Ezri Konsa - Aston Villa & England

[Footy-Vill]

We do need a right back when Diaby or Bailey come inside. Especially when they make moves into the box.
Diaby movement into area particularly needs to see a right back that is effective at the top end of the pitch.
Certainly he'll create space for a wide right midfielder or ideally fullback that exploited.
Konsa no. Cash yes but is there better?
Chambers . No.

[OCD]

I suspect it would depend on the opposition. If we're at home to a lesser able team who are playing a low block, he may well choose to have 2 attacking full-backs. But he favoured the asymmetrical back 4 last season. 

[Risso]

I suspect it would depend on the opposition. If we're at home to a lesser able team who are playing a low block, he may well choose to have 2 attacking full-backs. But he favoured the asymmetrical back 4 last season. 

Asymmetrical yes, but only in so far as it was usually one full back (Moreno) getting forward with the other staying back a bit more. He never played a central defender out of position that I can recall.

[Monty]

I suspect it would depend on the opposition. If we're at home to a lesser able team who are playing a low block, he may well choose to have 2 attacking full-backs. But he favoured the asymmetrical back 4 last season. 

Asymmetrical yes, but only in so far as it was usually one full back (Moreno) getting forward with the other staying back a bit more. He never played a central defender out of position that I can recall.

But maybe he could adapt! It's only 'out of position' if they fail to.

For instance - how many people had McGinn down as a wide midfielder? If it works it works. Players aren't jigsaw pieces, they don't only fit in one place - they have attributes and weaknesses and things that they feel more or less comfortable in, and the best coaches are the ones who can help mould these.

[Risso]

McGinn's not playing as a wide midfielder in the traditional sense of getting the ball wide, and beating a player with trickery and pace though.

[Monty]

Indeed, which is why I would agree that hoping Konsa turns into Ashley Young would likely be far off track. Being the defensive side of an asymmetrical system, however, might well not be beyond him if Emery wants to coach it into him.

[paul_e]

We know Emery likes his asymmetrical back-line with one attacking-minded full-back and one less so, who can make it a back 3. Using Konsa as a right back plays into that and should be quite solid defensively. Certainly his one-on-one stats are very good.

Not a challenge to this statement, rather a genuine question - do we know if Emery likes an asymetrical backline? Or is a case of him believing Moreno (and Digne to a lesser extent) can do what is required more than Cash can.

Cash can get forward, though he final ball is often woeful. I wonder whether if Emery thinks that if he can find a RB equivalent of Moreno, he would operate with both - not so that both FBs get high up the pitch at the same time, rather that we have the option to attack with a high FB down the right as well as the left - with the left FB staying back when that happens.

It would mean we are less predictable and hence harder to set up against. UTV.

We were definitely setup as an asymmetrical shape, it's was clearer when Bailey was playing.


Defensively we'd be something like this (sometimes McGinn would go into the 2nd striker role and lead a press, other times he'd go to the right and we'd leave Bailey up as a counter attack option):




Once we were on the ball all the passing around at the back would be done whilst we were moving to something more like this:




I don't think we'll move away from this when Moreno is playing because he is fantastic at transitioning from a fullback to what is pretty much an out and out winger.

[Russ aka Big Nose]

Agreed. I know it is what he did last season.

Though does anyone know whether that is his typical set-up or might it just be because he felt it was only an option to play with the LB getting forward because Moreno was the only one that could, consistently, do what Emery wants in that role.

If that is the case, then he might want to recruit a RB that is capable of operating in the same way.

I don't think it is relevant that we might need a more defensive RB when Diaby is in the team because last season, Bailey was often very high and wide and miles away from Cash. It happened so often it had to be intentional - though at times it made us look unbalanced.

It did work well when SJM played wide right and pinned back Newcastle's donkey LB but that was more about SJM demanding more involvement and relishing the physical challenge - which is certainly not a strength of Bailey! 

[OCD]

Emery's already used Konsa at right back - away at Wolves when he brought Diego Carlos on, took Young off and moved Konsa to right back.

[Dante Lavelli]

Didn’t ex-spurs/Argentine centre back Foyth (sp?) play right-back for villareal?

[chrisw1]

I never saw much of Villareal, but I understood Emery tended to play an asymmetric system there too, the left fullback pushing up, left mid tucking in, right mid pushing up.

[Villafirst]

Hopefully Ezri's injury isn't too serious. Looked like he was clutching his hamstring which is a worry.

[paul_e]

I never saw much of Villareal, but I understood Emery tended to play an asymmetric system there too, the left fullback pushing up, left mid tucking in, right mid pushing up.

Juan Foyth played at right back fairly regularly and, from our squad, he's most like Chambers, more suited to centre back but can play in a few other positions and be competent, not much of a threat going forward though.

[not3bad]

Why aren't we talking about this goal.

https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1685739775133630464?s=20

[Risso]

A cross between Hutton and Dalian. Outstanding.