Five things Bruce should have learned

Five things Steve Bruce should have learned over the New Years holiday.

1. In Sao Paolo they call Cafu the Brazillian Hutton. This lad keeps overcoming the odds and has put in better performances at Left back than right back this season. Bruce can rest him but not drop him now.

2. Elphick is back baby. His struggles are well documented and his performance in our 2-0 loss to Boro in the Caraboa cup seemed to signal the end of his Villa career. But, he has fought his way back into contention and if he ends up leaving during the transfer window he will get warm wishes from the Villa faithful and if he stays the fans will want him to be the number 3 ahead of Samba.

3. Don't drop Grealish. To think that Bruce has only used Grealish as an impact sub this season and only an injury to the inconsistent Onamah is the reason that Grealish has played the last two and a half hours. The lad is stronger, more patient and maybe quicker. The third goal today was simply brilliant. In the past he would have gone down at the end of that run trying to get the free kick not always successfully. Today he made sure he got the ball to Snoddy before he was chopped down.

4. Feed Hogan. Okay it wasn't a through ball, but Adomah put two very decent crosses in and Hogan scored and set up the second. His body language after that was worth its weight in gold. Can we save his Villa career like we are playing a FIFA 18 journey challenge? I for one hope so. We deserve a real number 9 again and he could be that guy.

5. Jedi over Whelan. Someone posted Oh, what a feelin' when you drop Glenn Whelan. Bit harsh, bit untrue as he was ill, but the Jedi is a little better in front of the defenders. He wins more aerial battles, his passing is only slightly better but it is better and he seems to know this division better. Whelan is a tough so and so and needs to play when possible especially the game against the Blues coming up, but right now Jedi should get the start.