Aston Villa right-back Ahmed Elmohamady has called on his team-mates not to repeat the mistake of last year, by starting swiftly in their Championship play-off final against Derby County.
Elmohamady was part of Aston Villa’s starting line-up for their Championship play-off final against Fulham last year, which Villa lost 1-0 after a poor opening 45 minutes.
The right-back has now urged Dean Smith’s side to ensure that they get off to a flying start to this season’s play-off final against Derby at Wembley, and has suggested that Villa’s squad have learned from mistakes made last year.
“This time we need to be focused to go from the first minute. Last year we left it too late. We gave everything in the second half but it was too late. We will learn from that,” Elmohamady told the Express and Star.
“When you have been there and felt the disappointment, seen how down the fans are. This is all in your mind before the game.”
“You want to go out and give everything. Hopefully it will be our time, this time. This club deserves to be in the Premier League. This year we have to get it right and get the club back to the Premier League. It is so important for everyone.”
OPINION
Elmohamady will be fully aware of just how horrible it can be to be on the losing side at Wembley following a Championship play-off final, as will some of his team-mates and most Villa supporters inside the stadium, when Dean Smith’s side face Derby. As the defender rightly points out Villa must use that experience gained by a poor first half performance against Fulham last season. If Smith’s side can use that as motivation to get themselves prepared to give their best display from the first whistle it could prove to be crucial in their chances of winning promotion to the Premier League. However, it will be interesting to see how Villa’s players react if they do go a goal behind like last season, with Smith’s side proving they can produce the unexpected already, with a ten-game winning streak that helped propel them from mid-table to the play-off places in the second half of the campaign. Villa seem to be entering this season’s play-off final in a better shape than they did last year, and all inside Wembley of a claret and blue persuasion will be hoping for the opposite outcome of last year.