Welcome, Steven Gerrard: What Are We Going To Get?

We’ve all gone out and heard about a narrow 4-3-3. Forcing attacking play wide. Wide forwards tucked in and driving the channels, fullbacks overlapping for width. Wide midfielders tasked with pressing fullbacks, and a back line that supports attacking play. A ‘solid’ defense. Now, apart from the nominal distribution of players, I’m not seeing a huge difference in philosophy from the way Smith wanted Villa play. Perhaps the biggest difference will be that Gerrard can put a rocket up them and has no loyalties.

Jack and The Dominoes

With the Euros well and truly picked over, and a bit of uncertainty mounting about Villa’s next moves, it seems about right to finally get into the usual and incessant transfer speculations doing the rounds. We’re seeing all sorts of things: Alvarez still bubbling around, Sarr being very expensive, and Bournemouth’s left-sided Dutchman, Arnaut Danjuma. Dwight McNeil has resurfaced, as has Will Hughes. Now it’s Leon Bailey and Todd Cantwell.

Match Day: Chelsea vs. Aston Villa

Fresh on the heels of a relatively successful visit to Old Trafford, Villa head to Stamford Bridge to see if they can get more points off another big side. Could be tough with Chelsea losing to West Ham at the weekend, as they’ll obviously be looking for a response. But if, as Dean Smith says, Villa can keep their organization and concentration, it would be quite a statement to follow up the 2-2 draw with United by getting something tonight.