On the mend: Jonathan Kodjia to return Monday

Remember during the preseason when one of the main worries of the Aston Villa team was being too dependent on Jonathan Kodjia as the team was forced to start the 2017/18 campaign without the big man. Seems like ages (and at least two Villa teams) ago to me. Since then we’ve watched young Keinan Davis enter the fry, the resurgence of Scott Hogan, and the entrance of Lewis Grabban.

Well the big man is due back in training Monday after being out since the Birmingham City match in October of last year. Kodjia has been rehabbing in France following a second ankle surgery.

The 28 year-old has been a seemingly permanent fixture on the medical report — missing the first six matches from an injury picked up last spring. Then Kodjia appeared in 8 matches — contributing one goal and two assists (both assists to Albert Adomah) — before heading out once again with a massive injury.

A fair amount of supporters (and likely not medical professionals) think the forward was rushed back too quickly in the Fall and that caused the comeback to be short lived. I — also not being a medical professional — have no idea if that is accurate but it does fit with what happened. That doesn’t look likely to happen again because the team is playing so well and Steve Bruce admitted that he doubts Kodjia to “play any real role” for the rest of the season.

Steve Bruce also wet the appetite of all the Villa kingdom but telling the press that he thinks Jack Grealish is fit to start against Wolves on Saturday. Alan Hutton, Axel Tuanzebe and Glenn Whelan are all out for the clash.