'Just wow!' - Dean Smith explains what Aston Villa have missed without Jack Grealish
Aston Villa v Newcastle United | Dean Smith speaks candidly about his skipper who's set to return to the match-day XI for the visit of Steve Bruce's side at Villa Park this evening
Ashley PreeceClub Writer
Dean Smith has lauded Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish ahead of tonight's crucial showdown with Newcastle United, declaring: "We go 'Wow!' at some of the things he does."
The 24-year-old finally looks set to return to the starting XI after missing the last two Premier League matches with a badly-bruised calf.
During his spell on the sidelines, Villa - without their skipper - have lost to Liverpool and then Wolves - and tonight's the night to get back to winning ways against Steve Bruce's Toon.
"He's a top player," Smith explained while discussing Grealish's influence. "I stand with JT sometimes and we go, 'Wow!' at some of the things he does.
"When top players are playing you have a better chance of winning, when top players aren't playing, you've less chance of winning.
"It's the same with any top player at any club."
Smith added: "Against Liverpool we lost his ball retention. I have no doubt that had he been on that pitch being 1-0 up with 10 minutes to go, he'd have bought some fouls and would have retained the ball in the top-half of the pitch for us. He didn't and we ended up losing the game.
Aston Villa - End of Decade
Welcome to our Aston Villa 'End of Decade' series.
We're looking back on the 'Teenies' - the last 10 years at AVFC.
It's hardly been a vintage time for Villa, but at least it is ending with plenty of hope and optimism with the Lions finally back in the Premier League.
There's been some lowlights, and a smattering of highlights from January 2010 to now - and we'll bring you a host of them here.
Our team of the decade - READ
You'll never get over Gate Gate - READ
That transfer U-turn - READ
The making of Jack - READ
The 10 MVPs of the decade - READ
That Twitter pocket storm - READ
10 most-memorable moments - READ
Villa Park changes fans want to see - READ
The offer Jack Grealish shouldn't refuse - READ
The staggering story of Aston Villa's financial flip-flopping - READ
For all your latest AVFC news, opinion, analysis and transfer gossip, click here
You can follow our Villa reporter Ashley Preece on Twitter, and his email address is Ashley.Preece@reachplc.com.
"Wolves? Listen, if he'd have played like the others we wouldn't have got anything out of it. But he's a top player, bringing goals to his game as well as assists now and that's all he can keep doing."
Arguably Smith's most-memorable masterstroke to date was giving Grealish the captain's armband on his return from a shin injury at the start of the year.
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And, when asked about just how vocal he is around the training ground, the boss said: "He knows the football club, but he's not shy on his opinions as well. That is what I welcome from the players, to talk.
"I'm very inclusive with the players in the debriefs we have and analysis. The vocal side off the pitch, it's something Jack's brought into his game a lot more. On the pitch he's not so vocal but he's a leader by example.
"He'll take the ball even if he's having a bad game. There's bravery in that and, sometimes, that can get other players driven as well."
As for what surely is an inevitable England call-up, Smith added: "We've had three international periods now and each time there has been speculation about him getting in there and he hasn't.
"So the message has been, 'Just keep playing'.
"You saw in October he was nominated for October Player of the Month, such was his form, so he all he can do is that.
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"If he does that then he will make the people who make the decisions eventually pick him.
"He's not in control of whether they pick him. All he can control is his performance."
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