Individually none of the last three performances were overly troubling for me. Against Arsenal the team was beset by illness and had nothing to offer in the second half. We were game opponents against a Chelsea team that o wouldn’t be shocked to see win the league by double digit points. Man City’s strength and depth showed in the second half last Saturday.

What is slightly troubling to me is that not only did we not score any goals, bye we hardly created any chances. Benteke’s return will certainly help in that regard, but it is concerning that without having him as an outlet, holding the ball, and linking play this team hasn’t created chances.

I am optimistic that this can be remedied. Unlike a year ago we are building off a stronger foundation at the back. It is early, but Senderos has to be the signing of the season so far. Playing alongside Senderos as opposed to Cieran Clark has allowed Nathan Baker to make a step forward in his development.

The key is the Villa midfield. The middle of the park has been something of a wasteland for a long time. Even when we had real quality there with Barry, Petrov, and Milner we played counter attacking football and bypassed the midfield. Since then our midfield has been overrun more often than Anbar Province.

The current favored trio of Delph, Cleverly, and Westwood need to be able to change that. For 60 minutes they constantly harassed Man City in the middle of the park. Where they came up short was keeping the ball. From there we all saw what happened when they were left to chase the ball for too long.

The hope is they develop an understanding the more they play together. That they can develop cohesion and improve at maintaining possession. Just as critically they need to have the understanding to know when to supper the attack. As Sanchez is worked into the mix, probably as soon as this weekend, that will provide even more cover for the rest of the midfield to support the strikers.

Goals and chances have been hard to come by to this point. While we have been leaking less of them, we need to start creating lest this devolve into Alex McLeish football.

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Jason Chalifour
I am a regular columnist for Aston Villa Life with my column running every Friday and have been writing at least semi-regularly about Aston Villa since 2010. I also run my own General Sports Website www.98ontheblack.com

Comments 13

  1. Frem

    We also created near to nothing in every game this season. We’ve scored 4 goals is it? That’s awful. Conceded 9?

    It’s no surprise. Last season we leaked like a sieve and created nothing, the no creativity was evident this pre season as well but did nothing to address it and it’s carrying on

    Obviously this article was written before Delph injury. We will be even more non existent now in midfield than before. Lamberk could be brave and add another attacker in his absence, or he will be his usual self and pack the midfield. Benteke back is great, but I can only see it meaning more long balls and him being the only man forward with two donkeys out wide whilst two talented wingers sit on the bench

    Everton have been awful so far and need 3 points. We are normally the team to play if you need a win. Lakaku especially had been dire since his big money move so we better keep it that way

    Nothing but 3 points should be accepted. We can’t lose 4 games in a row but our manager doesn’t mind losing. He will be writing his script all ready for if we lose. ” I thought we were excellent. Losing Delph was a big blow “

  2. Frem

    An ambitious, exciting winners manager line up

    Guzan
    Hutton
    Vlaar
    Baker
    sissy

    Westy
    Sanchez

    Zoggy
    Clev
    Grealish

    Benteke

    A loser, anti football, dire, no shots managers line up

    Guzan

    Hutton—Vlaar—-baker—- sissy

    Wiemann-clev-Sanchez-west–gabby

    ——————–Benteke—————-

    Bus parked. Strikers on the wing.

  3. Mark King

    frem- look at they newcastle have played weaker teams than us and have been in the lead approx 2 1/2 mins this season, what would you rather have shots on goal or points? we now have a real centre forward where as before chances have been created and no-one got on the end so they are not counted as shots on or off goal. Yes we haven’t been brilliant going forward but the shots stat doesn’t tell the whole story, the same as a team having twenty odd shots but only 3 on target, poor shooting or good defending?

    Jason- I’d like to see Sanchez playing in front of our defence as he is used to. then with cleverly westwood and n’zogbia in front of him. Benteke up top and one of gabby/weimann/ grealish playing off of benteke

  5. B62 Villa

    We haven’t beaten Everton in the last 11 attempts, and on our showing this season I see little evidence we will buck that trend.
    I feel Lambert will go all out to prevent defeat, a fleet of buses will be well and truly parked. We don’t even counter attack effectively anymore, the return of Benteke( although not up to speed or match fit yet ) will offer more of an attacking threat, but how will we create, I fear it will be long balls and scraps for Tekkers , Paul Lamberts tactics make my piss boil, he has no ambition , doesn’t try to win games just avoid defeat ( which he rarely does), it’s incomprehensible how this duffer got a contact extension, it’s Groundhog Day with Lerner and Lambert at the helm. I fear Everton will find their form against a very average Villa side devoid of ambition and footballing street smartness .
    Toffees 3 -1 Villa

  6. Paul Pears

    If Walsall Housing association can raise £250 million in bonds to build for the future, why can’t Villa fans come together and raise half that amount, buy the club, and produce a team to lead Midlands football forward for the future and good enough to compete with the rest of Europe.

    Perhaps the time has come for the fans and the many fan sites to organise a public meeting somewhere to discuss the future of the club, and surely there must be ex players etc, who would be interested…

    I am sure Doug Ellis would also want to back such a move now.

  7. Mark King

    B62- we have beaten them once drawn 7 times and lost three of the last 4 in the last 11 hardly the worst record, the three losses coming when we have been at our weakest for years and everton possibly at their strongest for years. everton also have a raft of people injured or returning from injury like benteke who won’t be match fit. I don’t think this is as clear cut as you think as Everton have been very attack minded and weak at the back, made for the counter. I expect we will get something but not a hiding IMO.

    http://www.11v11.com/teams/aston-villa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Everton

    Paul p- if they are all as tight as ST75 who is probably holidaying with my £20 as we speak, no chance, even if you turn them upside down at the turnstile

  8. Trinity

    Thanks Jason

    3-1 sounds about right. A draw against the Toffees’d be okay.
    We must start scoring goals to improve the goal differential. In the likes of Zoggy and JG we have some creative players. We actually have enough to beat Everton on a good day. Who knows?

  11. Mark King

    trinity- its usually close but this villa team will be about 5 players different to last seasons against Everton, to be honest I think senderos is more a miss than delph, but wish both were available as we need our best. To be honest I don’t know what to expect probably for the best 🙂

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