View: Aston Villa can exploit glaring defensive weakness v Liverpool
Aston Villa are set to get their Premier League campaign back underway against Liverpool as Unai Emery looks to continue his perfect start.
Jurgen Klopp’s side head into the fixture sixth in the league after a slow start to the season. Despite some fairly difficult results, the Merseyside giants are still well-placed to make a charge for the Champions League places. It promises to be a tough test of Emery’s men and it will be intriguing to see how the Spaniard approaches the game.
Liverpool have quality all over the pitch and will certainly look to hurt Villa in an attacking sense. However, there are certainly ways for the Villans to cause Jurgen Klopp’s side problems. The Reds have faced some defensive issues this season, and there’s certainly an opportunity for the likes of Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings, Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey to cause issues.
There’s no doubt Liverpool have some of the best defenders in the World in their ranks and that is displayed by some of the underlying statistics which have been racked up in the 2022/23 season.
Despite a below-par season, Virgil van Dijk has the highest defensive duel success rate in the Premier League (83 per cent, Wyscout) and is also one of the most aerially dominant defenders in the league. However, finding a consistent partner for the Dutchman has proven to be an issue for Klopp. Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konaté have all been used in the back four.
The rotation from the Liverpool boss has potentially led to a lack of cohesion in the Reds’ defence, with a number of goals being conceded through allowing far too much time in the box.
For Alexander Isak’s goal for Newcastle at Anfield, three Liverpool players can all see the Swedish striker making a run in the box, whilst being unmarked. In fact, Thiago knows he is playing the striker onside, but still fails to pick him up.
Sean Longstaff plays a neat through ball to the striker who has plenty of time to finish expertly beyond Alisson in the Liverpool net. From an Aston Villa perspective, their attacking midfielders and strikers must try and pick up clever positions in the box as much as possible in the clash at Villa Park.
For Jadon Sancho’s goal for Manchester United, there’s another case of Liverpool not recognising where the danger is in and around their box. There are only two immediate threats for Van Dijk and Andrew Robertson to deal with.
The Dutchman prioritises stopping the ball across the box when there’s no threat and leaves Sancho completely unmarked in the middle of the area. It could well be a lack of communication or cohesion, but there’s certainly a weakness which can be exploited.
Leandro Trossard’s goal for Brighton is an example of Klopp potentially rotating his central defensive unit a little bit too much. Van Dijk fails to push up in line with Matip and ultimately plays the in-form Belgium attacker onside, which could be down to his lack of time with a consistent partner. Furthermore, three Liverpool players look to close down the ball on the edge of the box and pay little attention to the free man.
It could well be a by-product of Klopp’s pressing style of play, but the eagerness to close the ball down at all costs could certainly give the Villans chances in and around the box.
Against Manchester United in Emery’s first game at Villa Park, his side had just 40 per cent of the possession. There’s a good chance a similar story good unfold against Klopp’s side. If that is the case, then it’s important for the Villan to be bold when counterattacking.
For Arsenal’s opening goal at The Emirates, the Gunners committed six men forward to flood the Liverpool box and exploit potential gaps.
Matty Cash and Lucas Digne must pick and choose when to join in with attacks, but when they do, they could be in with an excellent chance of creating goalscoring opportunities for the Villans.
In other Aston Villa news, the club must ensure they hold onto Martinez by any means necessary after the World Cup