Both Steve Cooper and Steven Gerrard paid tribute to a ‘phenomenal’ Ashley Young strike after the Aston Villa veteran secured a point away from home at Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest on Monday night, speaking to the club’s official websites.
After the calamity that was the 4-0 hammering at Midland rivals Leicester City, this was more like it from Forest. A performance full of intensity, determination and diligence. A performance the home support could be proud of. A true team effort from a side who, for the first time in weeks, looked like exactly that. A team.
James Maddison sliced through the Forest midfield like the proverbial knife through room-temperature Lurpack last week. The introductions of Ryan Yates and Remo Freuler certainly helped shore things up in the centre of the park; adding grit and guile, physicality and finesse.
The fact that eight of Aston Villa’s 12 shots were blocked before they even reached Dean Henderson’s goal is testament to the way Nottingham Forest went about their business, putting an end to five successive Premier League defeats.
Nottingham Forest secure vital Aston Villa point
“I’m so grateful for the support that was shown (from the fans). They helped us because we needed them,” says Cooper, who clearly retains the support of the dressing room and the terraces.
“We’ve got to really hone in on the positives from the game. We’ve gained a point. And obviously we’re not where we want to be in the league table but it’s a small step in the right direction.
“We were harder to beat and the attitude of the players was excellent. It’s not necessarily the style that I want to adopt long-term. But it was the right way of playing for where we’re at and we’ve made some progress.”
Villa needed a moment of magic from 37-year-old Young to cancel out Emmanuel Dennis’ headed opener at the City Ground. Remarkably, that was the tenth goal Forest have conceded from outside the box this season.
“Villa had a lot of the ball,” Cooper admits. “But Dean’s goal wasn’t really troubled apart from a really good strike (from Young). We were in good positions to defend, which is something we haven’t been good enough at.”
“Ashley Young’s strike was phenomenal,” a frustrated Gerrard adds. “That’s the only real moment of magic we got in the final third, and that’s not enough.
“We had a massive opportunity today to really jump up in the league. That would have felt good if we could have executed it.
“I don’t think there was much wrong with our performance, up to a certain point. Again, I felt like we lacked quality in the final third. We haven’t created enough, and I need to keep challenging certain individuals to step forward and produce moments of magic.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
