Commentator Danny Murphy commended Unai Emery’s ‘strange’ center-back duo of Clement Lenglet and Pau Torres during the match while also applauding Aston Villa’s defensive effort against Fulham.
Pau Torres, a center-back, entered the game in place of the injured Danny Murphy after the latter had hurt his hamstring during practice earlier in the week. He shared the pitch with Clement Lenglet, a loanee from Barcelona.
Villa led 2-0 at the halfway point of the match at Craven Cottage thanks to a brace from Ollie Watkins before halftime. However, Rodrigo Muniz cut the lead in half in the sixty-third minute by dribbling past both Lenglet and goalie Emi Martinez.
After that, Fulham put pressure on Villa to finish the game in order to get a point. Villa triumphed and returned to Villa Park with all three points.
Speaking on Saturday night’s Match of the Day, Murphy praised the new defensive unit in particular. The pundit also pointed out what made Unai Emery’s choice “unusual.”
“That back four has never played together, so sometimes it doesn’t have to be pretty. We’ve talked a lot about Villa’s high line, and whether people admire it or not, it’s worked for them, without a doubt,” he remarked. However, it’s challenging to put a back four together who have never played together, and they performed incredibly well.
Attempting to get in behind Fulham is the best course of action during their strong moments in the game. Spain’s Pau Torres is a talented footballer who has returned to the squad after a brief absence. Naturally, Lenglet is another left-footer. While it’s not common for teams to have two left-footed centre halves, right-footers frequently play together.
“Cash performed quite well today. As a right back, he is recognised for his attacking abilities, but he also played a strong defensive game. They were hanging on at moments, so they required the large stones he had with him.
“I believe that Villa has played in and lost a few games that they may not have.” I believe
