Everton FC v Aston Villa: Scouting report – Liverpool Echo

Match: Everton FC v Aston Villa

Date:   September 18, 2014 (3pm kick off)           

 

Manager:   Paul Lambert. The Scot enjoyed a fantastic playing career as a holding midfielder, most notably at Borussia Dortmund and Celtic, winning the Champions League with the Bundesliga side in 1997. He has worked his way up the ranks as a manager, first at Livingston before moving to League Two Wycombe, taking the lower league side to the League Cup semi-finals in 2007 – the first time in 30 years a side from the fourth tier reached that stage.

He would then take over Colchester and then Norwich, who poached him following his Colchester side’s 7-1 opening day win over the Canaries. Back-to-back promotions saw him lead the East Anglia club into the Premier League and finish 12th in their first season back. He then moved to Aston Villa, very much under a cloud after offering his resignation at Carrow Road; he has since kept them up in the past two seasons, but is coming under increasing pressure from fans due to his style of play and transfer dealings.

Form:  Villa are the definition of mid-table at the moment, bang in 10th position, with 10 points from their first seven games. A strong start, including a 1-0 victory at Anfield, saw them in the top four in September – but three consecutive defeats to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have tempered any early excitement.    

How they’ll set up: Villa like to play a direct, defensive-minded 4-3-3 which has been largely unchanged – although Christian Benteke’s return to fitness could see a reshuffle by Lambert.

Brad Guzan, who has taken over from Tim Howard in goal for the United States following the Everton man’s international sabbatical, will start in goal.

Lambert’s preferred back four would be Aly Cissokho, Ron Vlaar, Philippe Senderos and Alan Hutton – but Vlaar is still a doubt following an early-season injury. If he isn’t passed fit, Nathan Baker will step in once more – he has impressed on the left side of defence in Vlaar’s absence, averaging more tackles per game than Vlaar and Senderos combined.

Those four will probably sit deep and not allow gaps either between them or behind them. Their defensive mindset is facilitated by the three midfielders ahead, who will use their energy and movement to move both forwards and back. If the defence to not pump it long to Benteke or Gabby Agbonlahor up front, then they will look to move the ball to the midfield quickly.

The three of Fabian Delph, Ashley Westwood and Tom Cleverley have found a nice balance between them; tellingly, the trio pass the ball more than any others in the Villa squad. It is usually their job to both protect and create, although with just 40% possession on average this season, the style of play doesn’t always get the most out of them.

 

But with Fabian Delph potentially out, Lambert will have to replace his energy. Colombian Carlos Sanchez, who played four games for his country at the World Cup, would appear best equipped to replace him.

Up front, if Benteke returns from injury, he will lead the attack with Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann, in what is a mixture of power and pace. With 17.5% of their passes going long so far this season, they have to scrap for every ball. They have scored just four goals all season, however – two for Agbonlahor, two for Weimann – so there is no real evidence the current style of play works for them, really.

Sum them up in 140 characters: High ho but spent past few seasons down low. Restless natives. Lerner not learned. Keane’s beard is the most exciting thing to happen. Ever.

Player to watch: Tom Cleverley. Not only does it make for a good story – with Cleverley close to a move to Goodison Park – but he will be charged with operating in the same area as Gareth Barry and James McCarthy. It is a battle the duo cannot afford to lose.

The negativity surrounding the midfielder is unfair – he may never be of Manchester United or, indeed, England quality, but he is a steady Premier League footballer.

He also has a point to prove. He flourished under Roberto Martinez during his loan spell at Wigan when he had a similar mentality of needing to prove himself; now, he does so not as a young player looking to make a breakthrough, but as a 25-year-old looking to rescue his top-flight career. He could bring a sense of control to the midfield.

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