That was frustrating of the highest order from Aston Villa after they suffered a morale-sapping defeat to Tottenham on Sunday.
This was Aston Villa’s chance to push further away from their top four rivals and into the Champions League places, but instead, they fell flat on their face.
Morgan Rogers opened the scoring for Villa in the first half, with neither team impressing during the opening 45 minutes and very few clear-cut chances being created.
But as soon as Tottenham scored early after the break, the wheels fell off and the team’s defensive woes went from bad to worse.
Nobody can have any complaints, this was a deserved defeat, and what’s worse, is that the opposition were missing several key players.
Micky van de Ven is already sidelined, Son Heung-min went off before the hour mark and Cristian Romero also couldn’t last the whole game.
Yet, Unai Emery with a near fully-fit Aston Villa squad, were slapped by four by a team they are expected to challenge the top four with this season.
But then you hear John McGinn’s comments and you think Steven Gerrard has returned!
Aston Villa’s John McGinn says ‘many teams will suffer that defeat’ to Tottenham
Given the difference in the two squads – in regards to who was available – then Villa shouldn’t be losing, nor in that manner.
On top of that, the Midlands side finished above the London club last season, so once again, there shouldn’t be such a gulf in class on the pitch.
Yet, the man with the armband feels that there needs to be ‘some perspective’ and ‘many teams will come here and suffer that defeat’, as posted by John Townley on Twitter.
This is a big no-no from McGinn, who is a very popular player at Villa Park, and it’s like Gerrard is back at the club.
“We’ve got to keep our heads a wee bit in there and have some perspective,” said McGinn.
“Many teams will come here and suffer that defeat. It got loud. Probably as loud as I’ve heard it as an away player.”
Steven Gerrard’s infamous quote during his time as Aston Villa manager
It has been night and day from what Emery has done at Villa compared to Gerrard.
In every direction you look, there has been positive change, but there was a time when Gerrard just didn’t help himself.
Towards the back end of his reign, he told Sky Sports that Chelsea, then managed by Graham Potter, should be coming to Villa Park and ‘wiping the floor with us’.
It was a baffling statement that didn’t go down well with the fans, and to nobody’s surprise, the team lost that match and it wasn’t too long before he was booted out.
“Chelsea should be competing for the league, they should be competing for the Champions League, and they should be coming to Villa Park and wiping the floor with us,” claimed Gerrard in 2022.
