Chelsea had the better of proceedings in the first half as they restricted Aston Villa with their pressing, and were able to create the better attacks using the width and depth in their possession system. In the second half however, the tables were turned, and it was Villa who had the better of things going […]
Newcastle’s gameplan in and out of possession made them deserved winners of this match. However, Villa’s insistence of playing a high defensive line without the required engagement on the ball changed the potential narrative of this game from “opening day away loss” to “statement home victory”. Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Smoothy. The […]
Aston Villa continued their charge up the Premier League table under Unai Emery with a win over Leeds United. The visitors certainly put in an improved performance relative to their recent run of results, but it should be noted that the tactical pattern of the match suited them as Villa were happier to keep more […]
How long does it take for a tactical aspect to become vintage? Perhaps Liverpool still doesn’t control games like they used to, but they can rely on its right-sided flexibility to unlock super compact opponents. Aston Villa brought a ball-sided approach, but Liverpool’s adaptations caused them to untangle. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel […]
City have a robust tradition around final day drama for a club with ‘no history.’ Indeed, the events of a decade ago are in a league of their own, but always willing to entertain, the reigning champions produced a stressful spectacle with a stunning scoring spree to retain their crown. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Following an early exchange of goals, the game returned to its usual state, but Liverpool once again seemed to be removed from their offensive peak. An abject opening half hour gave way to a more controlled display, as Sadio Mané sent Liverpool level on points with Manchester City following a superbly taken header. Tactical analysis […]
Tottenham Hotspur visited Aston Villa on a pivotal day in the Premier League’s top-four race. Chelsea’s statement win over Southampton seemingly made it clear that there was only one spot to fight over, and after both Manchester United and Arsenal slipped up, Tottenham had the chance to strengthen their bid for Champions League football next […]
Aston Villa attempted to pose a challenge to Arsenal with their narrow defensive scheme, but Arsenal proved very effective in progressing over the wings. This, along with their strong high pressing game, helped Mikel Arteta’s side to dominate the first half and take the lead. The home side were more aggressive in the second half […]
Manchester United progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford against Aston Villa. Scott McTominay scored the only goal of the game for United, who were sent out in a shape reminiscent of what was frequently seen under Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Villa had a number of chances […]
As the title charge seemingly grinds to a halt, gaining the three points was an absolute necessity for Chelsea. Standing in the way was Aston Villa, along with Chelsea’s own offensive issues. Tactical analysis and match report by Manasvin Andra. As Thomas Tuchel tries to work through his team’s offensive issues without Ben Chilwell and […]