Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie was left “baffled” by one thing Lille did to Aston Villa in the Conference League tonight.
Unai Emery’s side survived a late second-half scare to secure a 2-1 victory ahead of next week’s quarter-final second leg.
Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in the 13th minute before John McGinn doubled Villa’s lead in the second period.
Gabrial Gundmundsson thought he’d halved the deficit, only for his 63rd-minute left-footed finish to be ruled out for a tight offside.
However, the visitors did find the back of the net in the 84th minute through Bafode Diakite.
Covering the fixture for Sky Sports, Hendrie suggested the Ligue 1 side exploited something no other team has done against Villa this season.
Lee Hendrie highlights Aston Villa ‘wake-up’ call v Lille
After Watkins’ opener, the away side caused Villa problems in behind, with Hákon Arnar Haraldsson exploiting the host’s high line.
Lille managed four first-half shots on target, and Hendrie was left baffled as to why more teams aren’t successful against Emery’s defensive set up.
“Haraldson has been absolutely excellent for Lille. He’s picking up little pockets, and he’s tried to lift it over Martinez, who makes a brilliant save,” he told Sky Sports News [20:46].
“There have been three times now, and that should be a wake-up call. They are trying to play on Haraldson’s clever runs in behind; that’s my only concern.
“I’ve watched Villa so many times this season, and I can’t get my head around how to beat a high line. Today is the first time I’ve really seen it quite evident with the deep runs from midfield.”
Hendrie added: “I just can’t understand from a manager’s perspective why you wouldn’t try and play deeper and balls over that high line because Villa are so struck on keeping that high line; it baffles me and today, it’s caused problems.”
Aston Villa in the driving seat heading to France
Emery will be delighted with the result on Thursday evening and will head to northern France in a confident mood.
Watkins was once against the star of the show for Villa as the Englishman’s 25th goal of the season edged the hosts into the lead.
Only Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have registered more goal involvements than Watkins this season – it’s some seriously impressive company for the Villa striker to be in.
With Villa’s top-four hopes fading, the Englishman’s form will be vital if Emery’s men wish to overhaul Tottenham Hotspur before the end of the season.
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