Danny Ings’s name was not even mentioned in passing amidst the “will he or won’t he?” surrounding England’s World Cup strikers. Holte End must now focus on heroism, as his deteriorating form has caused him to fall off the worldwide radar. Afternoons like this one, in which Ings’ two goals on either side of halftime led to a come-from-behind triumph, will undoubtedly be beneficial.
If not for Ollie Watkins’ illness, Ings would have started on the bench. Instead, his contribution allowed Villa’s away fans to sing jubilantly “Yippee-i-a” after Alexis Mac Allister’s early goal was reversed. “Today, we discussed the optimum position for Ings,” said Unai Emery of the £25 million man who has yet to live up to his price tag. “He must be positioned between the center-backs, surrounded by teammates. The others recognized this, and it was a perfect fit for him. His objectives were crucial.”
They secured Villa’s first road win of the season and handed Emery victories in his first two league games. He stated, “The six points have given us confidence.” “We can gaze up and be calm for the coming weeks. Our current challenge is to improve.”
Even in defeat, there was still amusement for Brighton. Under Graham Potter, the Amex frequently featured empty pockets of seats. Occasionally, the value for money was poor. However, Roberto De Zerbi has already introduced an enthusiasm for organized chaos. They will score more goals and concede more goals, and the Italian will choreograph it all with vigor from within and frequently outside of his technical area.
Brighton should be encouraged by the fact that their model appears to be holding up under pressure, as seen by the fact that they are currently in seventh place and there are no empty seats available. “I don’t think we deserved to lose,” remarked De Zerbi. “I am not pleased with this outcome, but I am pleased because this has been a significant period. I thanked my players following the game. They have been fantastic with me and my employees. I want them to continue the season with the same vigor, enthusiasm, and mentality.”
In less than a minute, Brighton took the lead. Douglas Luiz and Emiliano Martnez may argue over culpability, but the reality remains that Douglas Luiz was unaware that Mac Allister was breathing down his neck when he got the ball at the perimeter of the penalty area. Mac Allister scored after Douglas Luiz’s pocket was snatched by a thief; the VAR deemed the action to be legal.
Brighton was buoyant, dancing forward, frequently altering play, and utilizing their set-piece playbook. However, despite the aesthetic enjoyment, there was little goalmouth activity. Villa went from beginning the previous weekend like possessed men to fighting for possession early on. And their backline appeared uneasy throughout; Emery’s mindset will require some adjustment. Tyrone Mings was unsteady, but never more so than when he earned a booking when Solly March spun him 360 degrees.
Email Brenda’s sublime through pass separated Levi Colwill — who was making his complete league debut — and Lewis Dunk, resulting in an equalizer for the visitors. John McGinn was the quickest to reach the ball; Dunk’s lunge was clumsy, and Ings blasted the penalty down the center.
Ings completed the reversal shortly after the intermission. The post was struck by Brenda’s diving header, giving Brighton a possible reprieve. But they failed to clear, and, would you believe it, there was a form of atonement for Douglas Luiz; this time Mac Allister loitered on the edge of the penalty box, Douglas Luiz got a foot in, and Ings scored.
Later, Brighton would chant vociferously for their penalty when Lucas Digne’s attempted clearing appeared to entail bringing down March. VAR assessed it but did not want Chris Kavanagh to examine it again. De Zerbi refrained from making any specific remarks, instead suggesting that everyone rewatch both penalties.
Emery then employed the dark arts, with his team sitting deep and committing a series of cynical fouls to disrupt the game. This angered De Zerbi, who stated, “It’s not a big deal to lose a game, but I’d rather play 90 minutes than 60.” Colwill, unmarked, headed Mac Allister’s whipping cross wide before eight minutes of injury time commenced. Then it was finished. What a blast it was! Oh, and throughout World Cup viewing, nobody was wounded.
