It is always interesting to observe the mixed bag of reactions on social media from the Villa faithful and especially so as we head into the new Premier League season.
Invariably, there will be those who possess great optimism and hold the belief that our beloved team will catapult itself into the European places with consummate ease. Then there will be those more measured folk who appreciate the clubβs ambition, believe we are on an upward trajectory, and cling to hope that this will be the season where our performances across the season see us show the football world that we are a top half side. And then there will be some who have written off our season and some of our players based on a sample size of five pre-season matches and what they believe is inactivity in the transfer marketplace.
Whichever category you belong to, we all have one thing in common: a deep love and passion for the Aston Villa Football Club and its fortunes.
While the pre-season matches were positive from a results perspective, they still left some questions unanswered.
Given the marathon that is a Premier League season, the answers to some will become abundantly clear very quickly, while for others the tide will turn slowly and gradually reveal them, and others will remain head scratchers up until the final day of the season.
Here are the five key questions that I believe will shape our destiny.
Coutinho, Buendia or both?
Iβd be surprised if there were any diehard fans that havenβt been asking themselves this question or providing their opinion on the matter.
It seems Steven Gerrard is firmly of the belief only one of them belongs in the starting line-up and that his preferred option remains Philippe Coutinho.
While there is little doubt of the class Coutinho possesses, have we seen it enough this pre-season to make him a walk-up starter?
I have reservations, not based on his capabilities or overall talent, as that is not in question, but his ability to fit into our desired system and create connections with both our midfield group and strikers. His presence, due to our desire and need to play through him, has created a stodginess about our build up play and he hasnβt yet created a fluent relationship with Lucas Digne on our left side (although we saw some positive signs emerge against Rennes), nor with any of our strike force. On top of this, if we are to nitpick at his body of work in the pre-season, he has been caught in possession or knocked off the ball a little too often for my liking, the experiment to play him as an β8β has often seen him receive the ball in too deep a position thus creating a gulf between the midfield brigade and strikers and hasnβt capitalised on his attacking prowess, and when he is caught in possession his defensive tracking still needs to improve.
Buendia, meantime, has continued to impress fans with his attitude as he remains unwavering in his quest for a starting spot. With a fiery streak, heβll find himself in trouble at times, but he has a tenacity and bounce that has seen him look livelier than Coutinho while still showcasing an impressive passing repertoire and demonstrating an ability to link up well with wider players, midfielders, and our front line.
The prospect of the two playing together is a mouth-watering one. However, it is one that has the potential to take away from our overall cohesion. While the pairing should make us more potent in the front third, what is the flow on effect should it occur, and can we fulfil its potential?
Given both players like to play more centrally itβs hard to see how they would efficiently function while still maintaining the presence of the in-form Leon Bailey in the side unless one of them played as part of a front three. On top of that, given Boubacar Kamara is a lock to play in the defensive midfield position, it would either mean the midfield would either involve one of them or force us look at something like a 4-2-3-1 that has the potential to diminish the presence of a player like John McGinn not to mention unsettle midfield fluidity, or a 4-3-2-1 that would almost certainly see someone like Bailey miss out unless played as the lone striker. Whatever the case, Iβm simply highlighting the cascading effect of this decision and believe Gerrard sees this approach as tinkering too much with his desired approach and that maintaining it, though it means one of Coutinho or Buendia will miss out, is better for the overall picture.
For what itβs worth, Iβm in the Buendia camp as I simply believe more things have happened in recent times when he has been on the park, but I can understand why Gerrard will persist with Coutinho as a starting point, especially with a golden opportunity to make his presence felt against a depleted Bournemouth outfit on Saturday.
Centre back pairing
There is no doubt that competition for spots in the centre of defence is as fierce as ever. With four legitimate prospects to be squeezed in to two spots, the decision is an unenviable one for Gerrard.
