Dan Bardell wants Ashley Young in Aston Villa team but Ludwig Augustinsson covers Lucas Digne
We’re delighted to welcome The Athletic’s Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Ashley Young needs a place in the Aston Villa team but there was no point in signing Ludwig Augustinsson if he doesn’t come in for Lucas Digne, says Dan Bardell.
When Matty Cash was forced off during the draw with Manchester City on 3 September the 37-year-old Young produced an outstanding performance to stand up to Pep Guardiola’s glittering outfit, underlining his enduring value at Villa Park.
With Cash due back sooner rather than later after the international break but France international Digne now ruled out for the foreseeable future with a suspected stress fracture to his ankle Bardell thinks Sevilla loanee Augustinsson has to come in at left-back even though he doesn’t want to see Young dropped.
He exclusively told Villa News: “I think it will be Augustinsson, because if he isn’t playing when Lucas Digne’s injured then there was absolutely no point bringing him in at all.
“I will say that I like Ashley Young being on the pitch because he does bring that nouse, and that know-how, and that leadership. Someone that’s always talking to the referee, someone that knows when to slow the game down or buy a free-kick, or just clear the ball when needed.
“Ashley Young brings that experience, and that winning mentality as well, with what he’s done over his career. And also he probably knows Aston Villa better than anyone else that’s there at the moment. He also knows what it’s like to be relatively successful and be part of a winning team at Villa.
“So I don’t know how but I’d like to find a way to get Ashley Young on the pitch because I do think he’s a good lieutenant to have out there.
“You only need to see the impact he had in the Manchester City game. He came on and calmed everyone down and also just put in a phenomenal performance, outrunning players he’s probably 10 years older than like Kevin De Bruyne.
“So at the moment I’d say there’s an argument that you’ve got to find a place for him, but there’s no point bringing the other lad in if he’s not going to play when Digne’s out, otherwise he’s going to be frustrated.”
Injuries to both first choice full-backs within a couple of weeks of each other is not something that any manager wants to contend with, but Young’s re-emergence has proven to be quite the safety blanket for the situation.
Augustinsson may be in line for a chance to cover for Digne but Gerrard will know that if the Swede doesn’t take to the Premier League quickly he has an able alternative to use.
If Cash isn’t ready to return immediately for the game against Leeds on 2 October it could well be that Young remains on the right side while the summer arrival from Sevilla has an audition on the left, knowing that he has to perform or else lose his place to the Villans veteran.
In other Aston Villa news, Jacob Ramsey has been nominated for Premier League player of the month.