Sunday sees Liverpool make the trip to Villa Park, with former player Stewart Downing likely to receive an “interesting” reception.
Whilst the likes of Ashley Young and James Milner have left Villa Park in search of bigger and better things, both managed to exit without any acrimony. Downing, on the other hand, is the second most hated man to have left Villa Park in recent years, sitting firmly behind Martin O’Neill.
For Downing, a player who has underperformed considerably since his switch to Anfield, the occasion provides a suitable time to silence Villa’s fans with a goal or two. However, with zero assists and zero goals to his name so far during his Liverpool career, Downing is likely to go one of two ways – all out to prove that he does have it in his locker, or a continuation of the same old story it has been for him this season.
Who Got The Better Deal
On the face of it, it would seem that it is Villa who have been laughing all the way to the bank with a £20m fee received for the Middlesbrough-born player, what with a stuttering series of performances since his switch. In my opinion, a £8m profit on Downing, whatever the circumstances, is a suitable return for a player who I feel has always beeen overpriced.
I say overpriced because if we are to draw a comparison between Stewart Downing and recent leaver Ashley Young, Downing cost more money and is arguably less talented. Nobody can doubt that his work rate in the second half of last season was excellent, and that his supply contributed to Bent’s goals but, unlike Ashley Young, I always felt he was a player making the most of a limited skill set. You know the type – try hard to paper over the cracks. Young, by comparison, always looked the opposite – a flair player who sometimes lacked application.
Whilst I agree that Villa did well to profit from the sale of Downing, if there is one thing Villa could do with this season it is another grafter, especially in the area of left wingers. Villa wingers Charles N’Zogbia and Marc Albrighton both operate better off the right flank but, even that aside, such lack of depth on the left hand side illustrates just how stretched the squad has become.
Don’t get me wrong, Gabby Agbonlahor has been nothing short of sensational when filling in on the left, although playing strikers on the left side of midfield does show that it is regularly a case of square pegs and round holes.
If Villa need something in the transfer window, it is some kind of balance of players vs positions. Whilst some might laud the “flexibility” of McLeish’s player selection, there have been several notable gaffes, with Alan Hutton playing on the right of midfield being a significant one. It is easy for me to recommend that a left winger would be a great purchase for the club in January, although the fact remains that there are other areas that also need strengthening.
For me, the main area that we need to fill in is one that never really got resolved since Gareth Barry left – in the centre of the park. Milner did well to slot into the void left by Barry, but continued lack of replacements in the middle of the park not only effect the passing of the ball, they effectively make the defenders feel that bypassing the area is the best bet. The resultant issue – long balls.
Play Through The Team
Which leads me on to strategy for the Liverpool game. For me, Villa have to start playing like a football team rather than a series of mortar blasting hoofers. I may be one of the minority who defend McLeish at this time, but I think the idea of playing it on the ground isn’t something he is actively looking to deride. Of course, some might suggest that his time at Birmingham is evidence enough for the style of football that he “likes”, but I doubt we can use Birmingham as an example of excellent football. The counter argument is that Hughton is playing a different style nowadays, but the fact remains that, just like McLeish’s Villa career, Hughton’s will not be examined fully in the space of less than half a season.
Getting back to tactics, I imagine McLeish will persist with his recent strategy change to 4-4-2, knowing as he does that it plays to the strengths of what is available to him at present. Sure, 4-4-2 isn’t the most advanced or exciting formation to come out of the realms of the football tactician, but it has a primary saving grace – it works.
After all, with the likes of Marc Albrighton, a player who can be defined as a classic winger if ever you did see one, this kind of width is important. Whilst the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor or Charles N’Zogbia have a massive level of talent in multiple positions, Albrighton is, for me at least, a simple winger. Nothing wrong with that in itself, it is just a case of playing him to maximise his ability.
Rigidity isn’t a problem for me so long as it isn’t too spread across the pitch. After all, flexibility in the starting XI’s roles means a different bench strategy. Much better to have players who can play in multiple positions because it means you can use the bench more effectively, and be able to change the game more with fewer players.
So for me, Albrighton and N’Zogbia would provide the required width to push against Liverpool with pace. Lessons need to be learned from the Manchester United game, and Liverpool need to be treated like equals, not given far too much respect. The only concern I have with a 4-4-2 featuring Albrighton and Hutton on the right hand side is that it is defensively lacking. Luckily for Villa, Downing’s recent form should be sufficient to mean that the pair are not challenged regularly, although they will have to ensure the former Villa man is kept in check.
I imagine Petrov will come in to the middle of the park alongside Herd as whilst the Bulgarian’s legs are no doubt suffering due to age, his ability to score out of midfield coupled with his experience should prove valuable against Liverpool. I’d argue that Bannan could come in when Petrov gets tired, depending on how the game pans out. Stephen Ireland would also be a suitable player to take Petrov’s place later in the game should Villa get their passing rhythm right.
Up front, the pairing of Bent and Heskey seems likely if only because forward options appear somewhat lacking at present. Whether Bent and Heskey can form an effective partnership in a 4-4-2 is yet to be seen, but in the absence of Gabby, the only other options are Delfouneso, Weimann, or pushing N’Zogbia behind Darren Bent and playing Bannan wide.
As for the result, well it all depends on which Villa turn up. Should Villa approach the tie with the correct application, I feel that there is a 2-1 win hidden away. Should they fail to play, and allow the Liverpool midfield too much width, then I think the score could easily become a 1-2 defeat. Either way, I expect Villa to concede a goal barring a defensive masterclass from a defence that has struggled for confidence in recent times.
So what will the score be? Time will tell, and we will find out come 3:50pm.
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