Tim Sherwood has urged Steven Gerrard to bring Danny Ings back into the XI ahead of Aston Villa’s trip to Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
The 30-year-old hasn’t started for Villa since their 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham United in August, and since then, he has had no more than seven minutes from the bench during a single game.
Ollie Watkins has been the man that has led the line, as he did during Villa’s goalless draw at Leeds United last time out.
Whilst Villa have failed to create a decent amount of chances all season long, they created enough against the ten-men of Leeds last week, only to not pick up the win to the frustration of the fans.
But, at the end of the day, Watkins missed a number of clear-cut chances, and whilst other parts of his game were outstanding, once again, it’s his finishing that let him down.
As a result, Sherwood wants to see Ings return to the XI because he feels the £25 million signing (Sky Sports) is the best goalscorer at the club, as he told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (08/10/22 at 1:55 pm).
“They have the players to do it, but it’s just not happening for them,” said Sherwood. “If you asked Stevie what his best side is and he probably doesn’t know, which is a worry, but it can happen. I have been there.
“When you aren’t getting results. You are tinkering with it and you think you need to make a change.
“Get some firepower in there. For me, Danny Ings is a prolific and proven goalscorer in the Premier League. I would give him a run of games. I really would. They are struggling to put the ball into the back of the net.
“If you lose to a team that are bottom of the league, then you have a serious problem.”
GERRARD’S TIME IS TICKING…
If Villa fall to a defeat against Nottingham Forest, who are sitting bottom of the Premier League table, then it’s time to say ‘Goodbye Gerrard, thanks but no thanks’.
The former Liverpool midfielder shouldn’t have been appointed as Dean Smith’s replacement in the first place, but his past relationship with Villa’s CEO Christian Purslow, added to his legendary playing career, is what has helped him get the job more than anything else.
Other than a strong opening six matches, it has been beyond abject since then, with a style of play putting fans to sleep and this quite stupid knack from Gerrard to leave his best players on the bench.
Douglas Luiz was one of them, and he’s only starting now because of Boubacar Kamara’s injury, whilst Emiliano Buendia is Villa’s best creator, and even though his backside is parked on the bench, his numbers are still better than others, yet Gerrard sees different, that’s probably why he will be out of the door by the time England play Iran at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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