Β£26 million signing Diego Carlos appears to have a mortgage on one of the spots. His imposing presence, crunching challenges and fierce attitude is something that has been there for all to see since his arrival. While some observations from his time in Spain suggest he is prone to the odd brain fade in terms of overcommitting to challenges, it is the uncompromising edge that should impress the fan base and make us consistently harder to beat. It would appear he is a certain starter in Gerrardβs eyes.
As to who will play alongside him, itβs anyoneβs guess. Itβs hard to feel Gerrard had complete faith in his central defenders last campaign and justifiably so given their fluctuating performances.
Personally, I donβt subscribe to the theory that weβre going to get the best out of Tyrone Mings simply due to him not wearing the captainβs armband. Itβs merely a decision that ensures he doesnβt have to be a permanent starter. We are all aware of Mingsβ shortcomings, specifically his tendency to bite off too much with the ball at his feet or to hack long balls up the pitch when pressured, but itβs hard not to have efforts like the goal saving tackle against Burnley indelibly etched in the memory bank. Unfortunately, the gulf between his best and worst performances is too vast and, ultimately, thatβs what consistency is.
Ezri Konsa played like someone bereft of confidence last season. He was a shadow of the player we witnessed the previous year, and to a certain extent, I think it stemmed from him knowing the manager didnβt have complete faith in him. At this level, however, a player needs to be mentally stronger and more resilient. Hopefully he has a new lease on life after his recovery from a terrible knee injury. Given he started our last friendly against Rennes, he must be a legitimate chance to start again on Saturday. If that eventuates, itβll be a stirring comeback and if he can rediscover his form of two years ago heβll again have people throwing his name into the England mix ahead of the World Cup.
Last but not least is Calum Chambers. To my eye, although he appears to lack speed, he makes up for it with composure, ability to read the play, and his distribution. I feel he has been the most assured defender in that area of the park in the pre-season, but will it see him rewarded with a starting berth?
Final word
While happy to respect the decision of Gerrard and his coaching staff and hope whatever they decide flourishes, Iβd be going with Chambers alongside Carlos to kick off the season.
Watkins, Ings and Archer
Our inability to be clinical in front of goal has been a great frustration of every Villa fan over the past 12 months.
While the reasons for this are, I believe, more complex and can be attributed to things further up the park and the way we advance the ball, the fact remains we have squandered too many opportunities in front of goal and have not had the ability to deliver knockout blows when presented with the chances. We wonβt solve the ball movement questions here, but it goes without saying that there is pressure on this trio to deliver.
Watkins appears to be in pole position to start the season given what he offers with his speed both offensively and defensively, but he needs to continue to improve his first touch, be stronger in aerial contests and, most importantly, find the back of the net otherwise heβll be quickly looking over his shoulder.
It may be a harsh assessment, but Ings appears to have lost a yard of pace. It is unsurprising for a player who has just turned 30. The problem is he relies on deft touches, turns and clinical finishing to maximise his output. I actually think he plays better when afforded the luxury of working in tandem with Buendia, who plays passes perfectly to his feet, so would be inclined to keep that in our back pocket especially if, as we expect, both make their impacts off the bench. Simply, he needs to make his presence felt given he is reportedly on big bucks otherwise weβll be looking for an upgrade.
It goes without saying that academy product Archer is a great white hope. While loath to put too much pressure on a 20-year-old, he has an innate goal sense that should make him a potent marksman for many years to come. Heβll have to wait for his opportunity, and will be another who can have a say in matches off the bench, however if his more experienced teammates donβt deliver he could be making his presence felt sooner rather than later.
Final word
We simply need to find a way to achieve greater connection and fluency between our midfield group and strikers. Once in the front third, we need to put away our chances when they present. Watkins gets the nod to start solo up top but Iβm dearly hoping he finds the back of the net quickly for a much-needed confidence boost. If that occurs, letβs hope it opens the floodgates. Ings and Archer have significant roles to play off the bench when the game slows down and opens up.
