do the same.
This just might be a case of him needing this setting in period, and if fans don’t see the best of him again this season, then they surely will for the next campaign.
Either way, remain patient with the speedster because he will come good and will showcase to the world why we brought him in.
