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Danny Drinkwater’s arrival was a risk. One that has failed rather quickly, it seems.
Words: Regan Foy | @Findfoy
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Aston Villa’s recent shambolic form has been worsened today, according to an exclusive report from the Express and Star – stating that January loan signing Danny Drinkwater’s future at the club is at risk following a bust-up in training with Jota Peleteiro.
The bust-up came as part of a session for the players who were not involved in the Leicester City defeat. It is not clear what caused the incident, but the impending fine that is waiting for the Chelsea midfielder and the fact that he was sent home from Bodymoor Heath, lend to the conclusion that Drinkwater was at fault.
Issues arose with the club’s interest in the former Leicester City title winner back in the Winter Transfer Window as Dean Smith looked to revive another stuttering career with the opportunity of regular game time at Aston Villa – with Drinkwater involved in a number of issues before he joined the club, such as picking up a drink-related driving ban and picking up an injury in a brawl outside of a nightclub in Manchester.
It also comes as news of Dean Smith’s Aston Villa future being in peril has come to light – stating that Saturday’s game against Chelsea could very well be the final straw for the manager if the Villans fail to pick up points after their fifth straight defeat in all competitions.
Other reports, from the less trusted Mail Online, state that the midfielder headbutted his Spanish team-mate after an angry exchange.
The gamble of bringing Drinkwater in was known. It was either going to work spectacularly, or crash and burn – and it looks like the latter as Aston Villa now debate whether to cut his spell short.
This failed gambit, an attempt to gain a tactical advantage through the arrival of an experienced Premier League player, albeit with a chequered past, has evidently not worked, with the midfielder finding himself frustrated by his peripheral role at the club following a number of poor performances.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing – and if the move had worked, it would have been considered a masterstroke by Dean Smith or Jesus Garcia Pitarch – but now makes their perilous positions at the club increasingly untenable.
This kind of news is almost on a similar level to reports that came out of the club when Aston Villa were relegated from the Premier League for the first time, back when Drinkwater was lifting the title with Leicester City. The 30-year-old had shown his spots previously, but the club chose to ignore them.
It is a shame, and sympathy should be shown to the man, but not the footballer. The footballer should be heavily fined, before he returns to his parent club.
