Emery could damage Aston Villa’s UCL chances if he keeps starting Watkins
· Yahoo Sports
Aston Villa succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, leaving the Villains with only one win in their last six across all competitions.
Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.
Villa are not yet in grave danger of slipping out of the top five, but they desperately need to turn the tide soon with the chasing pack breathing down their necks.
The Villains lacked incision and cutting edge in the final third, with Ollie Watkins delivering another blunt display up top.
Seeing him on the team sheet was a surprise considering he is yet to score in nine Premier League games.
Tammy Abraham, who is in better form and has a terrific scoring record vs Wolves, should have led the line. He was the hero in the last game.
Watkins missed a good chance to put the Villains in front, but it was only the tip of the iceberg.
The usually ‘brilliant’ striker lost the ball 10 times and struggled to get involved.
The England international won none of his three attempted ground duels and didn’t compete for anything in the air. Unsurprisingly, the Villans were toothless up top.
For a manager of Unai Emery’s pedigree, stubborn loyalty can quickly become self-sabotage.
Persisting with Watkins while his confidence looks shot risks derailing Villa’s momentum at a crucial stage of the campaign.
Form, not reputation, must dictate selection, and right now Abraham offers sharper movement, greater physical presence and, crucially, goals.
The Villans cannot afford sentiment with Champions League qualification on the line.
Emery has built his success on ruthless, detail-driven decisions. This is one he must get right.
Abraham deserves to start, and Watkins may benefit from time out of the firing line.
If Emery continues to ignore the evidence in front of him, Villa’s top-five push could unravel. He needs to fix it, and fast.