View: Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings was back to his imperious best v Southampton
Tyrone Mings’ performance against Southampton should have Aston Villa fans buzzing after a difficult couple of months for the England international.
Mings came under the spotlight after Diego Carlos’ Achilles injury and produced his finest display of the season against the Saints on Friday evening (16 September).
A win was a must for Steven Gerrard and Villa and although it wasn’t pretty, his side got over the line due to Jacob Ramsey’s first-half strike.
In a game of very few chances, Mings restricted Southampton’s dangerous attacking players to very little and ensured that the solitary goal would be enough for Gerrard’s men.
Mings was a colossus at the back for Villa with the central defender amassing a 100 per cent duel success rate (as per Wyscout), which is 30 per cent higher than he has managed on average this season.
He was also completely dominant aerially, with the 29-year-old yet again managing a 100 per cent success rate when it came to challenges in the air. The 32 per cent improvement on his season average displays that he was performing well above the standard he has set this season.
It is absolutely crucial that the Villa defender kicks on from his good display against Southampton and continues to do the basics well for Gerrard’s side going forward.
At times Mings has been found wanting on the ball and he does have a mistake in him. Even against Southampton, his passing accuracy was down which shows he can still be casual and lack quality on the ball.
If Mings can remain a dependable player for Gerrard then there is no reason why he can’t be the solution for Carlos’ long-term absence.
In other Aston Villa news, John McGinn admits to the Villa v Southampton Premier League clash being a boring affair.