That winning feeling is back as Aston Villa secured a deserved 2-1 win over Leicester City on Saturday at the King Power Stadium.
After Aston Villa’s demoralising defeat to Arsenal, the players just wanted to get back out there, prove their worth and put three points on the board again.
It didn’t help matters that inside 20 minutes, Leon Bailey went off with an injury, added with Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos, Jaden Philogene and Matty Cash already being sidelined.
But the man who came on – Jacob Ramsey – made a world of difference because he assisted the opening goal which was scored by away day king, Amadou Onana.
It was a well-worked free-kick from the Austin MacPhee textbook because it set the ball rolling for Unai Emery’s side.
From an attacking sense, you have to applaud the team, they are pretty good at the set-plays, as Onana proved on the opening weekend at West Ham United.
Both Ian Wright and Darren Bent agreed that it was a ‘very well-worked’ goal from the Midlands side and ‘brilliantly executed’.
Two men they wanted to single out for praise were Ramsey and Onana, including the ‘incredible’ touch and pass from the Aston Villa academy product to set up the goal.
Ramsey endured an injury-hit campaign last season and fans couldn’t see him progress further, but now they might get to see his magic seriously lift off to massive heights, especially with Villa in the Champions League.
Wright and Bent were certain to praise the attacking midfielder, alongside goalscorer Onana, as they told Premier League Productions (31/08/24 at 5:10 pm).
Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana praise
“This is clearly something they have worked on,” said Bent. “It’s really good. The pass and touch from Jacob Ramsey is incredible.
“You are just begging for somebody to be on the end of it and Onana’s movement is really good. He goes in, just delays it a bit, then goes again and that’s how he gets his reward.”
Wright added: “It’s really good. When you look at it and you think is that Torres in there (Tielemans initial pass) because it felt like the ball was for him? The ball went at such a pace. It’s a brilliant touch from him (Ramsey) and just a good goal. Very, very well worked. They have spent a lot of time working on this. But brilliantly executed.”
Jacob Ramsey of Aston Villa in action during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Aston Villa FC at The King Power Stadium on Aug…
Another Jhon Duran winner
Just imagine if Villa had sold Jhon Duran to West Ham, then that’s a fair few points they would have dropped already because he is doing some serious talking on the pitch.
That’s two winning goals from Duran and now Emery has a huge call to make when the players return after the international break.
Ollie Watkins needs time, he made a slow start last season, before exploding and this campaign he has had no pre-season.
But Villa face Everton and Wolves at home after the international break, sandwiched in between their opening Champions League tie, so you assume Duran starts one of those matches.