Team shape, tactics and personnel

[CVByrne]

5 hours ago, DJBOB said:

The thing I want to see most are adaptations of the 3box3 when facing low blocks or compact midblocks like we've already faced a few times this year. He used one solution by pushing TIelemans wide and right to create wide overloads against Zrinjski and I think that's probably going to be the way forward, risking some defensive solidity to generate more chances.

I think if we are playing low blocks who sit that deep a 3 2 5 and 2 2 6 seems to be the way to unlock it. Both full backs or midfielders creating the width and then the central group. We haven't failed to score or create the chances against those low block sides so I'm not too worried. The danger is the low block and dangerous counter attacking sides ala West Ham / Palace etc.. they're dangerous

[MrBlack]

With Zaniolo likely(?) to be given a weekend off whatever happens between now and then, I assume Bailey will be given his starting slot?

Diaby and Watkins making up the rest of the attacking side.

McGinn Kamara Luiz in the middle.

The usual back 4 unless Moreno happens to be match fit.

Wouldn't leave us much in the way of attacking options on the bench... Duran and Traoré?

Gotta hope Zaniolo gets cleared or found guilty of the seemingly lesser charge that's floating around at the moment or we're struggling until January.

[TRO]

On 18/10/2023 at 14:17, DJBOB said:

From my count, we have 2 wins and 2 losses after international breaks under Unai.

Losses against Liverpool and Leicester but at the beginning of Unai's reign.

Wins against Chelsea and Palace.

What this means? Nothing - just desperately hoping for this international break to be over.

I don't believe in bogey teams or sequences.....its about matching the opposition first, and then over coming them.....that requires, getting many things in the game,  right.

I do believe we have teams who we are better suited playing, and others we are not.....but thats down to having the right attributes in the squad, to meet the challenge of the diverse opposition.

We are doing great.....but I do feel, we have a way to go, to get a fully balanced squad.....returnee's would help with that.

[TRO]

On 11/10/2023 at 20:10, CVByrne said:

I think if we are playing low blocks who sit that deep a 3 2 5 and 2 2 6 seems to be the way to unlock it. Both full backs or midfielders creating the width and then the central group. We haven't failed to score or create the chances against those low block sides so I'm not too worried. The danger is the low block and dangerous counter attacking sides ala West Ham / Palace etc.. they're dangerous

I get it.

but at some stage we have to win our duels too.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

5 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I love this man.

Did you notice there were a couple of sequences where the passing was alot quicker and slicker as well?

I think both you and I have been a bit tentative at times about the slow build up.

However, i'm looking and thinking, the better and more confident we get, the quicker this could/will get.

Obs still think we will mix it up, but that was good to see.

[AV82]

4 of our first 11 out injured. 2 points off top. It's incredible.

[Zatman]

I am still not used to it, I may never be used to it from Villa players but some of that passing and movement today was top notch.

Unai is a God but the players deserve credit too, this time last season a majority were called a disgrace and was calls of a rebuild(thankfully we didnt)

[troon_villan]

49 minutes ago, Zatman said:

I am still not used to it, I may never be used to it from Villa players but some of that passing and movement today was top notch.

Unai is a God but the players deserve credit too, this time last season a majority were called a disgrace and was calls of a rebuild(thankfully we didnt)

Seems like whoever has the ball has at least two good options at all times.  Teams are really struggling to nullify the waves of attack because like you say the movement is so good.

[MWARLEY2]

Its about finding space. All about space. And today because our passing was quicker and sharper we could constanrly find it. Even when they were in a low block we were playing some really good stuff . 

And not strictly tactical. But we pbysically stood up to them in the box . I thought we were brilliant at defending our goal from corners today. Maybe its this body positioning that McGinn talks about. 

[DJBOB]

I think the Kamara to CB and Cash to RWB is a great way to maximize talents. Cash at CB in a back 3 was serviceable but doesn’t take advantage of his athleticism while his distribution was more simple than progressive  

With Kamara as CB, he can distribute the ball and recycle it better while allowing some genuine attacking width to get Cash in behind on the right.

Edited October 22, 2023 by DJBOB

[MaVilla]

its amazing that we have basically been without Moreno and Ramsey all season (outside of a few mins here and there), i cant wait to get them both back consistently.

