A year ago Tyrone Mings’ place in the Aston Villa starting XI was a foregone conclusion.
The titanic and bullish defender was one of the first names on Dean Smith’s teamsheet and he was even in Gareth Southgate’s thoughts as a regular for England.
Indeed, Mings started the first two games of the European Championships and as captain of what looked like an ever-improving Villa side, few could blame the Three Lions boss for selecting him.
Mings barely put a foot wrong for this nation before being ousted for the divisive Harry Maguire.
Sadly for the left-footed centre-back, his form and performances had dwindled in 2021/22. He is still one of the first names in the starting XI but there is a growing feeling that it won’t be long before he is given the axe at club level too.
Mings has made a few mistakes this term, with one officially leading to a goal according to the Premier League’s stats. He has also had a problem with discipline, going into the book on nine occasions.
The 29-year-old has always been more on the aggressive side, using his brutal physicality to outmuscle opponents but sometimes he can be rash and forced into errors.
Should Aston Villa sell Mings?
The latest mistake came against Liverpool on Tuesday evening. Villa may well have nothing to play for but the former Bournemouth defender is surely playing for his future in the Midlands.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first-half free-kick was whipped in deliciously and as the Villans’ skipper tried to clear the ball, he got it trapped under his feet in a rather calamitous moment of defending.
Pinball ensued inside the area and it eventually led to Joel Matip prodding home an equaliser for the Reds.
In that moment, it suggested why he’s becoming dispensible to Steven Gerrard and his coaching staff.
Recent reports suggest that Villa are ready to listen to offers for the experienced centre-half and on this display, few can blame them.
He lost the ball on eight occasions, meaning he gifted possession away every 5.1 times he took control of it.
On top of that, he made just one tackle and one interception over the course of the 90 minutes.
It is unfair to judge a defender merely on their performance against Liverpool. This is a team competing for a historic quadruple after all, but the fact of the matter is that Mings hasn’t been up to the task for the vast majority of the campaign.
Once the summer window opens, it may well be time for the club to cut ties with him. Until then, they must experiment with a new defender alongside the future of Aston Villa; Ezri Konsa.
