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How Dean Smith Awakened Aston Villa
[A TACTICAL ANALYSIS THREAD]
[A TACTICAL ANALYSIS THREAD]
The scoreline was out of this world. Never before in the history of the Premier League, have the champions conceded 7 goals in one game. What a performance by Aston Villa, and behind this performance, was one man, straight out of Birmingham, Jack Grealish.
After the game, a confused Klopp could only speak "Dean Smith did absolutely everything right." To which the manager of this so called "small" club could respond, "When Jurgen Klopp says you did everything right. You have" He was praised by a Champions League winning manager!
Enough about Klopp, we're here to talk about Dean Smith.
Dean Smith is a man manager... Old school in style, and is very British to have built a system around physicality and pace, utilizing the best out of his mediocre (no offense) squad.
These Villa players have one thing in common though. They work hard, and they are strong. Absolutely no two ways about it, it's a matter of strength and dedication. Smith motivates his players to work hard, and has done so brilliantly.
Being a man managed side, we'll talk about each player as puzzle pieces that Smith put together . The star is Grealish, but they have a good set of players. Flying Full-backs Cash and Targett, tricky Bertrand Traore, intelligent Watkins, and energy in Douglas Luiz and John McGinn
Everything that Villa does revolves around their wingers, their wings. They capitalize space between the full back and holding midfielder, and against high defensive lines, between the full back and centre-half, to create space in between the defense.
Dean Smith uses a 4-2-3-1 involving two inverted wingers, one box to box midfielder, a deep lying playmaker, and a stereotypical target man up front
I'm not gonna lie, I don't know where to start here... Offense, defense, midfield? But, let's just give the highlights to Villa Park's King himself, Jack Grealish.
Grealish is easily the Premier League's best dribbler. But, he needs space. Last season, placed in Central Attacking Midfield, he was... not at his best. He carried Villa past the relegation zone, but he could do better.
Dean Smith, being the man manager that he is, tucked in Jack Grealish to his left side, where he cuts inside, and uses the additional space between the fullbacks and winger to draw opposition players towards him.
His skill alone creates space between the lines for Villa, something that Dean Smith teaches his team to maximize. At this rate, tactics don't matter
If you throw 3 people at Grealish, he'll make a pass opening up your defense.
If you stand still... Do you want to give Jack Grealish any space?
What happens here is reactionary
If you stand still... Do you want to give Jack Grealish any space?
What happens here is reactionary
Which brings us to the next player, Ollie Watkins. Smith knew when he got a Brentford Striker, he can further up open spaces in the opposition's defense
Watkins has two types of runs that he can make, both under Dean Smith's instructions...
He can come short, shield the ball, and open space for both wingers. When Watkins does this, all 3 players behind him (4231 shape) goes beyond him, switching positions, unlocking the defense
He then gives the ball to either McGinn or Luiz to spread the ball into, hurting overlapping full-backs.
He can also Drift Wide. When a striker drifts wide, he makes space between a fullback and a centre half, forcing the defense to narrow up, affording space for Grealish again
When a team is transitioning from defense to attack, they are vulnerable. Watkins makes runs to open the opposition's midfield
He creates space for Grealish when Grealish is suffocated, and Grealish creates chances for him when Watkins is afforded the space
The mutualism between the two is integral in unlocking defenses
P.s. Traore offers a similar role to Grealish, just with less skill
P.s. Traore offers a similar role to Grealish, just with less skill
Fouls are bound to happen here, so, enter Tyrone Mings, and Ezri Konsa... Villa has been excellent at set-pieces this season, and they capitalize Grealish getting fouled
They're just old school English style defenders, nothing to talk about. Their deep lying playmaker however, is crucial
Against a team that defends, Villa does struggle. They need space as a team, and from that, the midfielders and fullbacks come into play...
Fullbacks are obvious, nothing out of the ordinary. Overlaps, sends crosses, creates number advantages in the wing, enabling Grealish and Traore to occupy more central positions while still leaving the defenders something to think about.
On that note though, Trezeguet and EL-Ghazi has less goal threat and more space finding than Traore. The fullbacks necessitate this when either are playing
Douglas Luiz, a deep lying playmaker, sends balls out wide, bypassing the transition, and enabling Traore or Grealish to occupy space between midfield and defense during these transitions, bypassing the midfield, and making both wingers capable of vertical, fast transitions.
Smarter teams narrow down their gaps in midfield and defense so Grealish can't float between them (definitely NOT Liverpool and Arsenal) and create havoc between their centre halves.
McGinn as a box to box midfielder, drives down either flank against teams who park the bus, stretching play, enabling the fullback to stay outside, winger to drive inside, and McGinn to open space for either of them.
McGInn's role (despite the obvious defensive responsiblities) are to support each flanks and create space for Grealish and Traore, while enabling Targett and Cash to be more vertical and progressive down the pitch
Villa is a team that punishes width, and any team who focuses numbers centrally will struggle against them
Believe me, being isolated with Grealish is hard. Imagine if Targett and McGinn helped, not even 4-5 people can find a way past that. With Watkins slipping in between the defence, a Grealish who overloads centrally, and McGinn who help ball movement, on top of Villa' press...
You're better off fouling Grealish
SkiLLfUl buT nO ViSIoN says a local pundit. Grealish created more chances than De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes this season. He knows how to open space, and his VIsion doesn't matter, as he draws fouls and opens up space in front of him.
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