Player Ratings: Safety doesn't excuse miserable Villa performance at Southampton

On the day Aston Villa Football Club was ensured of its Premier League existence next season, the team took a battering in a 6-1 loss at Southampton in a result that brings Villa fans back to earth after weeks of thriving under manager Tim Sherwood.

While all the math suggested that Villa were already safe, that doesn't excuse the unorganized and halfhearted display Villa produced on Saturday that resulted in a 5-0 deficit before 40 minutes were on the clock.

Based on a scale of 1 to 10 -- with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best -- here are the Aston Villa player ratings from Saturday's Southampton disaster, which are pretty much the worst of the season.

GK: Shay Given, Rating: 3

Sure, you could argue that Given wasn't really at fault for any of the Southampton goals, but I still didn't like his overall demeanor. When Southampton were all over Villa, the goalkeeper didn't do enough to settle his defenders. Shay, you have no reason to be off your line when your team is already losing 4-0, like you were for Shane Long's long-range goal. Just a baffling error from an experienced keeper, and that wasn't the only time I was confused with his decision making as Villa were obviously under fire. Does Brad Guzan get back in the team now?

RB: Leandro Bacuna, Rating: 4

Let's start with the good: great assist on Benteke's headed goal at the end of the first half, continuing his nice chemistry with the big striker on crosses. The bad: couldn't defend at all, left so much space behind him and didn't make a single successful tackle. When you're playing as a defender, you have to do some, you know, defending.

CB: Ron Vlaar and Jores Okore, Ratings: 2

Equally terrible performances from both of the Villa central defenders, who were caught playing a high line far too many times and couldn't handle the strength of Graziano Pelle nor the pace of Sadio Mane and Shane Long. I don't know if these two were tired from playing in so many matches lately or if they just had an off day, but it was a pretty pathetic defending display. The extra scary thing about this match from Vlaar and Okore was that the tape from this match will show Arsene Wenger exactly how his front three of Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla can exploit Villa.

LB: Alan Hutton, Rating: 2

Worse than Kieran Richardson at left back, which is saying something. He's a right back and while I don't mind the experiment by Tim Sherwood of playing Hutton at left back in this game, it's safe to say it didn't work. Caught up the field and to far inside on several occasions because he's right footed and has very little experience at left back.

CDM: Ashley Westwood, Rating: 4

Some solid passing from Westwood as always, but he was another Villa player without a successful tackle on a day when the men wearing the claret and blue showed no desire to get stuck in. I was surprised he stayed on the pitch after picking up a yellow card, especially in a match when Carlos Sanchez might have been more suited to the play.

LCM: Fabian Delph, Rating: 4

The Villa captain struggled to make an impact, but you could say that of every Villa player. Four successful take-ons is an impressive statistic, but it shows how Delph felt he had to do it all himself at times to move the ball forward because his teammates certainly weren't helping much.

RCM: Tom Cleverley, Rating: 4

Cleverley's worst outing in awhile, and his goal-scoring streak ended. Struggled to cope with the pace of Mane and Bertrand down his wing, and appeared to be maybe a bit tired after playing with heart and desire for the past couple months during Villa's relegation battle.

RAM: Charles N'Zogbia, Rating: 3

Typically strange performance from N'Zogbia, who was pretty anonymous despite completing all of his passes and take-ons. Subbed off -- again -- for Gabby early in the second half. His lack of help on defense gave the Southampton wingers and full backs the freedom of the St. Mary's pitch to roam and attack.

LAM: Jack Grealish, Rating: 3

Southampton were ready for young Jack Grealish, and the Saints crowded out the Villa promising teenager pretty much every time he got the ball. No impact at all from Grealish in this match, and some of his turnovers but the Villa defense under pressure. It'll be interesting to see how he responds to the adversity in the coming weeks.

ST: Christian Benteke, Rating: 4

Scored with a superb header at the end of the first half when Villa were already down by five, continuing his scoring run of form. But with the match scoreless inside the opening 15 minutes, Benteke missed a great chance to give Villa the lead that really would've made it a much different match. Hopefully if such a scenario arises in the FA Cup Final, Benteke sticks it away.

SUBS: Gabby Agbonlahor, Matthew Lowton and Scott Sinclair, No Ratings

If you can't tell, I'm trying to keep these ratings short and sweet as to not reminisce on such a terrible game of football from an Aston Villa perspective, so no ratings for the subs. None of these three had an impact on the game after coming on in what was a nothing second half Agbonlahor or Sinclair to start next week for N'Zogbia seems like a likely choice though.

Oh, and when Villa lose 6-1, there's no Man of the Match poll because no one deserves it.