As well as the club has played against Liverpool, one of the Colin’s old faults crept in, the failure to create chances through the middle. My Old Man Said published a very interesting article about the club’s inability to control the area right behind the strikers.
In recent years the only player the club has had who excelled in that area of the pitch was Robbie Keane, and that was only for six weeks. In that six weeks he may have saved Villa’s season and league status. Stephen Ireland and Charles N’Zogbia have been tried in that spot and have failed to make an impact. Ashley Young played in that role his las season at the club, but I’m not sure how much if an impact he had. If anything he was played there for the same reason he was probably allowed to take set pieces which was to placate him.
Playing Ashley Young centrally also allowed the club to get an in-form Marc Albrighton on the pitch. The club could’ve used the Marc of a few years ago on Saturday. As Villa struggled to create chances through the middle against Liverpool, the service from the flanks was wanting as well. Under Lambert, the club has counted on the full backs to provide width. On Saturday Matthew Lowton was fairly nondescript before he was subbed off. Antonio Luna has been an upgrade over Joe Bennett to be sure, but Bennett may be the best crosser of the ball the club has. On Saturday the club could’ve used a good old fashioned winger. (Somewhere, Frem nods his head). As a Plan B, I’d feel better if Lambert had that club in his bag.
After the start the club has had it does feel like nitpicking. Most of the clubs in the league would struggle to break down Liverpool of they were to bunker down like the did in the second half. I also am not expecting a radical solution. What we are likely to see is that when Benteke is tightly marked causing his linkup play to be negated, the club will struggle to create chances unless they can hit teams on the counter.
The club managed to finish sixth three years in a row with similar problems breaking teams down. The loss on Saturday didn’t damper my expectations by any means. Assuming the team does achieve a respectable, mid-table finish – which seems more likely than ever on evidence of the fest three games – I would hope we find that creative player to link the midfield and the strikers next summer after another season of consolidation.
The Author
