Jhon Duran was handed his first Premier League start of the 2023/24 season against West Ham on Sunday.
Sadly, the 20-year-old’s afternoon didn’t quite go to plan, with Unai Emery hauling the Colombian off at the interval. It proved an inspired decision as Nicolo Zaniolo equalised for the Villans, earning the away side a vital point.
Per FotMob, Duran touched the ball 13 times and failed to register a shot on goal during his first-half cameo.
The Villa boss’s experiment went wrong, and Birmingham Live’s John Townley shares this view.
‘Anonymous’ Jhon Duran cost Aston Villa against West Ham United
Talking on the Claret and Blue Podcast, Townley was less than impressed with the striker’s performance.
“He was pretty anonymous. I like Duran; I think he’s going to have to be patient,” he said. “I put it in my talking points after the game that kind of proves Emery that playing two strikers isn’t a plan.”
Townley also felt Villa’s structure improved after the break: “Our structure was much better in the second half,” he said. That’s why we had so much dominance in their final third.
“Cash coming on helped a lot. Diaby, Bailey, and Cash on the right combined well, and in the first half, that wasn’t something Villa had at all. I remember a couple of times Konsa played the ball down the line to Bailey, and that would be it.
“This is far from the best eleven. It’s a shame Duran starting has basically cost us the first half.”
Work to do for Jhon Duran at Aston Villa
There is work to do for Duran.
His goal and overall performance against Ajax was impressive, but he needed to kick on again when given the chance to play in the Premier League.
The blunt attacking display on Sunday will do him no favours moving forward.
With Ollie Watkins’ injury not as bad as first feared, Duran will have to make do with a place back on the bench for now.
Sunday feels like a big opportunity missed for the £18million signing.
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