Analysis: Groundhog Day for Aston Villa as familiar failings exposed
Villa’s season has become locked in a cycle so maddening you half expect Bill Murray to turn up.
Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Tottenham might have veered violently from promising to sobering, with a first-half performance Steven Gerrard rated the best of his reign to date not enough to prevent the heaviest loss of the campaign.
But in terms of the big picture and the themes which have defined recent weeks it was very much Groundhog Day: Another defeat against a team in the Premier League’s top eight, another match where an opponent found goals too easy to come by, another week where a summer transfer window already shaping up to be critical felt that bit more so.
Though Villa provided flashes of what they could eventually become, the outcome delivered confirmation of what they currently are. In terms of the club’s long-term goal of challenging for Champions League qualification, it is likely going to take several windows of good recruitment before they are even close. Despite having Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in their ranks, Tottenham are far from guaranteed a top-four finish this term. There are times when the gap between the Premier League’s aspiring clubs and those long part of the elite can feel like a chasm.
On Saturday the gulf was seen most explicitly in attack. In some ways Villa could consider themselves unlucky to find Hugo Lloris in inspired form, the veteran goalkeeper denying both Jacob Ramsey and Philippe Coutinho in spectacular fashion. For the first 45 minutes the France international arguably kept the visitors in the game.
But both Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins failed to hit the target when presented with golden opportunities, while Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez was given no chance of matching Lloris’ heroics by Son, who converted all three chances which came his way with ruthless efficiency.
The South Korea international’s third-minute opener, a crisp first-time finish off the inside of the post after the ball had ricocheted into his path, was arguably in the world class category. Son completed his hat-trick with two goals in the space of four second-half minutes after Dejan Kulusevski had extended the advantage.
That goal, five minutes after the break, felt like the hammer blow. Taking advantage of a little too much space afforded by Tyrone Mings, Kulusevski slammed a low finish underneath the Villa captain and inside the far post.
Soon after, when Ings spun away from his marker and looked to be through on goal, Sergio Reguilon appeared to prevent the striker getting his shot away.
There was the contest in a nutshell. In the moments which mattered, Tottenham were that bit slicker and quicker. It was all that was needed to turn a match Villa bossed for long periods into a hammering.
Though it was a tough day for Mings, his central defensive partner Ezri Konsa suffered most. One week after his slip helped set up Wolves’ opener in the defeat at Molineux, an undercooked header here led, albeit slightly fortuitously, to Son breaking the deadlock. Having then lost an aerial battle with Kane in the build-up to Kulusevski’s goal, Konsa was caught in no-man’s land for Tottenham’s third, trying to challenge Kane for a header but getting nowhere near and opening the space for Son to run through.
The 24-year-old was one of Villa’s best performers last season and while this term has seen some strong displays, there have been too many below par. He is one of several players heading into the final weeks of the campaign with perhaps a little to prove.
Villa have now conceded as many goals as they did in the whole of last season and while midfield will be the top priority in the summer, Gerrard’s desire is to strengthen in defence and attack too.
When assessing the spine of his team, goalkeeper is the only area which does not require an upgrade. The list of players not under scrutiny is shorter than those who are.
There are seven matches remaining before any business can be done and an important period for the manager in terms of retaining the goodwill of supporters and – more importantly – keeping full confidence of the board considering the size of the shake-up he desires.
Saturday’s defeat was Villa’s fourth on the spin and another loss in their next match at Leicester would equal their worst run of the season, a sequence which resulted in Dean Smith getting the sack.
Gerrard is not in any such danger but the recent downturn has checked the momentum of a reign which last month was easing nicely into gear during a run of three straight wins.
Villa have now lost half of his 20 Premier League matches in charge and taken only 10 points from the last 10, dating back to February’s 3-3 draw against Leeds. It is also now just one win from the last seven at home.
Achieving the club’s first top-half finish for more than a decade now looks a tougher proposition with Leicester possessing matches in hand. Depending on other results, Villa could be as low as 15th in the table when they visit the King Power Stadium 12 days from now.
Saturday’s first half was an undoubted positive and should it be repeated in matches against the division’s lesser lights results should turn. Against the top dogs it has been the same old story.
