Inspired by Arsenal loanee Emi Martinez, Reading held Dean Smith’s Aston Villa to a goalless Championship draw at the weekend.
Saturday’s goalless draw between Reading and Aston Villa probably won’t live long in the memory.
In truth, Villa probably looked like the most likely winners at the Madejski with Tommy Elphick heading against the bar and Tammy Abraham twice denied by the inspired Arsenal loanee Emiliano Martinez between the sticks for the hosts.
But it was another disappointing performance from a side who looked set to storm the division after Dean Smith’s first few games at the helm.
Instead, a point away at relegation-threatened Reading means Aston Villa are now ninth in the table. They are just four points adrift of the play-off places but they will need to improve big time if they are to force their way into the top six between now and the end of season run-in.
But how did Reading fans view Aston Villa’s performance on their own turf? Well, for a team that contains the considerable talents of Abraham, John McGinn and Albert Adomah, it seems that the Madejski faithful expected better from the visitors.
And this speaks volumes. Yet again, Villa looked far less than the sum of their parts.
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