Villa draw with Ipswich at a damp Villa Park with a damp Dave Woodhall watching.
After the match someone with far more imagination than I, as well as a better knowledge of eighties comedy films, said that playing in central defence for Villa is as dangerous as drumming for Spinal Tap. I’d add playing in midfield as well, because it seems that no sooner does one come back from injury than another books into the Bodymoor Heath treatment room.
This time it was Boubacar Kamara, who failed to last beyond fifteen minutes before being replaced by Tyrone Mings, and the sight of such an elite-level midfielder turned defender limping off the pitch summed up the day as well as Villa’s season.
It was always likely to be one of those days. With one eye on a schedule that’s part of the price of success Unai Emery rested a couple of players and started with Donyell Malen, while new signing Axel Disasi was in the danger zone.
Villa started reasonably brightly but it wasn’t long before their performance sunk into a morass of miserableness that matched the weather. The only incident of note during the first forty minutes was the injury to Kamara, and given the amount of similar problems, added to the difficulty some players seem to have had in keeping their feet all season, I wonder whether questions should be asked of the pitch at Villa Park.
There was little else to get excited about before Ipswich defender Axel Tuanzebe brought down Jacob Ramsey to receive his second yellow card and he exited the pitch to a sympathetic ripple of applause From Villa supporters in appreciation of past services.
Naturally enough this inspired Villa to finally show some urgency and there were a couple of good chances as the first half came to an end, although even here there was far too much slow passing. Ian Maatsen and Marcus Rashford came on to inject a bit of inspiration into the attack but it was yet another failing that was to see the team go behind when a ball that should have been dealt easily, wasn’t.
Villa finally woke up and the rest of the match was spent almost exclusively in the Ipswich half. There was plenty of good approach play and a ridiculous amount of possession. There were even enough chances to have won half a dozen matches but some were wasted while the Ipswich keeper was playing as though his life depended on it.
Further improvement came when Malen was replaced by Marco Asensio and it wasn’t long before a thumping free-kick from Rashford crashed against the crossbar and Ollie Watkins hit the rebound home. After that there were more opportunities for Villa to see off the opposition; by now the visiting keeper was giving the sort of performance we’re used to seeing at the other end.
Somehow, despite multiple substitution, two goals, a VAR call and a series of injured Ipswich players there were only four minutes of stoppages. There was, though, still time for another couple of miracle saves before a final whistle that heralded yet more disappointment for the chances of a second Champions League qualification.
Too many players had an off day, too much time was spent passing sideways when a more direct approach might have worked. Unai’s spoken about Villa’s hectic programme and while doing just enough to win is one of the secrets of success, it’s an artform Villa have yet to master.
