Aston Villa – Behind enemy lines
By David, BettingExpert.com | Published
McLeish has crossed the border and swapped from relegated Birmingham to city rivals Aston Villa. The Villains’ fans will not be amused by the fact that he has lead their arch enemies down into the Championship last season. They have borne antipathy for their new manager from before he joined them and that has increased when the club owner handed him the position of manager.
Manager: McLeish
Tactics: 4-4-2
Players In: N’Zogbia, Given
Players Out: A. Young, Downing, Reo-Coker, Pires, Friedel, Carew
Current Probable Formation: Given, L. Young, J. Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Albrighton, S. Petrov, Ireland, N’Zogbia, Agbonlahor, Bent
The Houllier experiment failed although he ultimately did work his way out of relegation troubles after having splashed money all over the place. The Villa boss, however, was not happy and took it upon himself to mastermind an even crazier experiment. He signed on McLeish from relegated arch rivals Birmingham, getting the fans and the club to grow further apart.
The rivalry between the two teams is well known and just what was in the mind of the Aston Villa management when they thought out this move is still unclear. Not only McLeish comes from the other side of town but he has not been doing that well with them to deserve consideration. He should be a more valid alternative than Houllier but surely there could have been others to turn to.
What McLeish inherits, apart from a lot of suspicion and antipathy from his own fans is a team still in shambles after last season’s close encounter with relegation. He should know all about that having suffered the drop himself. However, others will argue, he knows something about winning as well. He did defeat Arsenal to the League Cup last season.
His style of play did evolve a little over the course of last year as his defensive approach made way for a slightly more open style. Nothing major though and with the current squad available he may be tempted to play with a lone striker, Bent, sitting Agbonlahor on the bench. Alternatively, given that the later is quite a classy player who cannot be dropped that easily, he may push him to the flank in a makeshift five-man midfield.
Unlike what he had at Birmingham, however, he is here spoilt for choice when it comes to attacking-minded players. The team has had to offload Ashley Young and Downing but at least they did bring on N’Zogbia from Wigan. He should just fine like winger Albrighton. Both should be starters with Petrov and young Delph good alternatives all over midfield. Makoun and Ireland should also be able to find space at the centre of Villa’s midfield.
The options are cut short when we back down the field and get to the defence. Collins and Dunne are a very decent centre-back pair. There are no decent alternatives though and full-backs Luke Young and Warnock are not an exceptional enough duo.
Predicted finishing position: 8th
The team have lost out on a lot when selling Ashley Young and Downing to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively. But they could not have done otherwise. With Bent in form though, and the great support he may be able to receive from the talented men working behind him, the Villains can manage to get out of trouble sooner rather than later this time around.
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