Aston Villa (A) 24/02/24

Aston Villa 4-2 Nottingham Forest

Watkins 3'                    Niakhate 45+5'

Luiz 29', 39'                  Gibbs-White 48'

Bailey 61'

 

Taiwo Awoniyi’s yellow card last week show Forest fans not to go overboard on the celebrations. A six goal thriller at Villa Park showed the Reds they will need spirit and fight if they want a chance of avoiding the drop.

 

Nuno’s team travelled across to the West Midlands to play high flyers Aston Villa in a 4-2 defeat. Villa were coming off the back of a 2-1 victory at Fulham and as for Forest, they had displayed their best performance of the season against West Ham. However, Unai Emery’s team had lost their last 3 games in all competitions at their home ground. Forest haven’t beaten Villa away since 1994 but did spring a surprise 2-0 win on them back in November. Both sides have rich history with both teams having a European Cup to their name. The Reds were without all of their returning AFCON players as they all sustained injuries during the competition. Nuno Tavares also picked up an injury in last weekend’s victory so he too was sidelined with Moussa Niakhate being faced with the challenge at left back. Boubacar Kamara underwent ACL surgery midweek as Villa picked up their third long term injury this season. Pau Torres was a suprise inclusion after he picked up an injury against Fulham.

 

Aston Villa’s attempt at 3 points got off to a great start with the home team taking the lead within 3 minutes. Leon Bailey was played in down the right-hand side and Murillo came across to defend against him. The Jamaican showed brilliant pace and feet to beat him before nutmegging Felipe. His low cross also beat Neco Williams and to Ollie Watkins delight he ended up having a simple tap-in to score his 14^th goal of the season.

 

Unai Emery’s team were clearly in charge of the fixture dominating possession and chances. They had license to play the ball through midfield every time with Forest making it very easy for Villa to create space. In search of a 2^nd goal , Watkins looked to drive a shot at goal but Niakhate got his foot to the ball and put it over for a corner, 6 yards from goal. Bailey looked to get himself on the scoresheet too and after embarrassing Forest’s left side again, he shot from a tight angle but Mats Sels got down to parry the ball away at his near post.

 

To Forest’s despair, they found themselves struggling defensively again. Bailey and Matty Cash linked up down Villa’s right and broke into the box before passing to Jacob Ramsey. He found Nicolas Domiguez in the way of a shot at goal so laid the ball back to an unmarked Douglas Luiz. The midfielder sweeped home into the bottom left corner from near the penalty spot.

 

Two goals to the good and the West Midland’s team were in full control. The Reds did impose themselves on the game slightly, having a brief spell of possession of their own. Villa regained control having half chances and breaking forward. However, they did fully sway the game in their direction, scoring a third. Following a corner on the right, the hosts recycled the ball with John McGinn. He whipped in a perfect cross for Douglas Luiz who headed past Sels for his 10^th goal of the season.

 

Forest looked to fight back following a corner from Morgan Gibbs-White on the right. Villa weren’t switched on and an unmarked Awoniyi headed back across goal. Niakhate managed to stay onside and break forward to chest the ball in from close range. His first goal for the Reds meant they had a chance of a comeback.

 

Halftime, 3-1.

 

The visitors weren’t messing around making three substitutes at halftime. Nuno bought off his 2 booked central defenders and Awoniyi for Divock Origi, Harry Toffolo and Andrew Omobamidele. These subsitutions meant the Reds had an actual left back on the pitch moving Niakhate to centre back.

 

These changes gave the visitors the energy they’d been missing. They reduced their deficit to 3-2 as Anthony Elanga broke down the right before being fouled but the luckily the ball bounced back to Origi. He played a perfectly weighted through ball for Gibbs-White who managed to beat the offside trap and find himself free in space behind Villa’s defence. With no one following his run, he had the time to beautifully lift the ball over an on-rushing Emi Martinez and his side were back in it.

 

Looking for an equaliser, Origi played Elanga through after the Swede managed to stay onside. Using his pace, he broke away but dragged his shot wide of the left post and the hosts were breathing a sigh of relief. Up the other end, Villa had a great chance of their own. Alex Moreno wriggled away from 2 challenges to set his the strike from 15 yards but the Youri Tielemans could only find the left post. Anywhere else and Villa were regaining their 2 goal advantage after Sels was routed.

 

Villa did manage to regain their 2 goal advantage just 8 minutes later. The Reds were playing around the back but Omobamidele was pressured by Watkins and he tried to play a pass to Danilo but it was intercepted by Tielemans. He played in Watkins who tried to round Sels but Omobamidele looked like he’d recovered by getting tight. However, the striker got a shot off and after a desperate save from Sels, the ball ricochetted to Leon Bailey 10 yards out. He had a very simple attempt into an open net and after poor defending again from Forest, they found themselves further behind.

 

The hosts were bossing the game again after seeing off Forest’s fight back. However, substitute Ryan Yates had an excellent opportunity after a free-kick. A lovely lofted ball from Gibbs-White exposed Villa’s high line again but his stretching effort glanced wide. Half chances fell for both teams as the game drew to a close but neither could find the back of the net meaning the hosts were taking all 3 points.

 

I am happy with the way we came out fighting in the second half but it clearly wasn’t enough for our embarrassing defending down the left in the first half. Nuno made a mistake playing Moussa at left back and should’ve started Toffolo and maybe we would’ve had a different outcome. Villa also bossed midfield and their players seemed to have a lot of space every time they received the ball. This might’ve been down to our tactics compared to theirs as we were playing quite attacking away at a top 4 side. Origi came on and definitely changed the game attacking wise and Morgan had a good game too as did Callum breaking down the left many times. If Elanga had put the ball away in our bright spell maybe we would’ve gone on to a better outcome but it becomes hard when we have to score 3 or 4 goals every game to have a chance of a result. Bring on United and let’s progress into the quarters!

 

Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Lenglet, Torres (Chambers 45'), Moreno (Digne 59'); McGinn, Luiz; Bailey (Diaby 90'), Tielemans (Zaniolo 81'), Ramsey; Watkins (Rogers 90')

 

Forest: Sels; Williams, Felipe (Omobamidele 45') , Murillo (Toffolo 45'), Niakhate; Danilo, Dominguez (Yates 73'); Elanga, Gibbs-White (Reyna 81'), Hudson-Odoi; Awoniyi (Origi 45')