Don’t look for Jack in anger
SMITH DEMANDS MORE FROM HIS NEW BOYS AS LIFE AFTER GREALISH STARTS SO BADLY
ON this grim evidence, life after Jack Grealish is going to be a real struggle for Aston Villa.
Villans boss Dean Smith may have brought in a host of replacements with some of the £100million Manchester City paid for the inspirational England midfielder.
But that expenditure counted for zip at Vicarage Road yesterday as the Jack-less Midlands outfit were torn to shreds by newly-promoted Watford. For 70 minutes, at least.
By then, the Hornets were three up through Emmanuel Dennis, Ismaila Sarr and Cucho Hernandez.
And not even a late Villa fightback, which gave the scoreline a semblance of respectability, could wipe the gloss off a magnificent return to the big time for the buzzing hosts.
Nor spare the lacklustre visitors a scathing post-match lashing from a fuming Smith.
The unhappy Villa boss said: “We lacked intensity – it was like we were playing a friendly throughout the first half of the game.
“We played it too casual. We need far more intensity because that it is our identity. We simply will not accept performances like that.”
The jubilant mood of Hornets boss Xisco Munoz was in stark contrast as he said: “Today was amazing and perfect because we meet with our fans and they are happy because of a very important three points.
“It was an amazing performance, the team was so hungry.
“We now need to keep going because we know what this Premier League is like.”
In all there were six debutants on show here – three for each club.
One of those was Ashley Young, making his second start in a Villa shirt after his return from Inter Milan in the summer.
Of course, the ex-England star had also played for the Hornets in his early top-flight days and after only 10 minutes must have wondered if he had joined the wrong club.
It was another of the new faces, Hornets striker Dennis, who was on hand to fire Munoz’s men ahead.
The sensational Sarr was the architect, cutting in from the right and finding Dennis inside the box.
The Nigerian’s first effort was blocked but he was first to the rebound, firing in low and hard underneath Emiliano Martinez.
That sparked one of the more one-sided halves likely to be seen this season, with the Hornets running riot – thanks to their free-flowing African combo of Sarr and Dennis.
The only surprise was the pair had not put the game totally out of sight by the interval.
Dennis was guilty of being too selfish in the 20th minute and then, on the half hour, of failing to continue his run into the danger area to tuck away Sarr’s wicked pin-point cross.
To say the apology of the £4m former Cologne man was only begrudgingly accepted by the Senegal playmaker would be a major understatement.
However, all was good with the deadly duo come the 40th minute after they linked up again to double Watford’s advantage and leave Villa on their knees.
On this occasion, Dennis claimed the assist as he fed Sarr, who was fortunate to see his his shot loop into the far corner via a wicked deflection off Tyrone Mings.
Villa’s Argentine keeper Martinez was once more helpless – and it was the same after 67 minutes when Hernandez scored a sensational third goal for the rampaging Hornets.
On as a replacement for Dennis – who had hobbled off the pitch with an ankle problem – the Colombian’s impact was instant.
With his first touch he cut inside his marker before curling a 20-yard screamer into the back of the net.
Game, set and match – because while Villa hit back through Scotland midfielder John McGinn after 71 minutes and a late injury-time penalty by Danny Ings, they were no more than consolation strikes.
WATFORD: Bachmann 7; Kabasele 7, TroostEkong 7, Cathcart 7, Masina 7; Sarr 9, Cleverly 7 (Deeney 78th), Etebo 7, Kucka 7 (Gosling (69th)
6), Sema 6, Dennis 8 (Hernandez (67th) 8)
ASTON VILLA: Martinez 6; Cash 5, Konsa 5, Mings 6, Targett 4 (Ramsey (46th) 7), Nakamba
6, McGinn 6, El Ghazi 6 (Bailey (60th) 6), Buendia 5 (Traore (72nd) 6) Young 5, Ings 6
STAR MAN: Ismaila Sarr
REF: M Dean
Watford’s next game: Brighton, Sat (h)
Aston Villa’s next game: Newcastle, Sat (h)