Ajax, Henderson woes prove why Ten Hag should snub return as Watkins injury hampers Villa’s night

Ollie Watkins’ injury scare made it a bittersweet night for Aston Villa as their thrashing of Ajax proved why Erik ten Hag should reject a return…

Did Unai Emery get a reaction from his Aston Villa players after Sunday’s 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur? Well, sort of…

Facing an Ajax side in disarray at a usually formidable Villa Park, the Villans headed into Thursday night’s Europa Conference League second leg as the firm favourites to progress after last week’s respectable but underwhelming goalless draw in Amsterdam.

Aston Villa have blown away some sides on home turf this season. On the face of it, they did that tonight by winning 4-0, but the home side did not have to be at their high-tempo best to earn such a one-sided victory against an Ajax side seriously lacking in confidence and the eventual scoreline flattered them somewhat.

Villa’s supporters fed on scraps during the opening half as their players were only able to produce the odd spark of substance. There was also the small matter of a seriously worrying injury to their most important player.

A frustrated Emery frantically tried to urge the players on but the stadium suddenly became silent after Watkins went down holding his knee following a collision with Ajax goalkeeper Diant Ramaj inside 20 minutes.

The mass sigh of relief around Villa Park was just as profound when Watkins returned to the pitch a few moments later and this preceded the host’s best spell of the first half.

Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby had decent chances before Watkins lost his marker from a corner and rose highest to head home into the far corner to score his 22nd goal in his 40th appearance this season.

Emery’s stint at Villa has been spectacular and there is perhaps no player who has benefited more from the respected coach’s arrival than Watkins.

Before this season, the England international had already established himself as a consistent Premier League goalscorer but certain aspects of his game left much to be desired. Yet Emery has managed to remedy that this season as he’s taken his starting striker – who is heavily relied upon – to a whole new level as he’s emerging as a complete striker.

So the sight of Watkins returning to the floor a few minutes after being unable to get over his earlier knock would have been a heartbreaking one for Villa supporters.

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His replacement – Jhon Duran – is the raw talent Watkins once was. While he missed several opportunities after coming on, his ferocious second-half strike for his goal will give him a confidence boost ahead of a testing stretch of appearances if he is to fill in for Villa’s star man during the Premier League run-in.

But even without Watkins, Villa were able to make light work of this Ajax side.

Reported Man Utd target Brian Brobbey – who on the evidence of tonight looks like he’d resemble Antony more than Lisandro Martinez – came close to scoring for Ajax before the break but this was as good as it got for the visitors, who offered virtually nothing in an attacking sense and were caught way out too easily in defence after a structured display in Amsterdam ensured they remained in the tie heading into the return leg.

Villa were miles from their best but in reality, they didn’t have to be sparkling to cut through Ajax. Rampant attackers Bailey and Diaby – who both ended up on the scoresheet – struck fear into their opponents each time they got on the ball as Emery’s side got over early frustration to cruise into the Conference League quarter-finals.

Given the qualify of opposition (or lack thereof) remaining in the competition, Villa will rightly fancy their chances to go all their way in the tournament and with Emery in the dugout, you’d be foolish to back against them lifting some silverware by the end of the season.

As for Ajax, this result is a new low for the Dutch giants and captain Jordan Henderson, who *finally* admitted this week that his decision to leave Liverpool for the Saudi Pro League was a “mistake”.

The England international’s first game back in England since that move with a team as poor as Ajax exposed his poor decision-making even further and his fall from grace this season has been as remarkable as it’s been laughable.

Ajax are far from the great team they once were. Reports suggest they are set to ‘approach’ Erik ten Hag to offer him an escape route from Man Utd and if that’s the case, the under-fire Dutchman would be wise to turn his nose up at a return. The job at his old club may be even tougher than his current role, even with the bunch of miscreants he’s having to deal with on a daily basis at Carrington.