View: Aston Villa must negate Chelsea threat from out wide
Aston Villa host a rejuvenated Chelsea at Villa Park on Sunday with Steven Gerrard’s side looking to bounce back after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest.
Villa have drawn their last two matches and sit just two points above the relegation zone with just two wins so far in the 2022/23 season.
Chelsea have found a new lease of life under Graham Potter since the former Brighton man took the job at Stamford Bridge, and the early signs display that he is getting his methods and style of play implemented already.
Potter is known for being innovative in how he approaches games and often looks to tactically prey on another team’s weakness in order to get a result.
We know from his time at Brighton that he is flexible in the formations he uses, often switching between a back four and a back three, in order to get his most dangerous players in the best possible positions going forward.
Reece James picked up an injury against AC Milan in their last fixture, but he has been given a licence to get forward at will to create overloads on the right flank. A key part of Potter’s tactics is to utilise the extra man out wide and that’s something that Gerrard will have to contend with on Sunday (16 October).
The image above is from Potter’s first match in charge against Salzburg. James commits a man out wide before playing the ball to Mount on the right flank. James carrying the ball and committing players initially allows the Mount to pick up a large pocket of space before delivering.
It’s also important to notice the amount of Chelsea players who are unmarked and ready for the ball to come in. Villa’s midfielders must be smart when tracking back and pick up players who will be overloading the box.
The passage of play above is a perfect example of how Chelsea will move the ball from left to right quickly in the final third in order to find a spare man. Milan’s defence are initially focused on the left wing before the ball is shifted quickly to the right for James to finish smartly.
Villa’s diamond formation can often rely heavily on full-backs providing width. However, against Chelsea, they may have to be slightly more cautious in order to prevent Potter’s side from having an overload.
James’ injury is a boost for Villa, with the right-back a key part of the early success Potter has had at Stamford Bridge. However, the former Brighton boss will undoubtedly have another tactical trick up his sleeve to expose Gerrard’s side.
How quickly the Villa boss reacts to Chelsea’s game plan could be crucial in deciding the outcome of this fixture.
In other Aston Villa news, Jamie Carragher claims Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa resembles a former Liverpool side