Three keys to Aston Villa’s success in 2022/23: Identity, No.9, Ramsey
By Joel Edkins
Find identity
While Aston Villa’s supporters are under no illusion of the size of their club, it feels as though the dressing room requires reassurance at times.
As is the case when the goalposts move regarding expectation, certain players will rise to the level while others may suffer from a case of imposter syndrome.
With just a January window to recruit personnel suited to his project, a full preseason will hopefully allow Gerrard to decipher between the two.
Tactically speaking, the ex-Liverpool legend’s approach was clear. A hybrid 4-3-3 formation that relied on forward-thinking full-backs and inverted attacking players.
The full-back pairing of Lucas Digne and Matty Cash are examples that suit their manager’s style, therefore securing their future within his plans.
John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey also fall into this category with reinforcements the order of the day as opposed to outright replacements for the midfield trifecta.
Central defence, however, is the area in the most obvious need of development. The longstanding pairing of Ezri Konsa and skipper Tyrone Mings appeared a tired combination in 2021/22.
Konsa and Mings rank in the lower percentiles for tackles won (19th/24th), dribblers tackled (12th/18th) and successful pressures (34th/13th) per 90 minutes respectively.
While last-ditch defending such as blocks and interceptions provide better reading for Mings, they both left a lot to be desired in the recently concluded campaign.
Their passing stats also fall below their counterparts around the Premier League, further highlighting Gerrard’s need to improve the base of his team.
Upon attaining a spine to his team, Gerrard’s vision will be in full effect – it’s just the scale of such which will be subject to debate thereafter.