Jamie Carragher: Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa resemble former Liverpool managers Rafa Benitez and Gerard Houllier
Jamie Carragher believes that Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa side are playing like how some of his former Liverpool managers did.
Before the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on Monday, Carragher analysed the stats and showcased a stark contrast between the defensive and offensive output of the Villa side.
Defensively, they are in the top half, but in terms of chances created and conversions, they are among the worst in the league.
Carragher said on Sky Sports, via Football Daily, “What is a Steven Gerrard team? You look at the rank, 8th, 7th, 10th – that’s where Aston Villa have to be as a football club. That’s where Steven Gerrard needs to take this team.
“If you look at the xG, shot conversion – that is really poor in terms of the attacking side of the game. That’s the big problem for them.
“Steven Gerarrd’s biggest influences as managers, my biggest influences, Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez.
“When you think of those managers, they were seen as get me a clean sheet first and then Gerrard, Owen, Torres will do the business for us at one end and the team he’s got here is similar.”
Needs to change
Gerrard cannot keep saying that his attackers are letting him down as if they actually are to blame, they need to be binned.
Cameron Archer came off the bench and showed plenty of promise – more than what Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings have recently.
It’s time for the Villa boss to unleash the 21-year-old and trust him to start games and lead the line for the club.
Philippe Coutinho has also struggled a great deal recently and he could do with a few games on the bench to regain some confidence.
The Blues next have Chelsea at home at the weekend and that’s not going to be an easy game, by any stretch of the imagination.
However, after that, they’ve got Fulham and Brentford to face and those two are games that they should be aiming to pick up six points from.
In other Aston Villa news, John McGinn admits to the Villa v Southampton Premier League clash being a boring affair.