Aston Villa player ratings as Villa pay the price for a dreadful Europa League performance against Go Ahead Eagles
No Premier League team should be losing to opposition wearing a Stanno kit and you know it
Unai Emery wasn’t wrong to prioritise the Premier League fixtures ahead but it landed his team a horrible bloody nose in the Europa League.
Aston Villa sent out a weakened team against Go Ahead Eagles and paid the price with a thoroughly disappointing performance and a humiliating 2-1 league phase defeat in the pouring rain of Deventer.
Villa took the lead and were caught coasting in the first half. The equaliser for Go Ahead Eagles was a major setback and should have been the kick up the arse Villa needed. It was not heeded and Villa were embarrassed in the Europa League by far inferior opposition.
Here are the ratings:
Emiliano Martínez - 6
Confident and varied passing. Unflustered with the ball at his feet. Beaten for the equaliser by a deflected shot in the 42nd minute and could do nothing about it. Arguably should have done more with the second.
Victor Lindelöf - 4
Smart play on the cover when Go Ahead Eagles tried to pick passes in behind Villa’s line in the first half, and when there were chances to snap into tackles at the bottom of the press. Naturally limited going the other way. Substituted in the middle of the second half.
Tyrone Mings - 5
Moved to the right in place of Ezri Konsa and looked mostly comfortable in the face of a what was a pretty modest defensive challenge before Go Ahead Eagles grew in confidence with their first goal.
Pau Torres - 4
Like Mings, Villa’s left centre-back was largely untested out of possession and had all the time in the world to play with the ball. Started to force passes in first-half stoppage time as if it were late in the second half and unnecessarily squandered possession.
Ian Maatsen - 4
Linked well with former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jadon Sancho before Villa realised they were as likely to be able to play through the middle. Provided enough attacking width to allow Sancho to drift inside at times. Lost his runner for Go Ahead Eagles’ second goal.
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Amadou Onana - 5
Played the pass that unlocked the opening goal. Lots of touches without any pressure in the Go Ahead Eagles half, usually with their entire team in front of him. Headed into the goalkeeper’s gloves ten minutes before the break. Willing to drive forward on the ball. Substituted in the middle of the second half.
Lamare Bogarde - 4
Typically adept at carrying the ball through the lines in the middle of the park both before and after he was cleaned out by Gerrit Nauber (who injured himself and was booked) with 11 minutes played. The only way Go Ahead Eagles could knock him off the ball for a spell was to foul him but he faded from the game.
Deflected shot wide from the edge of the box late in the first half. Replaced late by John McGinn.
Evann Guessand - 4
Scored his first Villa goal almost by accident to make it 1-0. Showed some sharp footwork in the early minutes. Heavily involved from the start, popping up all over the opposition half, but had quiet spells. Should have doubled the lead on half an hour but the goalkeeper won the one-on-one. Wasted a positive move with a poor cross late in the first half.
Jadon Sancho - 5
Super movement and cross to make Guessand’s goal in the fourth minute and ever willing to run at defenders. Feet were much too quick for the opposition. Saw a deflected shot parried in the 30th minute. A very positive return. Substituted in the middle of the second half.
Emi Buendía - 4
Formed the two up front out of possession with Ollie Watkins. Nicked the ball off Sancho’s toes to fire an early shot at the goalkeeper.
Grew into the game creatively. Played a beautiful pass inside the full-back to find Guessand in the middle of the first half and another through the middle from which Guessand should have scored. Crossed for Onana’s saved header in the first half.
Went roaming early in the second half in an attempt to grab the game by the scruff of its neck. Missed a penalty with 12 minutes left.
Ollie Watkins - 4
Unable to take a good chance to make it 2-0 inside the first 10 minutes. Decent hold-up play from long passes forward and able to turn some lost causes into opportunities and corners. Might have done more to attack a cross from Sancho five minutes into the second half but generally poor. Substituted in the middle of the second half.
Substitutes
Donyell Malen (for Watkins, 66) - Couldn’t adjust his feet to turn a Maatsen cross home. 5
Morgan Rogers (for Lindelöf, 66) - Came on full of positive intent and quickly looked like Villa’s best route back. Curled a left-footer just wide from the edge of the box. 6
Matty Cash (for Onana, 66) - Athletically rescued a deep cross to win Villa’s penalty. 6
Boubacar Kamara (for Sancho, 66) - Came on to quarterback the rescue mission. 6
John McGinn (for Bogarde, 76) - Lofted in the cross that led to the penalty. 6