Having lost Pau Torres to a serious injury, Aston Villa stalwart Tyrone Mings was called upon to fill the void and help lead our defensive charge in his absence.
The 31-year-old is not long back from a significant injury of his own having spent over a year out, but having been gradually reintegrated into the squad prior to Torres being sidelined, his return has been a welcome boost for Unai Emery.
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Reunited with Emiliano Martinez and Ezri Konsa in the heart of the Villa defence, and with familiar faces either side of him in Lucas Digne and Matty Cash, it has been somewhat of a throwback over the past fortnight or so seeing them form our backline again, and it’s delivering results.
In three games with Mings back in the starting line-up, Villa have conceded just two goals, and finally registered a clean sheet in our win over Everton in midweek.
While the entire defence has stepped up and improved as we’ve been far too porous so far this season and leaked soft goals, which in turn has seen us attain the unwanted statistic of having the worst defence of the top nine teams in the Premier League table, the introduction of Mings has been pivotal in addressing that issue, and it’s hoped that it continues that way moving forward.
The Villa centre-half brings a steeliness and solidity at the back that has been missing, and so although we lose a lot in Pau’s absence, particularly in possession with his composure, technical ability and eye for a pass, we gain a lot too with Mings marshalling the backline.
It’s easy to lose count of the number of clearances he makes in a game, as he always seems to be in the right place in the box to snuff out danger, while using his physical attributes to establish himself as a dominant and leading figure to set the tone for the rest of the team.
Add his experience and leadership to the mix, and it’s clear he has made an important difference, as Villa look a stronger defensive unit playing with discipline and organisation.
That will certainly be tested in the coming week though with trips to Arsenal and Monaco next up, and so while we’ve seen an upturn in our defensive form, it has to pass some big tests now as we look to maintain our excellent start to the new year and continue to build momentum.
With the attacking quality that we have in the side, we’re capable of hurting most teams. Add a solid foundation to that which allows our midfield and attacking players to go out and deliver with a sense of freedom, it makes us a dangerous proposition, and hopefully that balance will be critical to our ongoing improvement and progress.