Aston Villa experienced a 3-1 Championship loss to Fulham. Here’s how we rated Steve Bruce’s players during their second Easter defeat in three days.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
GK: Sam Johnstone (6/10) – The 23-year-old made a superb early save but offered questionable positioning for the game’s opening goal shortly after. Fairly helpless to prevent Fulham’s second goal, just minutes after Villa’s equaliser, and the third after 78 minutes.
CB: James Chester (6/10) – Struggled to adapt to the change in defensive set-up. Chester faced a tough afternoon up against Fulham’s effective combination of Scott Malone, Ryan Sessegnon and Sone Aluko
CB: Tommy Elphick (6/10) – Recalled to the team as part of Bruce’s back three, but the former Premier League defender endured a shaky start alongside Chester and Nathan Baker. Elphick was unlucky not to score – as he saw a first half headed effort blocked on the line.
Fulham’s Neeskens Kebano scores their third goal
CB: Nathan Baker (5/10) – Baker looked off the pace in the early stage, typified by a late challenge on Fulham’s Ryan Fredericks, as the home side made the most of Villa’s slow start. Perhaps would have expected to have done better for Fulham’s third goal.
RM: James Bree (4/10) – Originally considered a better choice for a right flank role in preference to Alan Hutton; but Bree spent the majority of the encounter tracking Fulham’s Malone and Sessegnon – to limited success. Poor positioning from Bree enabled the assist for Fulham’s second goal. Eventually replaced by Hutton with twenty minutes remaining.
CM: Gary Gardner (5/10) – A 30-yeard strike just before the half time break was Gardner’s only significant contribution to the encounter. Despite his admirable work ethic, Gardner was consistently second best to Fulham’s Tom Cairney in the midfield battle.
CM: Mile Jedinak (6/10) – The Australian international’s experience has been crucial to this Villa side, but Jedinak tended to struggle in possession and when getting ahead of the play against an energetic Fulham – as demonstrated by his left footed shank of a cross. Jedinak, alongside Gardner, found it difficult to contain the effectiveness of Fulham’s midfield trio.
Aston Villa’s Jordan Amavi is shown a yellow card by referee David Coote
LM: Jordan Amavi (5/10) – Despite being deployed in a more advanced left sided position, Amavi was unable to impact on the game and appeared to lose out in numerous battles with his direct opponent, Fulham’s Fredericks. Booked for a poor late lunge midway through the first half and substituted for Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (6/10) after 77 minutes.
AM: Jack Grealish (6/10) – Recalled to the line-up in a roaming central role but was guilty of surrendering possession on too many occasions amid a fairly anonymous first half performance. The second half saw the maverick side of Grealish – as the 21-year-old scored an outstanding equaliser after 49 minutes.
Aston Villa’s Jonathan Kodjia is shown a red card
FW: Jonathan Kodjia (2/10) – A frustrated 20-minute showing from Villa’s goal-getter, signified by an awful piece of indiscipline that led to a direct red card for Kodjia; leaving his team mates with over 70 minutes to play with just ten men.
FW: Scott Hogan (6/10) – Saw an early goal disallowed for offside before Fulham began to control proceedings. Hogan was left isolated for the majority of the game after strike partner Kodjia saw red. Replaced by Conor Hourihane in the closing stages.
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