Unai Emery uses ‘smart’ tactics to turn Aston Villa into champions.
The secret behind Aston Villa’s dramatic rise to the top of the Premier League table is one simple fact.
Villa have sprung the offside trap more than any other club in the Premier League, according to the BBC’s stattos.
They are more than 20 points ahead of their closest rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, and in the last 15 games last season, they scored offside 65 times.
When Arsenal manager Unai Emery introduced his approach last season, some eyebrows were raised
It was no surprise, then, that the Spaniard’s impact was most evident in their New Year’s Day visit to Spurs, just three weeks after he took charge of the club.
After Aston Villa bounced back from Steven Gerrard’s sacking to beat Manchester United in their opening game, this was supposed to be their acid test.
However, their victory at Brighton on New Year’s Day, in which Emery employed a near-flawless line-up, gave the players the confidence that their former Arsenal boss knows what he’s doing.
Fulham fell victim to this tactic last Sunday at Villa Park.Marco Silva’s side had worked hard to counter such a strong line, but after not being able to get to the other end of Emery’s defence, they gave up and conceded.
Why has it worked so well?
It hasn’t been affected by the absence of a certain player through injury (Tyrone Mings).
A former Football League and UEFA Pro licence holder explained why it has worked so well.
“It’s almost as though teams are programmed now not to attack,” he said. “They’re happy to stay in possession, switch the ball from side to side, rather than look up the field.”
Their natural position is to sit back, giving Villa plenty of time to set up their line.
The mobile nature of Villa’s defence also helps, as none of their full-backs are slow to turn and with Emi Martinez living to the challenge of a cross over the top, Villa’s opponents don’t have much space to work with.
That’s smart because if the opposition aren’t willing to push the ball forward and the space isn’t compacted, Villa will – most of the time – either hand the ball back or, if the forwards gamble too early, be caught out.
So what can we do? Can we turn the trap on? The short answer is yes, and it’s worked for two clubs this season – Newcastle and Liverpool – both of whom Villa have found themselves chasing.
Villa were two goals down at the half-time of the first half against Newcastle, thanks to a Dominik Schaerloze goal inside three minutes. On the other hand, they scored five goals in the second half against Liverpool, thanks to Harvey Barnes, who timed his runs perfectly and scored the fourth and fifth after being allowed acres of space.
Mo Salah is one of the best players in the world when it comes to working off the back of the defence. The Egyptian striker scored the second goal in Liverpool’s 3-0 win after fending off Lucas Digne.
But so far, other teams have failed to inflict lasting damage on Villa, especially at a fortress Villa Park where they are winning regularly.
What can we do?
For starters, strikers can bend their runs over the backline, but this means players need to look forward, and it also means that midfielders need time to choose those runs, and Villa often suffocate them.
Another option would be to emulate the likes of Salah or Barnes.
Or, a third man could be added, a ‘breaker’ running from the middle of the park.
All in all, until teams figure out how to hurt Villa, there’s no reason to think Emery will change things up anytime soon.
Why fix what’s already broken?
The good news for Aston Villa fans is that Douglas Luiz has been called up to the Brazil national team for the international break. As if that wasn’t enough, the 24-year-old has just been confirmed as part of the squad.
Luiz was signed by Aston Villa four years ago and has since established himself as one of the club’s most valuable players.
This was made clear when he signed a new contract last October. It might not be enough to get him away from Manchester City – there is still some talk of a buy-back in the offing – but Villa have added an extra layer of protection.
There could be a deal in the offing at some point.
Kalvin Phillips is surplus to requirements since signing from Leeds United for £45m last summer.
For some reason, the 24-year-old can’t get a foothold at the Etihad, and he needs a move to jumpstart his career.
Villa, on the other hand, don’t need to sell. A swap-deal might be an option, but there’s no way manager Emery would agree to it just for the sake of it.
He’s in regular contact with owner Nasir El Sawiris, and the club simply doesn’t need the money.
Villa’s owners are among the wealthiest in the Premier League, and they’re more interested in achieving success than adding a few pounds to their bankroll.
While Luiz may decide to leave on his own terms, that cannot be ruled out, Emery did say before last week’s Europa Conference League clash with AZ that he was ‘very hard on him’.
What matters is Villa’s position at the season’s end. If they can make good on their Europa Conference League credentials and combine that with a better showing in the top flight, Luiz could be persuaded to stay. And, given Villa’s current form, that won’t come as a surprise.
