Diego Carlos embarrassing as Ollie Watkins stars – Aston Villa player ratings v Ipswich Town
Aston Villa battled back from an early deficit to take the lead at Ipswich Town before throwing away two points in a 2-2 draw.
Villa were stunned early as Liam Delap smashed a low shot inside the near post from Jack Clarke’s cut-back in the eighth minute, despite Emi Martinez getting a strong hand on the shot, but Morgan Rogers equalised with a nice finish in the 15th, combining well with Ollie Watkins to seize on an awful clearance from Jacob Greaves.
The star striker headed the visitors into the lead in the 32nd minute from a perfect Leon Bailey cross and kept the lead relatively comfortably until Delap scored his second on 72 minutes, moments after Sam Morsey escaped a second booking, cutting in from the left, embarrassing Diego Carlos and finishing into the corner.
Here, Villa News rates the Villans players out of 10 for their performances at Portman Road with the help of SofaScore statistics.
Emi Martinez – 8
Bad start but certainly made up for it behind a flimsy back line. Will have been disappointed not to keep the opener out at his near post after getting strong contact on the ball. Redeemed himself before the break with a superb save to keep out a rasping Kalvin Phillips drive and an even better “excellent” one to deny Delap when clean through moments later in the style of his famous World Cup final stop, with Alan Smith calling him “world class” live on Sky Sports as a result (2.41pm). Left woefully exposed by Carlos for Delap’s second. Only two of his 39 touches were saves, but both were vital.
Ezri Konsa – 5
Poor for the home side’s opener and not brilliant for their equaliser either. His weak half-clearance lost possession in a dangerous area and he wasn’t close enough to close down Clarke for the assist as Ipswich took the lead. Completed 62 of 66 passes (94%) but one of the four was a low-quality ball into the box which was easily cut out as the hosts broke away to equalise after the break, capitalising on the space he had left in defence.
Diego Carlos – 3
Bad game. Clumsy in the opening, blundering into challenges (two fouls) and not certain defensively in his own box. Wrong-footed entirely along with Konsa by Clarke as Ipswich went ahead. His role in Delap’s second was dreadful as he failed to cover the space down the Aston Villa right in the slightest when Konsa was caught upfield, and proved absolutely no barrier to the forward cutting past him in the box and finishing as the one time he was dribbled past was a key one. Won just two of his five combined duels (40%) and made a single tackle in a 72-touch outing.
Pau Torres – 5
Sloppy. Didn’t look certain in or out of possession and rolling around in the Ipswich area holding his face didn’t help. Absolutely nowhere to be found as Delap streaked clear before the break only to be thwarted by Martinez. Slid in to make a crucial last-ditch block on Wes Burns amid sustained late pressure as he improved late on, winning three of four duels (75%).
Emi Martinez bounces back from rough start for Aston Villa
Lucas Digne (off for Maatsen ’83) – 6
Solid if unspectacular for the most part, making three tackles and completing 40 of 43 passes (93%). Needlessly booked for kicking the ball away early in the second half. Probably the pick of a worryingly slack defence, so odd he was the only one substituted by Unai Emery.
Youri Tielemans (off for Barkley ’83) – 6
Reasonable performance if nowhere near his best. Not tight enough to Delap in the centre of the Aston Villa box as the striker opened the scoring. Created one big chance one one key pass.
Amadou Onana – 7
Solid performance. May have already made a name for himself in from of goal since arriving from Everton but barely involved further forward. Increasingly important defensively after the break, disrupting Ipswich and recycling possession, as he made five tackles, two interceptions, three clearances and a block.
Jacob Ramsey – 6
Some attractive combinations out wide, completing two dribbles (100%) and making one key pass, but peripheral to the action for much of the afternoon. Nice work down the left flank in the build up to the equaliser but dipped in and out of the game.
Leon Bailey delivers ‘dream’ assist for Ollie Watkins
Morgan Rogers (off for Duran ’64) – 7
Sharp start as he continued his impressive first year in the side. No surprise he drew Villa level with a nice finish after good combination work with Watkins. Some impressive moments on the ball but his performance got scrappier after the half as he conceded a number of fouls (three) and lost possession increasingly (12 occasions). Withdrawn as an injury precaution.
Leon Bailey (off for Philogene ’64) – 7
Fairly quiet on the whole but tidy enough, completing 25 of 30 passes (83%) and had a crucial impact when it mattered, finding the target with his one cross (100%). Nothing seemed to be quite working until he got things together to deliver what Alan Smith called a “centre-forward’s dream” of a ball in live on Sky Sports (2.35pm) for Watkins to score the single big chance he created.
Ollie Watkins (off for Buendia ’83) – 9 (Man of the Match)
Excellent away striker’s display for most of the day and crucial to the fightback. Did his job with a goal and assist which would have been enough for the win if it weren’t for the weak defence. Looked impressive on the ball and had two crucial impacts. Quick feet to play a nice one-two inside the box and assist Rogers and well-taken header to put his side into the lead. Wasn’t given a huge amount to work with but made it count when he was, scoring and assisting from one attempt and just 34 touches.
Substitutions
Jhon Duran (on for Rogers ’64) – 7
Looked threatening and Ipswich seemed to know it as they repeatedly fouled him.
Jaden Philogene (on for Bailey ’64) – 5
No real impact as he didn’t improve hugely on Bailey’s performance.
Ian Maatsen (on for Digne ’83) – 6
Decent on the ball after late introduction.
Ross Barkley (on for Tielemans ’83) – 6
Fired in a threatening long-range effort which Arijanet Muric just kept out.
Emi Buendia (on for Watkins ’83) – 5
Hit a dangerous free kick miles over with his first kick in just about his only contribution of note.
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