Aston Villa: Paul Lambert Must Make Better Use of His Substitutions

Aston Villa's 1-1 draw with Southampton was a hard-fought affair that was consistently entertaining, despite a general lack of quality throughout. Although most fans likely would have taken a draw heading into the contest, the match played out in a frustrating fashion that is all too familiar to the Villa Park regulars.

Villa snatched an early lead thanks to the hard work of Gabriel Agbonlahor and the poor judgment of Fraser Forster. Unfortunately for Villa, they failed to hold onto their lead when Nathaniel Clyne was left unmarked at the edge of the box and finished coolly.

As a whole, Villa put in their most complete performance in months and showed real progress in some areas. While some players stood out more than others, only Charles N'Zogbia put in a truly abysmal display. It was especially encouraging to see the unlikely pairing of Ciaran Clark and Jores Okore impress.

However, the game served as yet another example of Paul Lambert's unfortunate inability to maximize the use of substitutions. This has been a recurring problem this season and manifested itself in several ways over the course of the match with Southampton.

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First, as mentioned, N'Zogbia was absolutely dire from the start. From constantly giving the ball away to committing needless fouls, N'Zogbia cut many promising attacks short while simultaneously contributing next to nothing from a defensive point of view.

He was justly substituted off for Kieran Richardson on 64 minutes. However, while Lambert undoubtedly made the right decision in removing N'Zogbia, he should have made the change even sooner. Although the lateness of the substitution ultimately did not affect the outcome, leaving N'Zogbia on the pitch was lazy management. 

Villa's second and final substitution was far more detrimental. With 74 minutes played and Villa clinging on to their lead, Lambert made the choice to take off defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez for striker Darren Bent.

This move was problematic for a number of reasons. Sanchez was certainly tiring and his composure was beginning to fade. However, replacing the midfielder with a striker altered Villa's shape for the worse right as they were in the thick of defending for their lives.

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Southampton's goal came as a direct result from the gaping hole Villa had in midfield with Sanchez off the pitch. It was far too simple for Ryan Bertrand's hopeful ball to find its way to the feet of the right-back Clyne, who found acres of empty space at the edge of the box to smash a shot past Brad Guzan.

Had Lambert made a more like-for-like substitution and introduced a player such as Leandro Bacuna, then Villa would have been better prepared to cut out Bertrand's pass and prevent Clyne from ever taking his goal-bound shot that cost Villa two points.

In addition, Bent has not made an impression in any of his appearances so far this season and was an odd choice for a substitute. With a prolific record, it might seem logical that Bent would be the best choice to further cement the lead Villa held.

However, Villa had been routinely unable to keep possession at that point and their hopes for a second goal rested solely on scoring from a swift counterattack. Bent no longer possesses the pace or physicality to contribute on the break and this was made readily apparent when Villa squandered their best chance for a second goal from such a situation.

After defending a Southampton corner, Villa stormed up the pitch with Andreas Weimann leading the charge. The Austrian exchanged passes with Agbonlahor before wildly blazing his shot over the bar as Bent was just catching up to the play at the edge of the box.

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Having helped to defend the corner, Bent did not have the legs or the initiative to motor up the pitch and make himself available on the counterattack. If Bent cannot contribute in that situation, then it is puzzling why he was brought onto the pitch at that stage of the match at all.

Finally, Lambert failed to use his final substitute when the game was still there to be won. Weimann had proven ineffective and Agbonlahor had run his socks off. Either man could have been substituted without harming Villa's defensive shape while still keeping hopes alive for a late winner.

Why not give the likes of Jack Grealish or even Joe Cole a chance to make something happen? Villa took the initiative after conceding and either man could have helped Villa capitalize on their late pressure and snatch a late goal. 

Overall, while it was a point well earned for Villa, it could have been and should have been more. Paul Lambert must improve upon his substitutions going forward if he wants to save Villa's season and his job in the process.