Midfield make up and retaining possession
I must admit a major bugbear of mine in recent seasons has been our inability to retain possession through the centre of the park. More worryingly, our tendency to turn the ball over in vulnerable positions remains an area of concern. Unless we show significant improvement in both areas, weβll continue to struggle to control matches for extended periods.
As has been stated ad nauseum since his arrival, the acquisition of Kamara is a hugely significant one in this respect. His ability to play a range of passes will open up our avenues to attack but, most importantly, his ability to read play to disrupt opposition forays and to pickpocket the ball in dangerous positions will be invaluable. He will act as an important rudder for us and play a pivotal role in us gaining a strong foothold in matches. And letβs not forget his ability to play as a central defender means he has great defensive nous and instinct and he can slot in there if ever required.
Which brings us to the make-up of the midfield mix around Kamara. I believe much will depend on our opponents in that a player like Jacob Ramsey may get the nod to start in matches where we can be expected to gain the ascendancy for periods, while Douglas Luiz may be a preferred option when we are more passive. McGinn will then look to strike a balance between his offensive and defensive duties as the situation dictates while ensuring he is receiving the ball in sufficiently advanced possessions so as not to quell his influence as we saw for much of last season.
Outside of these players, Iβm glad Gerrard has retained Morgan Sanson. He is a player who can look dynamic and provide great link up play but is one who I feel can be dispossessed or be too ambitious with his passing attempts. He can play a role but needs to know his limitations while not losing his attacking intent. Others sure to be involved at times are Tim Iroegbunam, who looks to have an old head on young shoulders, while Marvelous Nakamba will again be a peripheral player who may provide some grunt if Kamara vacates his spot for whatever reason.
Final word
Iβve long been in the camp of us needing to secure another elite passer and someone who works box to box while adding precision passing through the centre of the park to add further polish and enable us to control games. Hopefully Ramsey and Luiz can continue to raise the bar to find a better balance between attacking and defensive output while minimising careless areas in possession, while McGinn posing a threat in a more progressive role compared to last season would be pleasing to see and will be essential in adding another attacking weapon.
How do we maximise our threat down the left flank?
Many may not see this as an area of concern, but I canβt help but wind the clock back to the period in which Matt Cash and Jack Grealish were absent in 2020-21. That season, when playing at our free-flowing best, we appeared to have great synergy down both flanks: Grealish and Targett on the left and Cash and Traore on the right. When the pair were absent, we looked far more staccato with our build-up play and were almost certainly easier to defend against.
This season, it is clear to see a potentially fruitful relationship developing between Cash and Bailey on the right. Iβm not certain the same can yet be said about the other side. Blind Freddy can see that Digne works tirelessly and will be a permanent starter, but I feel he is a bit of a lone wolf when he goes on his marauding runs. As highlighted earlier, can this be discovered with Coutinho or Buendia? If so, itβd unearth an incredibly dangerous avenue to goal that currently appears a little arrhythmic and disconnected.
Utilising our flanks to good effect will be vital in our attacking play and without lifting the bar with what happens on the left I worry we may be a little too predictable and allow opposition teams to easily adjust their defensive mechanism to neutralise the threat down the right while controlling a lesser threat on the left.
Final Word
Itβs a work in progress but we need to encourage slicker, one touch combination play between Digne and players like Coutinho, Buendia, Ramsey, Luiz, and McGinn. Iβm certain itβs in their bag of tricks but we simply need to see it and on a regular basis.
We have right to feel optimistic about our chances to kick off the season in an extremely positive fashion with matches against Bournemouth, Everton, and Crystal Palace. And it is entirely realistic for us to strive to win all three. In fact, I feel if we donβt maximise what we claim from these itβll bite us on the backside down the track. Quite simply, gaining points or dropping them in matches like these will show us whether or not weβre ready to take the step of becoming a top half side.
Let the season begin. Up the Villa!
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