Dean Smith’s Aston Villa are in relegation danger with Tyrone Mings’ mistake costing them dear away at Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City.
Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has been labelled ‘massively overrated’ by former Premier League owner Simon Jordon, while speaking to talkSPORT (10 March, 12:00pm).
Not so long ago, Villa’s £26.5 million record-signing looked a shoe in for a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad after being rewarded for his fine displays and claret and blue with a Three Lions debut in the autumn.
These days, however, Mings finds himself preoccupied with an immediate return to the Championship instead. A place in Southgate’s chosen 23 likely to be right at the back of his mind for the time being – and with good reason.
The former Bournemouth defender had a night to forget as Aston Villa suffered a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Midland rivals Leicester City yesterday, a result that leaves them second from bottom in the Premier League table.
It was Mings who all-but secured the three points for Leicester, giving away a second-half penalty when the Foxes were just one goal to the good.
And former Crystal Palace boss Jordan believes the 26-year-old has been found out.
“I know (John) McGinn has been a massive miss for them, the boy who started the season up top (Wesley Moraes) has proven to be a big disappointment. And I think Mings is massively, massively overrated,”
Mings, at his best, is a commanding, dominant presence holding together Smith’s erratic back line like superglue. Only three Premier League players have averaged more than his 5.8 clearances per game, with the left-back turned central defender relishing an aerial battle.
But, as Jordan alludes to, there have also been a number of unforced errors that have cost Villa dear this season. Until Mings irons out these rather sizeable creases, then the doubters will continue to have their say.
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