Aston Villa secured a comprehensive 4-0 win over Brentford on Sunday to claim three much-needed points.
Aaron Danks took temporary charge of the side following Steven Gerrard’s departure in midweek, and he got the perfect reaction from the players in what was a convincing display from start to finish.
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A brace from Danny Ings along with goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins saw Brentford off, but it’s certainly difficult to pick out individuals for special praise, such was the impressive nature of the team display.
Danks undoubtedly deserves a special mention though, as it can’t have been easy to prepare the players for this game in such a short space of time and also make the big selection calls that he did.
Those ultimately paid off though and he’ll have played a big part in lifting the mood and building some confidence within the Villa camp.
Aston Villa player ratings vs Brentford:
Emiliano Martinez, 7 – Was largely a comfortable afternoon for him but was alert and on hand to intervene when needed, particularly with crosses into the box as he commanded his area well. Will be delighted with the clean sheet.
Matty Cash, 7 – A solid shift as he came back into the starting XI. Defended well throughout and was aggressive in his pressing, and pushed forward when possible too as he went close to a goal on a couple of occasions.
Ezri Konsa, 7 – Did really well keeping Toney quiet and was switched on defensively from start to finish to play a pivotal role in our clean sheet.
Tyrone Mings, 7 – Similar to Konsa, didn’t put a foot wrong in this one as he produced a solid defensive performance. Kept it simple when in possession too as the entire backline was helped by having options in midfield in front of them to distribute.
Ashley Young, 8 – Yet another stellar display from the Villa stalwart. Defensively sound as he used his experience and know-how well even against pacey Brentford threats, and showed his class with clever passes that set up some big chances for us including one that led to our second goal.
Leander Dendoncker, 8 – Superb. Had reservations before the game as he has looked a little off the pace in previous appearances off the bench but was excellent for an hour. Got about the pitch well to disrupt Brentford’s play and was a physical presence in that department to give us a foundation. Also showed good awareness and ability on the ball to get us moving up the pitch.
Douglas Luiz, 8 – Top display as he worked well together with Dendoncker as the pair gelled nicely in both phases of the game. Showed good strength and tenacity to make challenges and win possession back and was a composed and influential figure in midfield to help our attackers cause problems.
Leon Bailey, 8.5 – Electric. From the first minute he was a handful for Brentford’s defence and grabbed a goal and assist in the opening minutes to set the tone for the game. Used his pace and technical skill well to burst past defenders and find space, but also showed quality and an end product in the final third to make a decisive impact.
Emiliano Buendia, 8 – A hugely refreshing sight to see him in the starting line up and showing his class. His tenacity, work rate and desire off the ball is vital for us in setting the tone further up the pitch, but he strings everything together well too in terms of build-up play and linking up with the frontmen. Time for him to get an extended run in the side now so we get to see the best of him.
Ollie Watkins, 8 – Delighted to see him get his goal as he really needed it having gone so long without one. Will hopefully be a massive boost for his confidence moving forward as although he does a crucial job for the team week in and week out with his work ethic, he will be desperate to score more regularly too.
Danny Ings, 8 – Similarly to those above, Ings showed excellent work-rate and desire throughout as he charged around and pressed from the front. Took his first goal really well to show his goalscoring instincts and then kept his composure to slot home an excellent penalty to add to his tally.
Substitutes:
John McGinn, 6 – Big call to drop him, but that didn’t impact him when he came on around the hour mark, as he showed commitment and desire to help us maintain control of the midfield battle.
Jacob Ramsey, 6 – Good movement and willingness to get on the ball and drive us forward as we continued to threaten.
Philippe Coutinho, 6 – Showed a great touch to lay the ball off around the corner and get us going on the attack on a few occasions as well as losing possession. Will hopefully see him pick up his form in the coming weeks too.
Calum Chambers, N/A
Cameron Archer, N/A
