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aston villableak downturn Premier League Last night, the game continued after a 2-0 loss to Wolves, the bottom team in the standings.
Second-half goals from Joao Gomez and Rodrigo Gomez were enough to secure a second league win for the home side while extending the Unai EmeryRecent performances in England’s top flight have been poor.
Such results have now left Villa with just one win in their past five league games, which has undoubtedly affected their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The Spaniard’s side are now six points ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea, but that gap could be halved tomorrow when the Blues face league leaders Arsenal.
A number of players failed to perform in a disappointing defeat at Molineux, which could lead to Emery making drastic changes to his squad in the coming weeks.
Aston Villa’s poor performance against Wolves
Despite failing to impress against Leeds United last weekend, Emery started winger Emi Buendia again in Villa’s recent loss to Wolves.
However, the Argentine failed to make the most of his early start, as evidenced by his win rate of just 25% of his duels, with the home side regularly neutralizing the threat posed by their attackers.
The 29-year-old was equally ineffective when in possession, then had just two touches in the opposition penalty area and zero dribbles at Molineux.
He was not the only one to struggle in the defeat, with striker Ollie Watkins again failing to score for a sixth consecutive game in all competitions.
The Englishman’s lack of impact against Wolves was further demonstrated by his 100% loss of duels and eight possessions lost – a sign of his wastefulness on the ball.
Other statistics, such as having just 24 touches and completing just 11 passes, are further evidence of his struggles, with Emery unable to rely on his talisman in recent weeks.
Villa star will never start again under Emery
As mentioned, Villa’s recent slump in the Premier League will be a huge concern for Emery, especially given the form his side have shown previously.
His team have even been touted as contending for the title at one stage of the season, but now the real battle should be to secure a top-four finish in the division.
However, if Villa are to ensure they finish in this position, the manager will have to make some big choices between now and the end of the season.
One player who must be omitted from the starting eleven is the left-back Lucas DigneDespite continued faith in him, he once again failed to deliver.
The Frenchman has come under a lot of scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly in the 1-1 draw away at Bournemouth when he allowed his opponent to sneak into the box and shoot to secure a point.
However, Emery’s decision to stick with the 32-year-old in recent games appears to have been the wrong decision – as seen at Molineux last night.
Digne was once again selected by Villa ahead of Ian Maatson, but his underlying numbers showed the struggles he faced against a team at the bottom of the division.
The defender lost 100 per cent of the West Midlands game and failed to win any tackles before playing 70 minutes before being withdrawn.
He also completed only 20% of his crosses and only made 3 passes into the final third, ultimately failing to make an impact in the attacking area.
Digne’s struggles were further exemplified by his inability to create any chances for his teammates, while also fouling and struggling to contain opponents.
As a result, the defender’s match rating was just 3/10, further highlighting his struggles and why the manager needs to make changes to his squad.
|
Aston Villa vs Wolves player ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
player |
grade |
|
Amy Martinez |
4/10 |
|
Marty Cash |
4/10 |
|
Ezri Konsa |
3/10 |
|
Paul Torres |
5/10 |
|
Lucas Digne |
3/10 |
|
Amadou Onana |
4/10 |
|
Douglas Lewis |
4/10 |
|
Jadon Sancho |
4/10 |
|
Morgan Rogers |
4/10 |
|
Amy Buendia |
3/10 |
|
Ollie Watkins |
3/10 |
There’s no denying that the Frenchman has failed to live up to expectations in recent weeks, which has undoubtedly exacerbated the club’s struggles in the Premier League.
At 32, he no longer has the level required to succeed in England’s top flight and Emery will need to use the likes of Matheson ahead of him in the near future.
