It will be a tough game away to West Brom, who have improved under Roy Hodgson.  They come into the game in good form, despite having some difficult games recently against Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, Sunderland and Chelsea, getting 8 points from a possible 15, only losing to the resurgent Chelsea.  However, they still have the same defensive frailties which saw them throw a 3-0 lead at home against West Ham, their defence isn’t the most mobile, with Meite and Olsson at the heart of it, and are susceptible to quick intelligent movement.

My proposed lineup for the WBA game

Defence

Our back 4 have been much improved recently, looking a little more solid, but I would still like to see Clark come back into the team.  He has been very impressive this season for one so young, and in a variety of positions, but he has looked most comfortable as a centre back, the position he has featured least in.  The time spent at left back and in central midfield will be invaluable as he progresses; it will help his positioning and will build his understanding of the game.  He looks very comfortable on the ball, something I think Dunne and Collins struggle with, although Dunne did make some decent forays against Stoke but failed to pick a good pass. Therefore I look forward to seeing Clark grow in confidence and experience, and watching him stride out of defence with the ball, becoming an extra man in midfield.

Midfield & Attack

I would like to see Delph start in a three man midfield where he is given more freedom to get forward and support the attacks. This season has seen him play a number of roles, but we haven’t seen him at his best.  He has a sharp touch, can beat a man and can thread balls through to Bent/Young/Downing.  Delph for me is the most naturally gifted player we have, I’m sure others will disagree, but he looks so comfortable on the ball, and I really look forward to seeing how he develops.  Makoun could be a very good player but believe he needs added protection until he adjusts to the pace of the Premiership so a three man midfield should afford him this.  NRC has the experience and energy to cover both Makoun and the inexperienced but feisty Delph.  NRC has lost nothing of his grit and fight, but he looks much stronger on the ball, and his distribution has improved under Houllier.

Downing has been terrific this season, but he still frustrates me sometimes as he sees plenty of the ball and doesn’t always make the most of it. I’m always expectant when he charges forward, as few players look as quick with the ball as without it.  His decision making sometimes lets him down, but he has greatly improved during the course of the season, and I believe Bent’s bright movement has a little to do with that.  Downing on the right, which I believe sees him at his most threatening, will likely be up against an old Villa player, Nicky Shorey, and I expect Downing to turn him inside out. Shorey gets caught square and flat footed too often, and Downing should be more than capable of exploiting that and then charging at their centre backs, or trying to get to the by-line.

On the other side, I think Ash should come inside and link up with Bent and Downing on the right at every opportunity, with Delph or Luke Young offering the width on the left.  I believe that Ash could be very special playing behind a striker like Bent, as he has shown brief glimpses, and I don’t believe he has been played strictly out wide in the last four games.  It has been his starting position when we don’t have the ball, but he has been allowed to drift inside more and more trying to find space as the game progresses.  Against Stoke he struggled because the final third was so congested, tomorrow it won’t be, and it should see him find pockets of space between their midfield and defence.  Bent just needs to play as he has been, he has fired us to safety, not quite single handedly but almost. He has worked tirelessly off the ball, closing down, tracking back, and fighting for lost causes.  His movement is very sharp and there is always likely to be a few opportunities carved open for him, and for the first time in a number of years I expect our striker to take them.

WBA

Odemwingie has been superb in his first season; he has been very lively and shown a willing attitude when playing as a lone front man.  He likes to drift into the space between the full back and centre back and waits for balls through that channel, so the defence needs to be more compact when West Brom have the ball.  The West Brom midfield will have to support Odemwingie with runs from deep and our spare centre back and central midfield, especially NRC who is going to have to work hard and track those runs.  They have a number of players who will try to arrive late into the box, like Scharner, Morrison, Brunt and even Mulumbu has been looking to get forward recently.

Their third goal against Sunderland recently is a perfect example of the midfield supporting Odemwingie, and for me was one of the goals of the season.  A patient build up involving seven outfield players, starting with Scharner they worked the ball left to Shorey and Thomas, then through Cox and Scharner to the right, eventually finding Steven Reid on the edge of the 18 yard box. Ee slid a ball between full back and centre back, Odemwingie ran onto it dragging a centre back out and played the ball back blindly towards the penalty spot where Scharner snuck into the vacated space and finished a wonderful move.

They also have good delivery from set pieces and wide areas with players like Jerome Thomas, James Morrison and Chris Brunt (the three of them sound like they could be a boy band – yuck).  Kyle Walker is going to have a tough time against Jerome Thomas, who sticks tight to the touchline, and is usually pushed high up the pitch with very little defensive responsibilities.  He is always a good out ball for West Brom and has the pace to punish us, so this could restrict the amount of times Walker can get forward and support Downing, so Clark, Makoun and NRC will have to be aware when Walker does push up that they cover.

Result

It will be a struggle but think we can pick them off with quick incisive attacks, especially if they look to commit men forward from midfield, this should leave space for Downing and Young to move into and drive at their defence.  Makoun and Delph have the ability to release Young and Downing with quick passes, and Delph has the pace to get up in support.  With a three man midfield we can stifle and frustrate them, but if we play with just 2 in central midfield I fear we would get overrun and leave our defence vulnerable.

Prediction: WBA 1-3 Aston Villa (Bent x2, Downing)

UTV

 

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