OPINION
Signed in the summer from Germany, 6ft 4in keeper Orjan Nyland has been getting it in the neck from Villa fans virtually ever since. Supporters want the last line of defence to be a granite-solid operator who can be relied upon to command his box and save the team’s bacon. They don’t feel they are getting those kind of performances from the Norway international, who has kept his regular starting place under Dean Smith and has now been in the line-up for 17 of the team’s 19 league matches this season, a record bettered only by Jack Grealish, Alan Hutton and James Chester. It’s fair to say Nyland’s standing among fans is someway below the level of those three and it plummeted further after he let in five goals in Wednesday’s barely-believable 5-5 home draw against Nottingham Forest. The main criticism of from Villa fans on social media is that Nyland rarely pulls off crucial saves and his positioning and footwork appears so second rate. They were particularly brutal in the aftermath of the Villa thriller.
This Is Futbol has rounded up some of the best tweets below:
https://twitter.com/GlynWaters1/status/1067940346590625793
You all worked well tonight, until Nyland let you down, get rid.
— majestic heart (@angelstears2128) November 29, 2018
“He couldn’t save a word document” was one of the best things I read on twitter tonight about Nyland
— Gibbo (@G1880) November 29, 2018
It's getting to the stage where I'm muting anyone defending Nyland. The guy is the worst keeper we've had since I can remember it watching the Villa in the last 20 years. At least the worst one we've had as #1
— Dale (@DaleAC93) November 29, 2018
Better off putting the corner flag in goal than Nyland
— ewan barmer (@ewan_barmer) November 29, 2018
Certainly got my money’s worth tonight! Absolutely crazy game…
5 goals conceded from 5 shots on target is terrible. New goalkeeper and a centre half is a must in January if we’re to reach top 2.
If we can sort that part of our game out, boy do we have a serious team. #avfc
— George Coombes (@georgecoombes_) November 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/SeanR_Music/status/1067929986546507778
Dad’s golden rule was to protect that near post ? Surely that was Nyland’s last game for us. He didn’t make a single save tonight yet let 5 in!
— Callum Beirne (@Callum_Beirne) November 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/ShelleyOzzy/status/1067927314611298304