Aston Villa’s Midfield Control: Causes of Decline and Potential Solutions

Following four consecutive defeats across all competitions prior to the international break, football tactics writer Alex Keble examines the possible reasons behind Aston Villa’s dip in performance and potential tactical adjustments for manager Unai Emery. Aston Villa has exhibited a reduced sense of control in their play since Douglas Luiz’s transfer to Juventus during the summer. Statistical data confirms this trend. A comparison between this season and the last reveals that Villa’s average possession in the Premier League for the first quarter of the season has decreased from 52.8% to 50.5%, with a corresponding drop in completed passes and progressive passes. This shift has a dual impact. Aston Villa is now playing somewhat deeper and with less assertiveness, as observed in their draws against Manchester United and Bournemouth. Furthermore, their matches have become less compressed, leading to increased space between defensive and midfield lines, which contributed to the chaotic nature of the Tottenham defeat and the 2-2 draw with Ipswich. The midfield partnership of Luiz and Boubacar Kamara, which contributed to Villa securing 46 points from the initial 23 league games last season, has been succeeded by Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans. Although both new players have performed commendably, the alteration in playing style is influencing Villa’s capacity to dictate the flow of matches. Onana demonstrates less involvement compared to Kamara, averaging 40 passes per 90 minutes this season against Kamara’s 55.6 per 90 last season. However, the substitution of Luiz with Tielemans has emerged as the more substantial concern. While Tielemans and Luiz might attempt a comparable volume of passes, Tielemans’ passes are characterized by being more vertical and direct, which clarifies the reduction in Villa’s possession share. To provide a clearer illustration of this distinction – specifically how Tielemans’ playing style extends Villa more, rendering them susceptible to fragmented passing or open, end-to-end matches – a representative pass map for both players is presented below. Fortunately for Aston Villa, Kamara has returned from injury. His presence could aid in re-establishing control in both the midfield and central defense.