Pepe Reina moved to Aston Villa during the January transfer window.
Joleon Lescott has admitted that he was ‘surprised’ that Pepe Reina tried to be Aston Villa’s ‘most impactful’ player in attack during their 2-0 defeat to Southampton.
Speaking to Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports News (22/02/20), Lescott was seemingly left baffled that Reina was trying to be Villa’s ‘match-winner too many times’.
In the dying moments of the match, with Villa chasing an equaliser, Reina opted to go up for a corner and that resulted in Southampton hitting Dean Smith’s side on the counter and equalising into an empty net.
Former Manchester City defender, Lescott, described that decision as ‘strange’, as he questioned why Reina was the one trying to be Villa’s most attacking player from between his sticks.
“I don’t know why Reina is up there, to be honest,” Lescott told Sky Sports. “He has tried to be the match-winner too many times today and he’s cost Villa a lot of chances.
“Strange decision for him to be up there – Reina was trying to be the most impactful player in attack, which again is a surprise.”
It was yet another day to forget for Dean Smith’s side, who now go into their League Cup final against Manchester City next Sunday bang out of form.
The lack of fight and desire from the Villa players will be more worrying for Smith, not forgetting the number of goals they are conceding.
Whether it be goals conceded in general, second-half goals conceded or chances conceded – Villa are always gifting these away in bucket loads and they simply cannot afford to do it at Wembley next Sunday, or for the rest of the season because they are heading into one direction, otherwise.
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