Aston Villa’s 2-0 win at Brighton can prove crucial
Aston Villa’s 2-0 win at Brighton on Saturday afternoon could prove to be a crucial result that sets a positive tone for the rest of the season.
Before Saturday, Villa had won only once in their previous eight matches and looked a shadow of their former selves under the tutelage of manager Steven Gerrard.
The low point came a week prior, when the side dropped points to lowly Watford in a 1-0 loss a Villa Park.
But at Brighton, Villa looked threatening from the start and, maybe more importantly, looked formidable at the back. During their poor run of form, Villa were vulnerable on the break and paid dearly, specifically against Watford and Leeds.
The loss of Marvelous Nakamba and the lack of a replacement in the January transfer market has plagued Gerrard’s side. Without a proper defensive midfielder, there has been little cover in front of the defense.
Douglas Luiz, who has played in Nakamba’s place since, had a good game at Brighton and was aided by John McGinn, who often dropped off to help the Brazilian.
The only change from the Watford defeat a week prior was Ollie Watkins coming in for Emi Buendia. Gerrard elected to go with two center forwards and switched the formation from a 4-3-2-1 to a 4-3-1-2.
The change paid dividends in the end as Watkins tallied an insurance marker in the 68th minute, but the decision locked Buendia, arguably the side’s best player over the last month, out of the XI.
But in a lot of ways, it was back to basics for Villa. The full backs played deeper and the width up field was instead provided by McGinn, Jacob Ramsey, and Philippe Coutinho.
Overall, the side looked much more formidable and the result will hopefully springboard the squad to a strong league finish this season.
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