The sad news that Gary Gardner has been ruled out for the season via an anterior cruciate ligament injury is a blow for the young midfielder and a reduction of the options available for Aston Villa’s midfield. In a statement from the official site, Villa said:
Scans have confirmed that Gary Gardner suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee during the Professional Development League U21 game against Stoke on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old midfield player will undergo surgery and he faces being sidelined for eight to nine months.
“It’s a blow and it’s definitely a blow for the lad but he’s very positive and he’ll get great attention all the way through his rehab,” said Villa manager Paul Lambert.
Gardner suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee in December 2009 but recovered and has made 17 appearances for the Villa first team, 12 as a substitute.
What will this mean for Villa’s midfield though? With Jean II Makoun loaned out and Villa’s midfield options limited as is, will this prompt a rush to find a replacement? Or is Lambert a cool enough customer to continue on with his original plans?
If you want to get involved in commenting, you can view today’s latest piece discussing Villa’s recent reality check by clicking the following link: http://www.astonvillalife.com/aston-villa-blog/reality-check-for-villa/
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