James Chester, Neil Taylor and James Bree all started Aston Villa’s heavy defeat to Wigan.
Garry Thompson has criticised Aston Villa trio James Chester, Neil Taylor and James Bree for their performance during their side’s 3-0 defeat at Wigan.
The former Villa striker also claimed that centre-back Tommy Elphick was ‘fuming’ after he was substituted midway through the second half by manager Dean Smith.
Speaking on the West Midlands Football Phone-In, Thompon layed into the Villa players, in particular, the club’s senior centre-half.
“Chester is having an absolute nightmare,” Thompson told BBC Radio WM. “He took Elphick off and I can understand Elphick being massively unhappy because Chester was having a beast.
“He [Elphick] come off and he’s fuming and you can understand why. You talk about the fullbacks, I cannot believe some of what I saw.”
Those three goals at the DW Stadium meant that Villa have now conceded a total of 43 goals during this campaign under two different managers – one more than what they conceded during their playoff final run last season.
Added with that, they have had numerous players playing at centre-back and full-back this term, not forgetting the five goalkeepers that have been utilised in between the sticks in all competitions.
Last season, Chester was named the fans player of the season, but this time around, with the absence of John Terry, he has struggled to replicate the form that won him huge plaudits during the previous campaign.
The Wales international has had to partner the likes of, Tommy Elphick, Mile Jedinak, Bree, Axel Tuanzebe and now new signing Kortney Hause at the heart of the club’s defence.
It remains to be seen if Smith changes his backline for the visit of in-form Hull City on Saturday, Nigel Adkins side are on a six-game winning run.
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