Following three successive Championship victories, it seemed as though Aston Villa might have turned the corner, but defeat to automatic promotion hopefuls Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night brought them back down to earth.
While they didn’t play particularly badly, their lack of cutting edge in attacking areas, as well as a crucial lapse of concentration at the back, ultimately saw them end on the losing side.
It is a habit that Steve Bruce’s men must snap out of if they are to have a good run at automatic promotion next season, because that has to be the minimum aim after such a disappointing campaign this time out.
Their total of 36 goals from 35 matches is nowhere near good enough when you look at the attacking options in the squad, and perhaps it is time for some of the individuals in those positions to be rested from the starting line-up for this weekend’s clash against Sheffield Wednesday at Villa Park.
Here are THREE Villa players that need to be dropped after the midweek loss…
Albert Adomah
The winger has probably been one of Villa’s most influential attacking players this season, but when you have the likes of Jonathan Kodjia around you, you have to be doing more to supply him with chances.
At the John Smith’s Stadium on Tuesday night, the Ghanaian forward was on the periphery of the game and it was instead two of his midfield team-mates that provided a bigger goal threat.
Three league goals all season isn’t good enough for a player that has so much talent, and it might be time to find himself relegated to the substitutes’ bench on Saturday.
Jordan Amavi
This may seem a little harsh on the Frenchman seeing as he only came into the starting line-up for the Huddersfield match, but like Adomah he has to be giving so much more to the side.
The left-back was given a more attacking left-sided role in Yorkshire – and more freedom as a result – but he failed to provide any spark or lay on any chances for the prolific Jonathan Kodjia in a largely toothless display.
Of course, the serious injury looks to have affected him but for a player that showed so much promise at the start of his Villa career in the Premier League, he has to be bringing more quality to the side in the Championship.
Nathan Baker
As with Amavi, this may seem a bit harsh, but with little to play for it is time for Steve Bruce to start finding his strongest XI for a Championship promotion push next season.
While Baker has impressed in general this term, some Villa supporters will be keen to see Tommy Elphick, who was so crucial to Bournemouth’s promotion-winning campaign in 2014/15, given a regular run in the team alongside James Chester between now and the end of the campaign – starting with the visit of Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.