Five key talking points as villa see off Middlesbrough to advance to FA cup.
After seven years of disappointment in the FA Cup third round, Aston Villa finally ended that run with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday evening.
But things weren’t going as planned at Riverside Stadium, as Matty Cash’s deflected effort in the 88th minute was necessary to break the tie and guarantee our progression to the fourth round.
matty cash’s celebration with mate
Villa struggled throughout to find a way through as we lacked our usual quality in our build-up play and in the final third, and that in turn set up an uneasy situation late on away from home against a talented ‘Boro side.
Fortunately though, we found a way and secured the win, and it’s hoped that we can put together a strong cup run this year to complement our work in the Premier League and Europa Conference League.
Another important sign of progression under Emery
This was an important obstacle for Villa and Emery to cross, especially considering our dismal FA Cup performance in recent years and the disappointment of losing to Stevenage last year.
Unai Emery
That defeat last January was arguably the lowest point of Emery’s tenure thus far as he would have been bitterly disappointed to come up short in a competition we should harbour hopes of winning.
In response, even if it wasn’t very convincing, we prevailed against a strong team on the road at this early stage of the FA Cup, and maybe we’ll improve as we move on through the stages.
Kamara shows his influence on return
During his three-game ban, Villa lost Boubacar Kamara’s presence and impact in midfield; therefore, it seemed inevitable that his return this weekend would be advantageous to us.
Boubacar Kamara
The Frenchman was outstanding all game long. He not only consistently won duels and gave us a foothold in midfield, but he also passed the ball accurately and quickly to enable us hang onto possession and advance up the pitch to attack.
Villa have lacked balance, presence and control without him, and our performances have suffered as a result as we dropped points against Sheffield Utd and Man Utd. Having him back will be significant, and it will also help the likes of Douglas Luiz and John McGinn to have more freedom to be more impactful too from midfield too.
Villa still lacking something vs defensive sides
Though we still struggle to move through the gears against teams that choose to sit deep and in numbers in order to irritate us and close off our typical attack routes, this is a little cause for concern.
We’ve seen Middlesbrough and Sheffield United perform well after doing their studies, and if we can’t come up with solutions and ways to adjust, other teams will follow suit.
Positively speaking, we played with more composure, patience, and maturity in this game, which helped us avoid being hit by the counterattack and losing the match. Even yet, there is definitely room for development as we strive to make our play more unexpected by changing it up and giving it a more clinical, merciless edge.
Ramsey, Moreno yet to hit top form
Perhaps a contributing factor to the above-described problem is that our left-sided tandem of Alex Moreno and Jacob Ramsey is still getting used to their newfound freedom and form from the previous campaign.
Jacob Ramsey
It will take time to get that dynamic going again because the two have both recovered from significant injury absences. However, if we can do so, it will be very beneficial against teams that are now packing the central areas because it will not only stretch the pitch but also create dangerous openings down the left flank.
Moreno has scored twice in 10 games since he returned from injury but is still searching for his first assist, while Ramsey still has just one goal which came against Brighton prior to his setback in October.
Duran still struggling to lessen drop off from Watkins
Even while Jhon Duran occasionally moves well and isn’t afraid to take a chance and threaten the opposition’s goal, there is still a noticeable decline in his play above the hoop.
Given what Ollie Watkins brings us in all phases of the game and how skilled he is at it, it’s evident that it’s not simple, but the subtleties of his play both on and off the ball have a big impact on our performance as a team.
Off the bench, Duran contributes energy and intensity to the team and poses a threat for goals. He plays his role well. Still, he has a lot to learn if he hopes to truly fill that vacuum when Watkins is rested.
Read More: sportupdates.co.uk
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