Yikes. Aston Villa lost 3-0 to Cardiff City in Wales. A horrific display of inadequacy raises serious concerns about a promotion push this season.
This was a disaster. A match in which started perfectly fine, ended horribly as Aston Villa deflated in conceding two second-half goals. Outside of Sam Johnstone, Josh Onomah, and Callum O’Hare (two of which don’t belong to Villa), everyone was quite bad.
Steve Bruce traveled to Wales without a proper structure and plan, as such, the team suffered.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s brace on either side of the half was all Cardiff needed to continue their undefeated start. Most worryingly, James Chester and John Terry weren’t their usual solid selves.
Welp, it was a bad match, but Aston Villa is back at it on Tuesday. This time, an away match to Reading. My player grades against Cardiff City:
Serious changes are needed for Tuesday. For starters, James Bree or Ritchie De Laet need to start at right fullback. Secondly, Gabby Agbonlahor can not put a full 90 shift in the wing. Or, at center-forward for that matter.
Pick Bjarnason, or O’Hare, or Hourihane, or somebody else, Steve Bruce, please.