Aston Villa player ratings as Buendía and McGinn deliver impressive Europa League win at Feyenoord
Villa's improvement continues and they have a 100% record in Europe this season
Goalkeeper Marco Bizot was sensational in Aston Villa’s third successive win.
Villa tripled their all-time goal tally at De Kuip to move on to six points in the league phase of this season’s Europa League and were deserving winners of what was a pretty testing European tie.
Unai Emery’s team responded brilliantly to going in front. They enjoyed a brief spell in control just as the opposition would have been looking to get back into it, then went up the other end and finished them off.
This was a good night. A big night. An important night. It could scarcely have gone any better.
Here are the ratings:
Marco Bizot - 9
A last-minute promotion from the bench after Emiliano Martínez pulled out. Superb punch clear from Feyenoord’s first corner. Confident on the ball against a team willing to press.
Down well to make a good save inside ten minutes and not for the last time. Valiant effort to keep out the header that became a disallowed goal for Feyenoord. Saved well with his feet to keep it 2-0, and they just kept on coming.
Produced an absurdly good performance for a goalkeeper coming in cold. Unbelievable. Booked for time-wasting, as is the Villa way.
Matty Cash - 7
Took a big early risk going to ground in the box but the tackle was a success. Otherwise very composed with the ball at his feet even under pressure. Quietly made a good contribution in a tough game. Again. Substituted late.
Ezri Konsa - 8
A picture of calm at the back. Three strong runs out of defence with the ball, breaking lines and creating openings. Crucial old-fashioned defending very early in the second half.
Pau Torres - 7
Big block in the eighth minute after Villa played themselves into trouble. Made another block in the middle of the first half, and another five minutes after half time. Gave Bizot work to do with a misplaced pass five minutes after the break.
Ian Maatsen - 6
Poor defensive header led to a chance for Ayase Ueda in the first half but was back in his own six-yard box a few minutes later to clear away a shot on target. Did reasonably well with a difficult assignment on Feyenoord’s right flank. Fed Guessand to hit the post in the 51st minute. Substituted with 13 minutes to go.
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John McGinn - 7
Misplaced his first pass but got settled quickly enough and became a vital component of Villa’s play as a bounce pass off Bizot. Always available in midfield. Always motoring.
Followed up to slide in a loose ball after Donyell Malen’s run with ten minutes left to double the lead. Substituted late.
Boubacar Kamara - 7
Got about the midfield from the start. Lots of touches in the first 20 minutes, keeping Villa moving. Showed a filthy drop of the shoulder ten minutes before half time that couldn’t be sold over the counter.
Evann Guessand - 6
Not involved in possession at all in the first half but saw a fair bit of the ball early in the second. Won several flick-ons in the Feyenoord half.
Hit the post in the sixth minute of the second half.
Morgan Rogers - 5
Positive in possession from the start. Good early touches and movement. Soon looked a more confident player and linked well with Buendía at times in the first half.
Successfully dropped a little deeper after half an hour to offer a simple passing option as Villa sought to take the sting out of the game but still lacking the deftness and quality required on the ball.
Nutmegged the referee. Booked for getting into it with Cyle Larin after 85 minutes of having his shirt pulled.
Emi Buendía - 7
An all-action bloody pest. Heavily involved with Villa in the ascendancy early in the game. Typical nuisance out of possession. Connected well with the players around him in tight spots in the middle and slotted a great ball to Maatsen to create a chance in the second half.
Scored an outstanding goal to make it 1-0 on the hour. Needed to get the ball out of his feet to get the shot away and his technique was impeccable.
Substituted with 20 minutes to go.
Ollie Watkins - 7
Grafted early. Good movement in possession, contributed defensively and linked play with his back to goal. Started to look like a real proposition in terms of his hold-up play again.
Won the free kick that should have seen Anel Ahmedhodžić sent off after 12 minutes by getting across him and going clear. Tried an audacious 30-yard chip in the first half but couldn’t get the elevation.
Substituted with 20 minutes to go.
Substitutes
Donyell Malen (for Buendía, 71) - Fantastic turn and run to create the second goal. 7
Lamare Bogarde (for Watkins, 71) - First couple of touches in his own half were terrific. 6
Lucas Digne (for Maatsen, 77) - Came on late and was fine, as far as I could tell. 5
Victor Lindelöf (for Cash, 86) - Late substitute. N/A
Harvey Elliott (for McGinn, 86) - Late substitute. N/A