Winning Premier League games is a pretty new thing for Jack Grealish.
Seeing the Birmingham-born attacker squeeze a pass through two Brighton defenders to set up Matt Targett’s game-winning goal must have been an exhilarating moment for Aston Villa and Grealish fans alike. But things must’ve been pretty nerve-wracking up until then.
Playing with a man up had been a bad omen for Villa. They were held to a 0-0 draw against West Ham despite having a man advantage for nearly 30 minutes and managed to give up two leads against 10-man Arsenal en route to a 3-2 loss. Last Saturday, the Villains were the beneficiaries of another first-half red card and were probably seconds away from blowing it again until Grealish and Targett decided enough was enough.
A couple months ago, the 24-year-old Birmingham native was still looking to put an end to his 20-game losing streak in the Premier League. He exorcised those demons in August after topping Everton, but things still weren’t totally clicking for Grealish. He was performing well, but Villa were dropping points from advantageous positions. Now, riding a three-game unbeaten run (which has included two straight wins) entering this weekend, Grealish’s Premier League career might finally be taking shape.
Grealish’s talent has never been in doubt. What was in question, however, was when we were going to see the youngster’s proverbial “breakthrough.” After playing an important role in Aston Villa’s run to the FA Cup Final as a 19 year old in the 2014-15 season, a standout 2015-16 season seemed within reach. But Villa were a disaster that season, and Grealish only mustered one goal in 16 appearances, all of which were defeats. The team — one of the founding members of the Premier League — got relegated for the first time, finishing in last place.
Over the next three seasons in the Championship, Grealish’s presence within the English football landscape slowly faded. Villa fans assumed he was going to leave at some point, prioritizing his development over his club legacy. But he stayed with his boyhood club, became its captain and led it back to the top division, giving him the opportunity to fully realize his potential.
The early signs are encouraging. Grealish has two goals, three assists and sports a 7.49 rating on WhoScored.com, which is the 13th-highest in the league. A precise dribbler and incisive passer, the attacking midfielder is the heartbeat of Aston Villa. Take Grealish’s showing against Brighton as an example. Though he played on the left wing, he showed up in all parts of the field when needed. He dropped deep to receive the ball and provide some relief from Brighton’s early pressure and he initiated nearly every meaningful attack, especially as the game wore on and Villa were chasing a winner.
Another thing you’ll notice from much of his game footage is his ability to draw fouls. It’s a trait most skilled dribblers have, but one Grealish exhibits in a different fashion compared to stellar athletes like Wilfried Zaha, Adama Traore and Daniel James. Grealish relies on his subtlety, waiting until the very last moment before making his move. He uses the ball as bait before deftly swiping it away from defenders’ swinging legs. According to WhoScored, he suffers 4.2 fouls per 90 minutes, among the most in the league, and his bait-and-switch dribbling is much of the reason why.
Grealish will look to add to his growing list of memorable moments in the Premier League over the next two weeks when Aston Villa visit Manchester City on Saturday then host Liverpool seven days later. Villa are firm underdogs in the next two games, and it’ll probably be another set of morale-testing league matches for Grealish. But considering this young man has been through more than most on the field, it’d be foolish to count him out.
This is the same guy who got sucker punched by a pitch invader last season less than 10 minutes into Aston Villa’s derby match against Birmingham City. It was a scary moment that highlighted the vulnerability of athletes, who are expected to perform in front of thousands of people that are capable of physically harming you.
Most would understandably be rattled for the rest of the game. Grealish went on to score the match winner.
After the game, Grealish called it the best day of his life. Furthermore, he remains entirely unfazed about getting blindsided by a fan. Make no mistake, a mentality as unflappable as that might be his is greatest skill. That iron-clad psyche has helped Grealish endure years of losing, from his record-breaking Premier League streak to that heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Fulham in the 2018 Playoff Final (where, yet again, Villa couldn’t take advantage of an opponent’s red card).
All of those hard times lead to now, a deserved moment in the spotlight.