Agbonlahor: Ings ‘is not working’ at Aston Villa after humiliating reveal
Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings’ partnership is “not working” at the moment for Aston Villa, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Aston Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer backed Ings to come good despite his slow start to life at Villa Park.
The striker made his first start of the Steven Gerrard era in the 3-1 loss to Chelsea on Boxing Day with Ollie Watkins pushed out to the wing.
Humiliatingly for a big-money summer signing, as per Villa analytics on Twitter on Monday (27 December), Ings’ non-penalty xG per 90 of 0.15 and xA per 90 of 0.02 is the lowest of any Premier League forward to play at least 800 minutes this season.
Asked for his verdict on the partnership between the pair, Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “For me, when I watch Watkins play as a central striker making runs into the channels, that’s where I want to see him, that’s what gets the best out of him.
“Every time I’ve watched Ings and Watkins play together it hasn’t worked, something isn’t working with their connection.
“Steven Gerrard has spoken about how he wants that to work. Maybe it will take time, maybe it will take consistent games playing together.
“At the moment it’s not working but sometimes you can’t give up on partnerships, it takes time. Maybe against Brentford, he’ll go with those two again and look to try and make it work.
“Ings is a goalscorer. He will have come in on very good wages and it was a £30million fee, you’ve got to try and make a place for him in the team.
“He brings a lot of quality. Once he gets the service to him, he’ll score goals, he’s proven that over his career. He’s a natural finisher and the goals will come, I’m sure.”
In other news, an ex-Premier League referee has revealed an Aston Villa star should face an extended ban as controversial footage is analysed.