Aston Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia has been out for most of the season having suffered a serious ankle injury back in October.
Aston Villa’s 3-0 home victory over Reading on Tuesday saw Ivory Coast striker Joanathan Kodjia make a full return to action, coming on as a second-half substitute; a significant boost before the end of the season.
Kodjia’s presence up front has been sorely missed, and no doubt led to the loan signing of Lewis Grabban in January to bolster the attacking options.
Nevertheless, should the Ivorian continue his return to fitness and regain that match sharpness as quickly as possible, the 28-year-old could play a serious role in Villa’s promotion, should they make it through the play-offs.
Last season, Kodjia proved talismanic for the Villans, netting 19 league goals in 36 appearances in the Championship. If he was fit for the whole of this season, with his tenacity up front, perhaps Steve Bruce’s men would be in an even stronger position than they currently are, which is all the more reason to welcome his return with a few league games left to play.
Speaking to the media today, Bruce revealed that he believes his striker can make a huge impact, but is wary of throwing him into the mix too soon and will be careful trying to avoid aggravating his ankle injury.
As confirmed by Villa’s Twitter account, Bruce’s words on Kodjia were as follows:
Nevertheless, regardless of whether Villa will be playing in the Championship or Premier League next season, there is no doubt that Kodija’s return will be a massive boost to the squad and, if they make it to the top flight, his eye for goal will be a huge asset to the team.
With a career total of nearly a goal every other game, not much more can be asked of the striker, who boasts a similar record on the international stage for the Ivory Coast.
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