While going back to basics at the back will be key, Villa need to alleviate pressure on the defence by keeping the ball further up the pitch.
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A deflected goal from Jordan Ayew halved the deficit in the 79th minute but despite their efforts, the basement boys failed to find an equaliser and Harry Kane made it 3-1 with a late strike for his side. I don’t want anyone speaking French in the dressing room.
Garde, Villa’s fifth manager in five years, is due to watch his new club’s away game against Tottenham Hotspur later on Monday, when caretaker coach Kevin MacDonald will take charge of the team. They were very bad against Tottenham in the first half on Monday night, and although they threatened an unlikely draw, you can’t play well for just 15 minutes and expect anything in this league.
These are dire times at Aston Villa, and the Villans’ welcoming of their new manager just proves it. The club’s media people clearly got confused and managed to spell their new manager’s name wrong. As if to highlight their many struggles, Spurs’ Mousa Dembele collected a third-minute pass from Danny Rose on the left wing before cutting inside to the penalty area, easing past Ciaran Clark – starting in Richards’ absence – and sending a left-footed shot through Brad Guzan’s legs. I’m sure all the players will be thinking the same when the manager comes in.
“We are in England – we need to settle in and adapt”.
“He told me: “Go on, it’s a hard situation now but it’s a big club with people who will work for you”. The team is the whole team”.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings. The introduction of Villa’s best creator and the loss of one of Spurs’ key midfield controllers swung the momentum in Villa’s favor for the first time all match. Hopefully we can pull together and improve the level.
It did not come, and Kane made the game safe with a first-time finish high to Guzan’s left.
The final quarter of the clash may give Garde a few hope regarding his new side’s chances of surviving the drop but, realistically, he will know that only a huge turnaround in performance will keep the Birmingham giants in the top division of English football.
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They haven’t had much to cheer about so far this season, as they occupy the bottom spot of the Premier League with only one win in eleven games so far in their disappointing season.
