The Sheffield Wednesday striker was marked out of the game against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Steve Bruce pulled no punches when explaining why Aston Villa paid a near-seven figure sum for Scott Hogan instead of splurging £10 million on Jordan Rhodes in January.
The former Brentford forward was cheaper, the 56-year-old said in quotes reported by the Daily Mirror.
And although injury has prevented Hogan from showcasing his fearsome pace and clinical finishing in Villa colours, few supporters will be lamenting Bruce’s decision to call off one of the window’s most long-running transfer sagas – especially given Rhodes’ ineffective display as his new club Sheffield Wednesday went down 2-0 in the Midlands on Saturday.
Since moving from Middlesbrough to Hillsborough in January, the Scottish striker has failed to score in seven of his nine league games under Carlos Carvalhal. And against Villa, Rhodes managed just 29 touches of the ball and two attempts on goal. For the record, both of which missed the target.
The 27-year-old may boast a prolific goal-scoring record in the lower leagues, averaging almost a goal every other game for Blackburn and Huddersfield, but he is a born and bred penalty box poacher, a striker who relies on others to create his opportunities.
And Villa are hardly blessed with limitless creativity in the attacking third, scoring just 37 goals all season.
Bruce also stated that Hogan’s pace and all-round game was a major factor in Villa’s decision to pay big for his services in January, as reported by the Daily Mirror.
Furthermore, Jonathan Kodjia, who netted both goals on Saturday, has the ability to beat a man, drop deep and affect the game.
It is difficult to see how Rhodes, a one-in-two man or not, would have fitted in at Villa.
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