I know Digne has done well, but for me Moreno is the next level up, and Ramsey has been missed also, he offers something different to our other attacking players, great problem to have when he comes back.

If we can get Moreno and Ramsey back fully fit by Nov/Dec, then add 1-2 quality players in Jan, we will be in a very good position.

 

Will be great to get Mings and Buendia back next season also, but thats a bit of a way off to be thinking about.

[villa4europe]

when they paused the screen for the watkins goal and that mcginn long ball over the top it looked to me like diaby was right up with him occupying the other CB and splitting them, we were 4-4-2

[Dodgyknees]

One thing obvious to me is that the team is now believing. Thats so important. Heads don’t go down now.

[sne]

Keep em guessing

Nice piece on the PL site

Quote

On the anniversary of the Spaniard's arrival, Alex Keble analyses the club's rapid evolution

 

Today marks the first anniversary of Unai Emery’s appointment as Aston Villa head coach. Year one has gone rather well.

On 24 October 2022, Villa were just outside the bottom three with 12 points from 12 matches, adrift and aimless after a disappointing year under Steven Gerrard.

Emery’s flexibility & world-class analysis

The reason Emery still doesn’t get quite enough praise is that he is hard to pin down. Defining his style with neat tactical buzzwords is difficult, such is the flexibility of his approach.

The sense that Villa’s core values slip through your fingers is, of course, a deliberate strategy to confuse and confound the opposition. He implements a structure that is highly flexible in order to provide space for detailed instruction on the opponent. Emery is a fastidious studier of the other team, famously poring dozens of hours into analysis to find the slightest flaw.

The advantage is twofold - if Villa's players follow his instructions they will not only outsmart the other team but, having changed their own set-up, they will also be indecipherable to their opponent.

Villa’s unknowable and unassuming presence is such that even Opta cannot quite reveal who they really are. It’s almost comical that Opta’s graph of Premier League playing styles has Villa exactly in the middle, hidden and intangible.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/3750635

[DJBOB]

2 hours ago, sne said:

Keep em guessing

Nice piece on the PL site

https://www.premierleague.com/news/3750635

Actually a decent article for the official PL site.

I'm still wondering what the exact plan is for the low pressure mid block. Goes against many of the tactical principles of the defensive line (high pressure, high line - low pressure, drop). I think one thing to keep an eye on is if teams deploy the 'empty midfield' approach that Newcastle and Liverpool used. Newcastle built with 5 at the back and one or two holders in the midfield. A wide 523 that tried to circumvent Villa's strength in the middle. Liverpool, in the official PL site link, used a 4-1-5, again avoiding our midfield strength.

Wolves tried the same way but Emery was quicker to go with 6 at the back, content with giving up quick counter-attacks in exchange for more numbers at the back so they weren't outnumbered on the back line.

[villan95]

 

 

[Villa87]

15 minutes ago, stewiek2 said:

And we know that, should HE wish, we'll get at least one player in January. If not, he won't care.

Absolutely. Moreno and Ramsey close to coming back and the potential to push on with 1-2 January signings would set us up for a very strong finish. 

[TheMelvillan]

Still reckon we should have gone for Ruben Amorim ......

[Talldarkandransome]

8 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said:

This is just the best Villa have been in my lifetime. I hope to god we win a trophy under him, it would be so deserved.

This honestly is better than I ever expected we'd be able to deliver

I liked watching us with Gregory, Little and MON more recently but this is different gravy now. Talent everywhere on the pitch and an elite coach. This could now be our time again

[stewiek2]

I was watching something last night and it got me thinking that we sort of remind me of Fergie's Man Utd whilst Newcastle like Keegan's Newcastle.

They play bustling up and at em hundred mile and hour football that is exciting to watch, dare one say 'the entertainers' but ultimately wins nothing but sky and media wankfest.

Whereas we play with a plan that is to suit. You want to scrap, we'll have a scrap. You want to sit back, okay we'll find a way through. You want to come at us and leave space, we'll exploit that. Ultimately, it's that ethos that wins things.

So we'll definitely win something under the Don before Newcastle do under Howe. It's Emery's adaptability, his serial winning mentality that is a huge plus for us.

Edited October 26, 2023 by stewiek2