As West Ham United sank into the bottom three of the Premier League last night, Match of the Day pundit and former England striker Alan Shearer defended Aston Villa’s rotated team.
Alan Shearer Backs Aston Villa Rotation Decision
Villa manager Unai Emery changed seven players for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur and oversaw a performance so lacking in energy that it was an easy day at the office for Spurs.
Roberto De Zerbi’s team arrived at Villa Park much improved and clearly starting to adjust to their manager’s style of play and tactics. All of which was too much for a Villa team who at times didn’t even look like they were trying.
In the first half, the home team broke this season’s Premier League record for the least amount of touches inside the opposition box, and it became quickly evident to anybody watching that Tottenham were going to win.
The Midlanders’ apathy, disinterest and lack of effort in the game was poor timing from a West Ham perspective.
However, from Emery’s point of view, he owed West Ham absolutely nothing, and Shearer agreed with that sentiment when it was questioned whether it was Villa’s duty to uphold the integrity of the Premier League and put out a competitive team. “No, Aston Villa have earned the right to do whatever they want,” was the former Newcastle United striker’s response.
West Ham Paying Price For Own Results
Aston Villa sit comfortably in the Champions League positions in the Premier League with a six-point buffer zone and a Europa League semi-final second leg to play later this week. Nobody can really blame Emery for rotating his squad.
So whilst it was far from ideal, West Ham had fallen into the trap of relying on Tottenham not having an upturn in form. Therefore, the Hammers’ current position in the Premier League bottom three has far more to do with the draw at Selhurst Park and the loss against Brentford than it does with anything Aston Villa and Tottenham did last night.
You must always remember something..You don’t get relegated by what you do in the final three games of the season. It’s what you did in the previous thirty five that makes that happen.
On a lighter note. Going down may not be so bad for us after all.. This will give us the opportunity to get in some much needed cash, by unloading some of the overpaid first team squad, while at the same time promoting some of our highly talented youth squad, who must be more than ready for playing time at Championship level. What do you reckon?
Hmm I’ve already written something on that very theme for this evening…
Personally not unhappy with playing in the championship, no VAR, more even playing field, players actually going for it and a chance to get to Wembley for a playoff day out…..bring it on!
Losses earlier in the season to Forest and Wolves were what cost West Ham, not Villa in week 35.
Agreed. Add the 2 games before that at home to Brighton and Fulham.
Yes all exactly right, if you are relying on every team being fully committed at the end of the season for a chance to stay up then it’s going to backfire.
Spurs were lucky fixtures dropped this way and we have to suck it up. It’s our performances that are the problem. Centre forwards that can’t score and out of top form wingers and nothing on the bench to improve the situation.
Given where we were maybe we did well to get this close at the end of the season and never say never about another unexpected turn of events.
Gonzo. As usual for a BBC pundit he hasn’t read the rules before opening his mouth. F.A. states that a club should always put out their strongest team. My personal view changing 7 players is not your strongest team. The whole situation undermines the integrity of the game. Wonder what would be said if we were safe and we fielded a reserve side against Arsenal next weekend. Man city would be fuming and righty so. If that’s the way Premier league wants to run the league it will fast collapse into cheating and game fixing, if it isn’t already happening.
Awful managerial appointments accompanied by shocking recruitment over the last few years is what will get us relegated. It was inevitable…..
Whilst I agree Aston Villa’s performance yesterday won’t be the reason for our relegation, if that happens. But for shearer to basically say that Villa don’t have to bother trying is ridiculous. The reason people now avoid the Italian league nowadays is because of all the corruption in the past with match fixing. Their manager could well say to his friends my team is not going to bother trying tonight go and stick some money on Tottenham. So IMO they do have an obligation to try
Don’t worry. Super David Moyes will come to our rescue when they beat Spurs on the last day of season and we beat Leeds.
In my view, Gonzo, we owe our predicament to a woeful haul of a single point from the 4 games earlier in the season against Fulham, Forest, Brighton and Wolves.
That’s a fair observation John
My apologies to West Ham, UE had to choose between the Spurs game and the Forrest game due to tiredness of some player’s. The Spurs game came too soon for several player’s. I really hope you survive but unfortunately other club’s can have deep squads however Villa aren’t one of those thanks to the financial rule’s that protect the so called Sky 6 club’s.
It’s a fair call by Emery. If you guys had less of a gap down to 6th, I’m sure Emery would have risked more to secure a CL spot – but that is pretty.much sealed and a semi finals in Europe. All managers would have done the same.
Sorry if that is the case then Villa broke the rule of must always field your strongest team.