Aston Villa's fringe players had a chance to impress Unai Emery – not many took it

One of the more disappointing aspects of Aston Villa's defeat against Bournemouth was the number of players who had an opportunity to make a statement to Unai Emery and ultimately failed to take it.

I don't think we should read too much into one performance, particularly when nine changes have been made and you're asking players who haven't featured regularly to suddenly produce a cohesive team performance, but these are the opportunities that fringe players have to take if they want to become more involved in the Premier League and Champions League.

The reality is that Villa have been playing some excellent football recently, and with competition for places becoming increasingly strong, there aren't going to be too many opportunities for players to force their way into the side unless they produce something when they're given the chance.

Lamare Bogarde is one player I came away feeling particularly concerned about, although I do think there are mitigating circumstances around his situation.

He's spent much of this season out of the team, and when he has been involved, he's frequently been asked to play in positions that aren't necessarily his strongest. He's clearly not a natural right-back, and I appreciate that being moved around the pitch isn't particularly helpful for a young player trying to establish himself.

However, I noticed something during the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain that concerned me, and I saw similar things again against Bournemouth.

He just seems a yard behind what's happening around him at times, whether that's reacting to danger, recognising where the next pass needs to go or taking an additional touch when the situation demands something quicker.

Villa have assembled a younger, more athletic squad over the summer, with players who can cover ground quickly and operate at a high intensity, and I do wonder whether Bogarde is beginning to struggle to keep pace with the direction the team is moving in.

That might sound harsh, particularly given his age and the lack of consistent opportunities he's had, but I don't think Wednesday's performance did anything to strengthen his case for more regular football.

I was also disappointed with Emi Buendía, who I thought had a particularly frustrating evening in the central attacking position.

I've always felt that Buendía is a player who can look very good when the team around him is functioning well, but when things become difficult and Villa need somebody to take control of the game, I don't think he's necessarily the player you want to be relying upon.

His ball retention was poor against Bournemouth, he made some frustrating decisions in possession and there were occasions where he seemed more interested in trying to win a foul than finding a way to keep the attack moving.

With the way Villa's  attacking options are developing, I think he faces a difficult task getting himself back into the strongest eleven.

We've seen Emery increasingly favour combinations involving John McGinn, Johan Manzambi and one of the genuine wide players, whether that's Ibrahim Mbaye or Alyyson, and I think that balance is likely to continue in the Premier League over the coming weeks.

Buendía has quality, and I'm not suggesting he can't contribute, but when you're trying to force your way back into the side, performances like Wednesday's don't particularly help.

There were some encouraging individual displays, though, and I thought João Gomes was one of the better players on the pitch for Villa. He continued to show the tenacity and willingness to compete that we've seen from him in recent weeks, even when the performance around him wasn't particularly good.

I also thought Leon Goretzka did reasonably well considering how little football he's played since the World Cup.

He's clearly not fully match fit, and I don't think we should expect him to be at his best immediately, but there were glimpses of the quality and standards he'll bring to the squad. At one stage, after Buendía had given the ball away cheaply, Goretzka's frustration was obvious, and I actually quite liked seeing that reaction because it demonstrated the level of expectation he has.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis was another who I thought emerged with some credit. I didn't feel he was particularly responsible for the defensive problems Villa experienced, and I've been reasonably encouraged by the two performances we've seen from him in this competition.

He probably should have scored with a header in the second half, particularly given the threat he's previously offered from set pieces, but I thought his general performance was relatively tidy.

George Hemmings also showed some encouraging signs, and while his end product still needs improving, there were moments where his ability to carry the ball and attack defenders caused Bournemouth problems.

I think he's suffered a little from losing the momentum he was building earlier in the season, with injuries and the arrival of other attacking options limiting his opportunities. There's definitely a player there, although I do wonder whether a January loan might be beneficial if he's not going to get consistent football at Villa.

Alyyson once again made an immediate impression from the bench, and there was a moment shortly after his introduction where Villa could easily have scored. Garnacho also looked lively when he came on, and between them they offered some of the attacking threat that had been missing earlier in the game.

I wouldn't be particularly critical of Brian Madjo, either. He's 17 years old, playing as the main striker in a heavily rotated team that struggled to create opportunities, and I don't think that's an environment where we can reasonably expect him to produce his best football.

I was surprised Emery started him because I'd expected Tammy Abraham to lead the line in the domestic cup competitions, with Madjo receiving opportunities from the bench, but I don't think the youngster did anything particularly wrong.

The wider concern for Villa is that Wednesday represented one of the better opportunities for several players to stake a claim, and with the club now eliminated from the League Cup, those opportunities become even more limited.

Emery has established a group of players he trusts in the Premier League and Champions League, and with Villa performing well in both competitions, there's little reason for him to make significant changes unless somebody forces his hand.

A few players gave him something to consider at Bournemouth, but I suspect others will be waiting quite a while before they get another opportunity to change his mind.