Aston Villa lack ‘big-team mentality’ says striker Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has pointed out that his team lacks the “big-team mentality” needed to close out crucial games successfully.
Villa relinquished a two-goal advantage against Brentford on Saturday, ultimately trailing before Watkins’ late goal secured a 3-3 draw.
Currently occupying fourth place in the Premier League, Villa holds a three-point lead over Tottenham in fifth position, albeit having played two more matches.
“I’m not belittling my team, I’m part of it,” Watkins told BBC Match of the Day. “We need to somehow figure out when we’re 2-0 up how to shut up shop.”
Villa had a stellar first half of the season and came close to topping the Premier League table on 22 December, but fell short with a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United.
In 2024, Villa has secured five wins in 12 league matches, losing ground to top-four competitors Spurs, whom they led by six points in December.
Saturday’s game marked the third occasion this season that Villa has squandered a two-goal lead. They held a 2-0 advantage against Manchester United on 26 December, only to suffer a 3-2 defeat.
Similarly, Luton staged a comeback from 2-0 down on 2 March, although Villa managed a late response to secure a 3-2 victory.
“It’s frustrating,” added Watkins after the game against Brentford. “We lacked that big-team mentality where they kill games off which is really disappointing.”
On Saturday, having barely threatened up to that point, Brentford scored their three goals in nine chaotic minutes.
All three strikes came from crosses into the box.
“We lost control completely,” added manager Unai Emery. “It’s not normal. Maybe emotionally as well we were a little bit upset.”
Even in the event that Villa fails to secure fourth place, finishing fifth could potentially be sufficient to earn qualification for the Champions League this season.
England currently holds a favorable position to secure one of UEFA’s ‘Performance Slots’, granting an additional Premier League team entry into Europe’s top club competition.
Villa currently holds a 12-point advantage over Manchester United in sixth place, despite having played two more games.