da brdice： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
da poker： Former Aston Villa striker Tony Cascarino has tipped Jack Grealish for big things after his impressive showing over the weekend.
What’s he said?
Dean Smith’s side continued from where they left off before the international break by defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at Villa Park.
The three points lifts them into 11th in the Premier League, just four points from a top-five berth – depending on the result of Arsenal versus Sheffield United on Monday evening.
Aston Villa’s summer signings’ performances so far this season are rated in the video below…
The Seagulls took the lead in the 21st minute thanks to an Adam Webster header before Grealish equalised on the stroke of half-time, meeting Frederic Guilbert’s cross.
Villa’s skipper then turned provider late on as he set left-back Matt Targett through on goal to bag a euphoric 94th-minute winner.
Cascarino, speaking on talkSPORT’s Weekend Sports Breakfast, said:
“He put in a captain’s display and was terrific. He was ultimately the difference between the two teams.
“Are Villa going to challenge the football elite in this country? What they’ve got is a very young side, is very energetic and have someone who is now ready to play Champions League football in Jack Grealish.
“Do Aston Villa want to keep him because if they can do that, then you build around Jack.
“He is a player who has to be playing at the highest level and I feel he is showing he has the heart to do it.”
Worrying words
Those are certainly six words that could worry much of the Villa faithful: ‘ready to play Champions League football.‘
Not because they won’t be able to get there themselves eventually, but because the window of opportunity for a young player in this modern era is so small.
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The club’s CEO Christian Purslow will surely have that sort of vision in his long-term thoughts, but it’s not that attainable after just one season back in the top-flight.
Wolves last season proved to be a small exception to the rule, but they could only manage seventh place and a spot in the Europa League, which is probably more realistic for the west Midlands club given how the usual suspects are expected to keep their place on Europe’s elite stage.
Arsenal epitomised that with their run of 19 successive Champions League campaigns.
This would mean that Grealish may have to look elsewhere – as he very nearly did last summer with Tottenham Hotspur – if Cascarino’s words were to become true.
Playing for one of the teams on that sort of level would almost certainly bolster his England claims too, so it makes sense, no matter how heartbreaking it would be for supporters in B6.