Aston Villa player ratings after gutsy Premier League win over Chelsea
If you're going to win, why not do it in the most stressful way imaginable?
Now then. Now. Then.
Aston Villa tried to pull off a classic Premier League heist away from home against Chelsea and just about managed it. It wasn’t pretty but it was more planned than Alan Smith would have you believe. It didn’t work, though. But then it did.
Manager Unai Emery rode his luck in the second half. I thought he left the game to run away from Villa for too long before making changes at 1-0 but there’s no arguing with the result, is there?
Emery’s substitutions made an enormous difference and one of his substitutes in particular looks to be slowly creeping back into form…
That’s eight wins in a row in the league. Insane.
Here are the ratings:
Emiliano Martínez - 5
Stood up to deny João Pedro at close quarters in the middle of the first half but nowhere to be seen for the corner that put Chelsea in the lead. Unsurprisingly, he was messing around with two defenders yet again rather than doing his job. Good save to keep Reece James out early in the second half and did what was needed thereafter.
Matty Cash - 6
Not intimidated or fooled at all by Alejandro Garnacho until he was booked for a foul. Deserved the yellow but the delayed manner in which is was decided upon in consultation with assistant referee Marc Cucurella was interesting to say the least. Had to stand off him and the winger grew in influence before the break.
Won a crucial and painful defensive header in the 19th minute. Will now be suspended against Arsenal.
Ezri Konsa - 6
Aside from some tidying up in a busy box, barely noticeable against two threatening number nines. I’m interpreting that as a good thing.
Victor Lindelöf - 6
Competitive in the air as the game required. Neat enough at the back but Villa have so many players in their own half that there wasn’t a great deal of one-on-one defending to do. Got Villa moving with a confident run in the second half.
Ian Maatsen - 6
Played with real confidence from the start against Pedro Neto primarily and Cole Palmer frequently, one of the toughest left-back tasks in the league. Drew an excellent near-post save from Robert Sánchez at 1-1. Substituted late.
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Boubacar Kamara - 6
Some fine early work on the cover and screened well in front of the defence and generally smart and ambitious with the ball. Ran beyond Ollie Watkins to go one on one but the goalkeeper made the save.
Yellow carded and will also be suspended. I’m not convinced he wasn’t the player who was fouled. Substituted late.
Youri Tielemans - 5
Unusually scruffy in the first half but made two essential blocks in quick succession in the middle of it. Far too often slow in possession.
John McGinn - 6
Supported Cash in defending against Garnacho. Generally cool in possession even under pressure. Excellent tracking back to prevent a second goal on the break in the second half. It should have been a Villa free kick on the edge of the box instead anyway. Substituted with half an hour to go.
Emi Buendía - 4
Mostly engaged out of possession in the first quarter of the game. Passing over distance was a little off at times – good ideas with imperfect execution. Also occasionally guilty of several very bad ideas, badly executed. Substituted with 59 minutes played.
Morgan Rogers - 7
Consistently Villa’s biggest threat which isn’t saying much. Dragged Villa’s first shot wide with the help of a deflection in the 51st minute. Booked for being fouled by James before a corner was taken. Came into his own after Villa’s triple substitution and went close with a free kick after 72 minutes.
Donyell Malen - 4
Played no significant part, albeit through little fault of his own. Substituted on the hour.
Substitutes
Amadou Onana (for McGinn, 59) - Made the all-important interception for Villa’s equaliser, something Villa weren’t doing without him. 7
Jadon Sancho (for Malen, 59) - Fine surging run with his first real involvement on the ball. Had a shot on target late in the game. 7
Ollie Watkins (for Buendía, 59) - Produced an absolutely monumental half an hour. Slipped the ball through for Kamara shortly after coming on and scored a tenacious goal to equalise barely a minute later. Great work that forced Sánchez to deny him a second. Scored a wonderful header from a corner to make it 2-1. 9
Lucas Digne (for Maatsen, 83) - Late substitute. N/A
Lamare Bogarde (for Kamara, 83) - Late substitute. N/A