Aston Villa vs Arsenal: 3 ways to beat Gerrard’s side

Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Saturday and there is no playing down the importance of the fixture. Despite the defeat to Liverpool being majorly expected, it can’t be allowed to evolve into anything other than a minor blip.

Losing that match is, more than other games, acceptable. What can’t be lost is momentum. Not now.

From the highs of winning eight out 11 Premier League matches – losing two out of 12 is still a fine record considering the teams those defeats came against – everything can so easily be swung the other way if Saturday ends in disappointment.

Villa have won three of their last four, including thumping wins over Southampton and Leeds, and Steven Gerrard has unearthed a system that caters to the individual talents at his disposal.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal: 3 ways to beat Steven Gerrard’s side in Saturday’s Premier League meeting at Villa Park

Two consecutive 1-0 losses at this ground come after a run of 17 matches without defeat in this particular part of Birmingham, and with the Gunners facing their third match in just six days, including just the solitary training session in between Liverpool and Villa, they find themselves up against it.

Their own form has been excellent, though, even with the Liverpool game in mind. It’s easier said than done but if they can replicate the level of performance shown on Wednesday they will beat far more teams than they don’t in this division.

Improvements across the team have to contend with improvements in the opposition. Villa find themselves in ninth position and a ten-point swing is needed for them to overtake Wolves, leaving them with not much to play for.

That will release the pressure on the team and they can play with the same freedom that Gerrard – within the confines of his tactical system – has instilled since his arrival. How do Arsenal tackle that? Well, there are three areas to target that will help them secure three huge points.

1. Keep Matty Cash Pinned Back

Having originally utilised his favoured 4-3-3 shape, Gerrard has tweaked his system slightly with the introduction of a midfield diamond.

Now lining up in a 4-1-2-1-2 shape, one that allows them to have both Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings in attack, it places a lot of emphasis on the full-backs to provide the width.

Matty Cash is in a fine run of form with two goals and two assists in his last four games, much of which has stemmed from the use of overloads on the left open spaces for him to charge down on the opposite flank.

With the magic of Gabriel Martinelli to choose from, Arsenal keeping Martinelli high and wide, a position he naturally picks up, will force the Villans’ right-back into a position of minimal threat. His overlapping runs are Ings’ source of crosses and Watkins’ source of cutbacks, therefore forcing his forays forward to be lung-busting dashes from deep in his own half allow for more flexibility in defensive transition.

Arsenal play with a risk element now that is an accepted one. They’re more willing to commit as they have more faith in their defensive shape. And, in doing so, they can hinder one of Villa’s main outlets.

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2. Dominate Them Physically

One of the huge bonuses for Arsenal in this match is the expected absence of Douglas Luiz. He isn’t an exceptional talent who would tear this Gunners side to shreds, but he is a combative physical presence in the base of their midfield, one who lets their No. 8’s shine.

It is touch and go that he features after a requiring surgery on a facial injury but the signs are that he will miss out, leaving Villa with decisions to make in their midfield.

They could change their shape entirely or bring Morgan Sanson into the No. 6 role, yet whatever personnel they opt for they lack that domineering physicality at the top level. None of Jacob Ramsey, John McGinn, Sanson or Philippe Coutinho are imposing figures.

As seen in West Ham’s recent win over Villa, the Hammers were able to play through Gerrard’s side centrally without a great deal of trouble. On the ball this Villa side has superb quality in midfield – Ramsey is a particularly bright talent – yet off the ball they aren’t a strong, duel-winning group. Gerrard has said as much himself.

If Arsenal can gain control of the central areas and limit space for the Villa midfield to carry the ball into then this is a game they can absolutely win.

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3. Isolate Bukayo Saka on Ashley Young

Ashley Young has still got it. Despite being 36 years old he has the engine and the work rate needed at this level, although in terms of technical ability and mobility it is evident that he isn’t what he once was.

Lucas Digne is due to miss out on Saturday’s game with a hamstring problem that forced him off of their last game just ten minutes in, and having let Matt Targett leave for Newcastle in the winter, their only remaining left-back is Young.

The former Inter utility man has featured in around six or seven different positions this season, and unless Gerrard opts for a reshuffle with a back three, he will be the man to target in defence.

Pinning Cash back is to Arsenal’s benefit, just as getting Saka isolated on Young can be the best route to goal. Even if Young was a spring chicken with his best years ahead of him you would still back Saka to beat him a handful of times, and with his one-on-one defending deteriorating over time there is real scope for Arsenal to attack those zones.

Add to that Martin Odegaard’s uncompromising brilliance in the right half-space and Young could be in for a torrid afternoon.