Tyrone Mings has questioned Aston Villa’s mentality after they failed to capitalise in their last two games against 10-man opponents.
Dean Smith’s Villa return to action on Wednesday at Brighton in the Carabao Cup third round.
But Villa remain in the top-flight drop zone and are yet to get a decent return on the £130million spent on 12 new players this summer.
Villa drew 0-0 at home to West Ham in the League and then lost 3-2 at Arsenal on Sunday despite both sides having a man sent off.
The Hammers had Arthur Masuaku dismissed on 67 minutes and the Gunners had Ainsley Maitland-Niles sent off in the 41st minute when Villa were 1-0 up.
Mings, who was involved in a clash with his own teammate Anwar El Ghazi during the West Ham game, admitted: “I don’t know what it is at the moment but it’s something we need to change. It might be a mentality thing.
“We’re a pressing team and we like to go and press. I think we should be a bit braver and go and stop teams higher up the pitch, especially if we have a man advantage.
“It feels like when we go ahead a bit of desperation creeps in. Instead, we should be trying to get another goal and really being ruthless. It’s a tough one to take at the moment but I’m sure we’ll put it right.”
Villa currently sit in 18th place in the table having won just once in six games, a 2-0 victory over Everton .
After the Carabao Cup trip to Brighton they host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday followed by favourable-looking fixtures against Norwich and Brighton, and Smith is no doubt desperate to get his side back to winning ways.
