As I said in the Wigan match thread I am getting increasingly disappointed with the current reaction and treatment of Kodjia by a few on the forum and particularly at the match today. It seems there are short memories, a lack of understanding of the game and human nature in general out there. The 'I want it here and i want it now' nature of some football fans nowadays and the lack of being able to see a bigger wider picture is so frustrating.
This is Kodjia's third season with us. The first he was superb. Scored 19 goals, apparently worth 20 points to us. A more than decent return, no ?. He then gets a serious ankle injury, suffers a breakdown upon his return and is out for the whole of his second season bar a few games at the end amongst the midst of a play off battle. Not easy to just come back into ?. Season 2 gone, with hardly any game time
So season 3 starts and two games in having hardly played in 18 months mid match posts say he should be subbed, whines, some abuse and groans from the crowd. Seriously?. Has he not earned, after a career threatening injury, a decent career with us so far, some slack before the - he is selfish, greedy, lazy, not interested tripe gets trotted out which is actually just the frustration of some that he is not hitting what we all know he can do. Didn't hear much of that when he was banging in 19 goals.
Kodjia badly needs a goal, any goal, worldy or off his backside. Nothing is coming off for him, knock downs, run of the ball, those little things that build up and only seem to happen when you are down. I disagree that he is not working hard or is shying away. Not today he didn't if anything I think he is trying too hard, trying to force things. So what to do with kodjia. Probably the most brainless comment in the the thread and why I really don't think some fans actually understand the game was to suggest subbing kodjia at half time. Yes that's an idea. Sub him when he needs a goal. He is going to get confidence and his mojo back from the bench isn't he !. He needs to keep playing and playing. That's the only way back from 18 months out. It won't just happen like that. He is a human being. It's human nature that this sort of thing could happen after so long out. People need time. If in the late autumn we are still having this conversation then yes it's time to think maybe he has succumbed to the injury but 2 games in, c'mon !?.
Hope some are as understanding at their work. Imagine if your work colleague was off with illness or injury for over a year and they came back and were not quite at the races for a few days. What would you do, bang the bosses door down and demand they were removed from the office or shop floor? .
As for some fans at the match today. If you ever want proof that the crowd getting on at a player does no good then look at the match around 15 mins in today. Kodjia cuts in from the left but in a good position doesn't pass and loses the ball. Cue moans, groans, kodjia is shit etc. 60 seconds later having sprinted back to our box (lazy isn't he ????) to make up the mistake he wins the ball back and guess what?, passes when he didn't need to and it wasn't on anyway and loses the ball. Clearly the cries of derision for what happened before were still in his ears.
Kodjia had a bad game today. But not because he wasn't trying, wasn't bothered, throwing a strop . It's purely a form thing. Form due to not playing in a long long time. He's proved he can do it for us.He deserves a chance to recapture it. He genuinely was not that bad today.
C'mon (some) villa 'supporters' show a bit of class and get behind the guy who is having an awkward time. One thing is for sure he isn't going to recapture it with boos and abuse and being booted to play in some u23 match.
He should be first on the team sheet for Yeovil.
