Aston Villa 0 Watford 1 - Report
Villa’s worrying slump continued as they were beaten 1-0 at home by struggling Watford.
Emmanuel Dennis’ header 12 minutes from time was enough to earn the Hornets a first win since November.
Danny Ings came closest to scoring for Villa when he hit the post but despite doing most of the attacking the hosts could not find a goal.
Steven Gerrard’s team have now won only one of their last eight matches in all competitions.
Analysis
Villa’s boss had demanded a much improved performance after last weekend’s defeat at Newcastle. This was not what he would have had in mind.
Despite a lively start – when they might have won a penalty inside the opening two minutes – his team quickly became sucked into an afternoon of frustration by visitors who had come to kill the game and see what they could grab late on.
Their plan worked in large part because of Villa’s lack of finesse in the final third. Though the tactics of visiting boss Roy Hodgson might be described as negative, his team had at least brought a save out of the opposing keeper before Dennis headed them in front late on. Villa did not force a serious save out of Ben Foster in the entire match, even through 10 minutes of stoppage time.
For Gerrard, now three months since replacing Dean Smith, the honeymoon is definitely over.
The boss had promised changes in the wake of defeat at Newcastle but in the end there was only one, Ings replacing Ollie Watkins up front.
The former Southampton man was heavily involved in the early action and thought he had won a penalty inside the first two minutes.
Calum Chambers’ ball over the top was latched on to by Ings, who appeared to be bundled over by Samir as he raced toward goal. Two replays shown on the big screens certainly convinced the crowd of that but VAR Paul Tierney decided otherwise.
The game quickly set into a pattern of Villa pushing and probing around the visiting box without finding the killer pass. Craig Cathcart was alert to prevent Ings getting on the end of a low Matty Cash cross, before making a key intervention when Buendia looked to have played the striker in on goal.
Watford were content to sit in but their threat on the break was soon demonstrated. Villa lost possession and Ismaila Sarr found Dennis running clear on the left. The striker cut inside the sliding challenge of Chambers but could not beat Martinez, who pushed his shot behind.
As the half wore on, Villa grew in frustration. Philippe Coutinho saw a shot deflected over, while Jacob Ramsey sent a powerful drive just off target.
Just past the half-hour mark came their big chance when Buendia split the defence and found Ings, only for the forward to fire his finish against the outside of the post. A goal might have been ruled out by VAR for offside in any case.
Villa continued to probe early in the second half but again the final pass eluded them, McGinn playing the ball between Coutinho and Buendia after a neat move.
But Watford’s threat on the counter was demonstrated again when Luiz lost possession with men committed in attack and the visitors broke, this time Moussa Sissoko firing into the side-netting after being played in on the right.
Luiz was taken off shortly after, Gerrard introducing Watkins as another attacking option.
Ashley Young and Leon Bailey also came off the bench but Villa’s only effort before the 70 minute mark was a Ramsey shot from the corner of the box which went sailing just over the bar.
Coutinho went closer with a dipping effort which landed on the roof of Ben Foster’s net, while Watkins saw an effort deflected wide after Hassane Kamara had lost track of the ball in the air.
Then, with 12 minutes remaining, came the sucker punch. Sarr crossed from the right and Dennis got in front of Young to head past Martinez.
Villa looked stunned and soon Martinez was needed to prevent the situation becoming worse, as he saved from Tom Cleverley and Josh King, the latter from point blank range.
Key Moments
78 GOAL Emmanuel Dennis heads home from Ismaila Sarr’s cross, after getting in front of Ashley Young.
Teams
Villa (4-3-3): Martinez, Cash (Young 65), Chambers, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Luiz (Watkins 58), Ramsey, Buendia (Bailey 72), Ings, Coutinho Subs not used: Hause, Chrisene, Iroegbunam, Sanson, Chukwuemeka, Olsen (gk).
Watford (4-4-2): Foster, Femenia, Cathcart, Samir (Kabasele 90+3), Kamara, Sarr (Hernandez 90+3), Sissoko, Louza, Cleverley, King, Dennis (Sema 86) Subs not used: Ngakia, Ekong, Masina, Kalu, Kayembe, Bachmann (gk).
