After tons of #avfc chat this weekend been trying to look into how Villa start to take the next steps. It’s all about shape, and the image below from Saturdays game is illustrative as to why we had such a problem.

That line is the issue. Too big a space through the middle of the team. Here’s West Ham when we went with two 8’s rather than two 6’s. The line this time is behind the midfield, and those gaps are illustrated in the image I was sent after that game. Look at the gaps! #avfc

Our set up this season has been all about getting the ball forward quickly. We’re 6th for ‘progressive passes’, but 4th bottom for short passes. It’s deliberate, and it’s for two reasons - to help the defence - if you’re gonna lose it, you want it to be away from your goal. #avfc

And to help the attacking players by getting them the ball to play quickly and with freedom high up the pitch before defences are set, so there are spaces to run into. Liverpool the most startling example of this, but plenty more early season. #avfc

Trouble is, we’ve been worked out a bit in recent weeks, as happens in this league. The challenge is ever evolving. If you can’t get the second ball to Jack, then the plan doesn’t work so well and the team is ‘split’ as in the Brighton image. Effectively no midfield. #avfc

Defensively, having that narrow 4 and deep 2 has worked wonders defensively. We give up a lot of shots still, but far less good chances. We’re 8th on xGA. But then if you open it up with higher wider full backs and one less sitter, you have the wide open spaces of West Ham. #avfc

Look at our wins since Arsenal away in November. Three based on excellent defence - Wolves A, Southampton A, Arsenal H - and three where we’ve been excellent but against poor opposition - Albion A, Palace H, Newcastle H. So the conundrum is how to beat those around us. #avfc

The defensive improvement in a year has been remarkable. So we won’t want to lose that shape. And we’ve improved our attacking by having better players and getting them on the ball further forward where they can cause more damage. It’s been brilliant. #avfc

The issue to solve now is - what happens when you can’t get them on the ball because being direct doesn’t work? And how do you fix that without weakening the defensive shape? We concede a lot of shots, but not lots of great chances. #avfc

It’s a real conundrum. I don’t have a sensible answer. But it does lie in the shape and make up of that three behind Ollie. They can’t all be as high as they are in the Brighton image. Or if they are - the rest of the team has to be higher too. It’s the next step. #avfc

Cheers to @Fball_Insights_ for that West Ham image btw.