Soccer

Superior Aston Villa cruise past Spurs thanks to Ramsey and Rogers

There was a goal for the new Tottenham arrival Mathys Tel in stoppage time

Aston Villa's English midfielder Morgan Rogers celebrates. Photograph: Justin Tallis/Getty
Aston Villa's English midfielder Morgan Rogers celebrates. Photograph: Justin Tallis/Getty
David Hytner
Sun Feb 09 2025 - 20:39

Newsflash: the Tottenham diehards who travelled to Villa Park are rather keen for Daniel Levy to sell up and leave their club. The refrain against the chairman pounded throughout this FA Cup tie. What they would also like is something more from their team.

When Spurs previously faced Aston Villa, they beat them 4-1 at home in early November and it has been pretty much downhill ever since, just eight wins in all competitions, a slide from seventh to 14th in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou can now reflect on another route to silverware being blocked off, three days after the Carabao Cup semi-final exit at Liverpool. His numerous injured players (11 at present) cannot come back soon enough but what is left of the season?

Spurs can say that they fought until the end. There was a goal for the new arrival, Mathys Tel, in stoppage time, which hinted at a ludicrous comeback but it was just an illusion. Aston Villa were far superior, more cohesive, pleasingly hard-running and they can look forward to a first fifth-round tie in 10 years thanks to goals from Jacob Ramsey and the outstanding Morgan Rogers. The only issue for Unai Emery was the profligacy of his team. They could have won by a fistful.

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Spurs could not have started any worse. The first “Levy out” chants could be heard in the second minute and by then, the visitors were one goal down. Villa opened with a spring in their step, the vibe inside the stadium upbeat, partly as everybody revelled in the high-profile loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.

There were placards bearing his name, demands for his shirt and a tremendous roar when the announcer got to him on the teamsheet. Rashford would be used as a 65th minute substitute and looked rusty.

The breakthrough was all about the cut and thrust of Rogers, who swayed around Lucas Bergvall and sprinted through the lines before going left to Ramsey. From a Spurs point of view, it was too easy for Rogers; a sign of things to come. What Spurs really did not need was for their goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, to offer a passable impression of a hologram. Ramsey’s shot went through him.

The opening 20 minutes were an ordeal for Spurs and it said plenty that the travelling supporters resorted to gallows humour. “We’re fucking s**t,” they chanted after an excruciating attempt to play out from the back had failed. There was also: “How shit must you be, it’s only one-nil.”

Villa were rampant in the first half, storming through Spurs’ flimsy ranks time and again; also winning it high up and going again. Rogers enjoyed himself in the space behind Donyell Malen, who Emery started up front. Ramsey had plenty of joy off the left. Villa worked Kinsky on a handful of occasions before the interval, especially during the initial onslaught and he mixed decent stops with wobbly moments, failing to get the ball away to the side with some of his parries.

How was it only 1-0 at half-time? Even more crazy was that if Son Heung-min had taken a golden chance on 24 minutes, it would have been all square. Mikey Moore got away up the right and he crossed perfectly for Son, who had to score from close range. Emiliano Martínez made himself big to block. Ezri Konsa had tried to get back with Son only to pull up with what looked like a muscle injury, a worrying development for Villa given their fitness issues in central defence. Konsa was replaced by Lamare Bogarde.

Spurs had to feel reprieved as the second half started. They had enjoyed a couple of flickers towards the end of the first period. Could they dig out a firmer foothold? Postecoglou introduced Yves Bissouma for Moore, Dejan Kulusevski moving to the right wing, and Spurs looked a little better.

Son was denied by a saving challenge from Bogarde, and there was the moment when Pedro Porro teed up the Spurs captain. Except that he looked for Bissouma rather than having a go himself. Bissouma was in a worse position and his shot was blocked.

Spurs were in the tie. And yet the vulnerabilities were never going to go away, particularly the ones in behind their midfield. Ramsey was denied one-on-one by Kinsky – a big save – and Villa were in front by the time Emery sent on Rashford and another glamour loan signing, Marco Asensio, for their debuts. It was Malen playing the give-and-go with Leon Bailey and when he crossed and Porro could not clear, Rogers lashed high into the net.

Asensio wowed with a touch and back-heel for Rogers, which ended with the latter running through and shooting wide and there was another fine one-on-one block by Kinsky to thwart Ramsey. Spurs chased redemption on a collective level and, after Kevin Danso blew a golden opportunity, Kulusevski crossed for Tel to touch home. It was too little, too late. – Guardian