The Midfield

[Matt Collins]

On grealish's role again - the player I think he's most similar to is lallana. I've thought that for a while.

I note that lallana is playing in a midfield three this season, not as a ten but on the side. So maybe he can do it.

[Monty]

In the midfield three bigness and athleticism is less important as there's enough of you to close down the space - providing that you work hard off the ball. If Jack does more of that it could well come off to play him in the middle.

[old man villa fan]

I believe the key to sorting our problems is getting the midfield right.  It is the engine room of the team and controls the game. You win the battle there and you dominate, lose it and your defence comes under pressure.

I have not seen anything in the opposition this season to warrant two defensive midfield players.  If we are going to finish in the top 6, we have to take the game to the opposition.  For this, we have to play 3 balanced players in the middle.  We have to spread our players over more of the pitch.  Too many times we look to have players tripping over their own players because we have similar players getting into the same positions.  This is why I favour 3 in the middle.

Of the players we have, Jedinek should be the defensive controlling player, Tshbola the runner when he is fit and that leaves the creativity.  I think we should have kept Veretout as he was the only player in my mind that fitted this role. The alternative is to try and convert Grealish to play this position. He has the intelligence to play there, he needs the confidence to do it.

[brian green]

That is a very wise post OMVF.

[Mister E]

I believe the key to sorting our problems is getting the midfield right.  It is the engine room of the team and controls the game. You win the battle there and you dominate, lose it and your defence comes under pressure.

I have not seen anything in the opposition this season to warrant two defensive midfield players.  If we are going to finish in the top 6, we have to take the game to the opposition.  For this, we have to play 3 balanced players in the middle.  We have to spread our players over more of the pitch.  Too many times we look to have players tripping over their own players because we have similar players getting into the same positions.  This is why I favour 3 in the middle.

Of the players we have, Jedinek should be the defensive controlling player, Tshbola the runner when he is fit and that leaves the creativity.  I think we should have kept Veretout as he was the only player in my mind that fitted this role. The alternative is to try and convert Grealish to play this position. He has the intelligence to play there, he needs the confidence to do it.

Jack, or Mccormack perhaps?

[Pete3206]

The sooner we jettison the clownshoes that is Ashley Westwood, the better off we'll be. He gets more atrocious by the game.

[Toronto Villa]

If a nuclear bomb exploded outside Villa Park, Ashley Westwood would be the only one to survive it.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I think we dominated against forest no?

No

[Toronto Villa]

I think we dominated against forest no?

No

We didn't? Wasn't it 26 shots to 2 or something mental like that?

[Phil from the upper holte]

I think we dominated against forest no?

No

We didn't? Wasn't it 26 shots to 2 or something mental like that?

We conceded 2 terrible goals. The second was as a result of 1 player running through

[Phil from the upper holte]

It's not just about going forward

[Phil from the upper holte]

It's also what you do when you don't have the ball

[tomd2103]

I believe the key to sorting our problems is getting the midfield right.  It is the engine room of the team and controls the game. You win the battle there and you dominate, lose it and your defence comes under pressure.

I have not seen anything in the opposition this season to warrant two defensive midfield players.  If we are going to finish in the top 6, we have to take the game to the opposition.  For this, we have to play 3 balanced players in the middle.  We have to spread our players over more of the pitch.  Too many times we look to have players tripping over their own players because we have similar players getting into the same positions.  This is why I favour 3 in the middle.

Of the players we have, Jedinek should be the defensive controlling player, Tshbola the runner when he is fit and that leaves the creativity.  I think we should have kept Veretout as he was the only player in my mind that fitted this role. The alternative is to try and convert Grealish to play this position. He has the intelligence to play there, he needs the confidence to do it.

Would agree with this, but not sure we have the personnel to have the balance you mention.  Jedinak and Tshibola (if and when fit) are fine, but we are missing that third option.  Ideally, it would be another athletic player like Tshibola, which would mean we could have two players in there who could really press teams and a defensive player shoring up things behind. 

[Toronto Villa]

It's also what you do when you don't have the ball

Of course it is. But in most people's estimations when we dominate possession and shots like we did the conclusion would be that we dominated the game irrespective of the final outcome.

[pbavfckuwait]

I stated in the post match thread, that I think one of our main problems is movement of the ball quickly and with purpose, Jedinak, Westwood, Gardner are not going to give you that, Tish we will have to wait and see, Grealish to me ponders on the ball too much and always seems to want a further touch.
Yesterday and I never ever thought I would say this, but how we were lined up, I thought Bacuna was probably one of our better midfield players, he played with purpose, tracked back well and for a change did not give the ball away to often, but as we know is always likely to cock up when you least need him to.
Jedinak as the anchor, Grealish at the top of what I would play as a diamond 4, with Tish and either Bacuna or Adomah left and right, playing to Kodja and McCormack, I think Ayew is a luxury at this level and effects the balance of the team if we are to try and play from the midfield.