Villa stuck in a rut and Gerrard’s getting prickly

They flop against 10 men after Sinisterra moment of madness

STEVEN GERRARD said he could not call himself ‘disappointed’ with this first away point of the season. Almost the entire second half against 10 men? He should have been.

Fast approaching a year in charge, the jury tasked with determining the merits or otherwise of the Aston Villa manager remains split. On this evidence, they will not be returning a verdict any time soon.

Villa were not bad, but nor were they good. Perhaps that is what they are, a mid-table side. Given the owners’ investment, supporters expect better, and so they should.

Gerrard was certainly prickly when asked afterwards if his team were progressing, the inference being that they were not.

‘We were one goal away from you not asking that question,’ he cut back. ‘We’re close to that improvement but there’s still tons of work to do.’

But Villa did not score, and that is why questions are justifiably asked. There wouldn’t be as much need for the questions if Gerrard’s side had won more than one away league game since March. But they haven’t.

They should have won here after Leeds winger Luis Sinisterra gifted them a man advantage in the 48th minute when blocking a quick free- kick at the expense of a second yellow card. It was a

brainless act, but Villa weren’t too clever either.

Gerrard, cuttingly, did say that one or two of his players might not sleep as well as they should do.

He did not name them, but we’re willing to take a not-so-wild guess — Philippe Coutinho and Ollie Watkins.

It was in injury time when Gerrard booted a water bottle with a connection far cleaner than that of striker Watkins, who had just shot at goalkeeper Illan Meslier when free inside the penalty area.

As for Coutinho, he looks not so much a pale imitation and more an anaemic replica of the player who cost Barcelona £142million in 2018.

Gerrard has called the Brazilian his ‘ little magician’. He has certainly performed a disappearing act this season. No goals, no assists.

There is a lot to like about Gerrard and the feeling remains that he will be a very good manager. But will that be at Villa?

His team needs to be far more ruthless than this if he is to lift the negativity that has descended in recent weeks.

What Gerrard did get right was his assertion that referee Stuart Attwell had a good game. You would not know as much being inside the stadium.

It was perhaps best that Leeds boss Jesse Marsch watched from the press box. Had the excitable American been on the touchline, he probably would have landed another ban.

Come the end, the home fans were mockingly celebrating decisions in their favour as if they had scored a goal, such was their annoyance with Attwell. No crowd does perceived injustice quite like a partisan Elland Road.

‘You’re not fit to referee’ they chorused. That felt very unfair.

What was fair was the red card for Sinisterra — he had earlier correctly been booked for a foul — and Attwell’s handling of an irritable game was balanced. He showed six cards in total and you could not find fault with any of them.

Once their anger had subsided, the Leeds supporters rightly applauded those players who had fought their way to a point.

The closest they came to losing was when a Coutinho volley rebounded off the post and Watkins followed up to stab wide on 50 minutes.

It was ironic that one of the tactics they employed was, understandably, wasting time. Ironic in that they had been so irked by Villa’s attempts to do similar before the red card.

But it should also be said, Villa’s strategy to eat up time from the first whistle felt somewhat bizarre.

This was the all white of Leeds United they were playing, not Real Madrid. Surely, a team with the supposed attacking talent of Coutinho, Watkins and John McGinn should show more faith in their ability to win a game?

There was a glimpse of Coutinho’s old self with one mazy run on 18 minutes. But the weak finish was the modern-day version.

Home playmaker Brenden Aaronson was not faring much better. The American has been busy and inventive since arriving in the summer, but he looked lightweight here.

Twice he stayed down clutching his leg after hefty first-half challenges — one legal, one not — and Villa’s roughhouse tactic appeared to rob the 21- year- old of his usual bounce.

But for all of Villa’s efforts in disrupting the game, it was they who had the better of the chances come half-time.

Meslier saved twice from Watkins and Leon Bailey, although both shots were directed straight at the Frenchman.

Leeds had a couple of moments of promise but, each time Sinisterra fizzed balls through the goalmouth, there were no takers.

Patrick Bamford must have been wishing he was on the pitch instead of the bench and, by the time he was introduced, Sinisterra was off.

But Bamford’s arrival gave Leeds a focus previously lacking and he came close to laying on a winner for fellow substitute Mateusz Klich during injury time, but McGinn recovered to block inside the six-yard area.

Had that gone in, the jury on Gerrard might just have been readying their verdict.

LEEDS (4-2-3-1): Meslier 6.5; Kristensen 6 (Ayling 69, 6), Koch 6.5, COOPER 7, Struijk 6.5; Adams 6.5, Roca 6.5 (Firpo 58, 6); Harrison 6 (Klich 79), Aaronson 5.5 (Sommerville 79), Sinisterra 5; Rodrigo 5.5 (Bamford 69, 6.5). Booked: Sinisterra, Roca, Rodrigo, Koch. Sent off: Sinisterra.

Manager: Jesse Marsch 6.

ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Martínez 6.5; Young 7, Konsa 7, Mings 7, Augustinsson 5.5 (Bednarek 45, 6); Ramsey 7 (Ings 83), Douglas Luiz 6.5, McGinn 6.5; Bailey 5.5 (Buendia 64, 7), Watkins 5.5, Coutinho 5.5. Booked: Augustinsson, Bailey.

Manager: Steven Gerrard 6.

Referee: Stuart Attwell 7.

Attendance: 36,582.