Chelsea key clashes at Villa: Blues’ defense vs. Villains’ attack, Kante vs. McGinn, etc.
3. Jack Grealish vs. Dean Smith
By far the most odd clash to keep an eye on, but this one is a developing situation. Jack Grealish was recently charged with two offenses dating back to an event that took place during lockdown. While Grealish has been nothing but a top professional when under the spotlight due to his minor mistakes, charges were announced a day after the Premier League’s return and that leaves his eligibility for the match against Chelsea hanging in the balance.
Grealish originally broke quarantine rules and nothing much looked to come of it, but he was later charged with driving without due care and attention, and failing to stop for or report a crash. The 24-year-old allegedly collided with parked vehicles and fled the scene on foot. Luckily nobody was injured, but it leaves Dean Smith stuck between a rock and a hard place.
On one hand, Grealish should be punished in some capacity by the club. A fine is usual, but suspensions are not uncommon either. However, Aston Villa is fighting for its life in the top flight right now and Grealish, being the club captain, plays a massive role in that survival scrap. It’s a scenario to keep an eye on, but definitely one that could impact how the Villains’ match against Chelsea plays out.
If Grealish were to miss the match, Aston Villa’s attack would lose its best player. Grealish—being one of the league’s stars from outside the big six—creates many chances for Villa out of midfield. This season, he’s tallied seven goals and six assists across nearly 30 matches. He’s appeared in 93 percent of Villa’s games, so playing without the captain is something the side often doesn’t do. Leaving Grealish out of the side essentially invites Chelsea to come forward in numbers and play the pressing, high octane style Lampard loves. In other words, game over for the Villains.
Next. Aston Villa vs. Chelsea: Three things to look for in Blues’ PL return. dark
While a possible suspension has not been discussed publicly, it’s always a possibility following an incident such as this. This situation will come down to how much Smith values points over personality. Either way, the Blues are going to be monitoring the situation closely ahead of the weekend’s fixture.