Saturday would be the perfect time for Ross McCormack to come good in claret and blue.
Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack may not have justified his £12 million transfer fee (BBC) but he can make a start on paying back those pennies as Steve Bruce’s side aim to get back on track against QPR on Saturday.
The 55-year-old was left seething as his side delivered their most limp and lifeless performance of his reign so far in the 1-0 loss at Norwich in midweek and, though McCormack was hardly the most blatant offender, the 30-year-old was subjected to jeers from giddy opposition fans until his 73rd minute exit.
And the home supporters had a point. He had, indeed, looked like a complete waste of money.
Bruce hardly hinted at changes to his line-up for the QPR fixture but more or less confirmed them, with many of Villa’s underperforming XI set to be punished with a trip to the terraces or the substitute’s bench.
“I’ve had people travelling up and down the country over the last five or six weeks waiting for a chance, they will certainly be getting it on Sunday,” the manager told the Birmingham Mail.
While McCormack’s toothless display means many will expect him to feel the blunt of Bruce’s anger, the former Birmingham boss should consider this; in McCormack’s last three league games against QPR, he has found the back of the net four times including two in Fulham’s 4-0 thrashing of their London rivals last season.
Bruce may not be the superstitious sort, but his misfiring striker is clearly at his best when squaring up to The Hoops. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to unleash him on QPR once again on Saturday.
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