Aston Villa must score more goals if they are to be promoted – and Scott Hogan, previously injured, could be key.
On paper, Aston Villa should have had a devastating front line in the Championship last season.
Jonathan Kodjia, Ross McCormack and Rudy Gestede offered exciting options as the campaign kicked off and, although the latter two departed in January, Scott Hogan then came in and Gabby Agbonlahor returned to the fold.
And yet only three teams scored fewer goals than Villa in the second tier, with a bottom half finish the result of an over reliance on Kodjia.
Bizarrely, however, Steve Bruce has opted to reinforce his already impressive defence this summer, with John Terry, Chris Samba and Ahmed Elmohamady brought in.
In attack, McCormack is back from his loan at Nottingham Forest and Villa must hope that Hogan can regain the form and fitness that deserted him somewhat after a big-money move from Brentford.
Villa’s number 9 had already suffered rotten luck with injuries at Griffin Park – and was then again withdrawn twice with knocks in the second half of the season as he netted just once.
Hogan has the quality to support Kodjia, though, and scored twice in a pre-season friendly against MSV Duisburg, while Conor Hourihane and Henri Lansbury are seemingly similarly rediscovering their scoring touch.
If Villa are to challenge at the top of the table, they need goals – Newcastle United’s tally was some 38 better than that of Bruce’s side – but, rather than recruiting new forwards, perhaps they are right to place their faith in Hogan.
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