Aston Villa might have salvaged a point against Leeds United in the Premier League, but hopes of a late-season title push against Arsenal and Manchester City are beginning to fizzle out.
That’s okay. Unai Emery has long been reluctant to address noise from the media that his high-flying Villa side have settled themselves into such conversations.
However, there’s no question that the Midlands outfit lack some of their fluency and sharpness from earlier in the season, with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers flattering to deceive.
Luckily, Tammy Abraham is proving a shrewd piece of winter business, and he’s playing his way into a starring role.
Why Tammy Abraham needs to start after Leeds
Watkins missed a number of chances on Saturday afternoon, and in truth, the experienced England international has been off the boil for a while, only one goal in his past six Premier League outings.
Abraham was welcomed in January to provide his countryman with competition, and given that he is succeeding on that front, he’s surely now proven himself capable of leading the line from the opening whistle.
The 28-year-old Abraham did start on his (second) debut for the Villans, scoring a well-worked goal against Brentford that was later chalked off by VAR,
Having arrived from Besiktas for £18m, the one-time Villa Park loanee is proving his worth, a new dimension in front of goal but also a slick forward who links up well with his teammates. Against Leeds, he played more of a traditional frontman’s role, taking only five touches but converting late on to salvage a draw.
That’s his second goal in seven days, scoring during last weekend’s FA Cup defeat to Newcastle United. Abraham is ready to assume top spot at number nine.
Aston Villa: Player Ratings
Player
#
(GK) Emi Martinez
6/10
(RB) Matty Cash
7/10
(CB) Ezri Konsa
8/10
(CB) Tyrone Mings
7/10
(LB) Ian Maatsen
6/10
(CM) Amadou Onana
6/10
(CM) Douglas Luiz
5/10
(RW) Leon Bailey
4/10
(AM) Morgan Rogers
5/10
(LW) Emi Buendia
5/10
(ST) Ollie Watkins
5/10
However, Villa’s starting attackers left a lot to be desired, and while Rogers had an afternoon to forget, another must be axed from the starting line-up after another poor performance.
Emery must drop 4/10 Aston Villa star
Aston Villa have been riding the crest of a wave under Emery’s management, but these are rocky waters at the moment, and the Lions need to restore their balance quickly.
To do that, the Spanish tactician might want to consider dropping Bailey.
The 28-year-old was recalled to the squad in January after his loan spell with AS Roma had left much to be desired, but he was poor in the FA Cup and again on Saturday against Leeds.
Bailey lasted an hour, and it’s fair to say that Jadon Sancho offered more after replacing him. Bailey took Villa’s first shot of the match, before the interval, but he only created one chance, still lost the ball 17 times, and won only two of his 11 contested ground duels.
Bailey played in the corner that secured Villa a late victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League earlier this month, but that illustrates the point.
He’s simply not proving himself effective enough to play from the outset, and his pace and energy must be utilised from later stages to maximise his potential across the closing months of the campaign.
Emery has spoken of his admiration for the player, saying before the draw to the Whites that the Jamaica international just needs to add goals and assists to his game, but poor displays against Newcastle and Leeds suggest otherwise.
It begs the question: Are Aston Villa being hindered in their decision to exclude Harvey Elliott from Premier League action?
Bailey has been recalled and he is here until the end of the season, but it looks like he will leave come summer, and as long as injuries don’t narrow Emery’s options, he must not continue to start.
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