Aston Villa got a deserved win by exploiting Liverpool’s major weakness this season – defending the counter attack. It was a backs to the wall display from a young Villa side, who played with a back 5 to help get numbers behind the ball and prevent Liverpool’s attacking players from finding space.
Liverpool’s Fullbacks Find the Ball
Formations
With Villa’s formation and deep block, Liverpool’s fullbacks frequently saw the ball. Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson attempted the most passes of any player on the pitch, with Downing attempting 80 (completing 67) and Johnson attempting 77 (completing 65).
Incredibly, they attempted nearly three quarters of Aston Villa’s total attempted passes (157 vs. 211).Liverpool’s fullbacks were the providers of width for the Reds. This meant when they received the ball in wide positions the only passing options were inside. This suited Villa’s set up, which crowded the central areas of the pitch. Looking at Downing and Johnson’s passing directions, both had 50% or more of their passes going back inside.
Aston Villa Defends
The centre back trio, of Herd, Clark and Baker, had simple tasks – to defend. It is quite incredible to look at the passing statistics for the trio:
In 90 minutes of football, the three Aston Villa defenders attempted a combined total of 21 passing. To make this statistic more incredible, in the second half (which Aston Villa began with a 2-0 lead which increased to 3-0 shortly after the break) Herd, Clark and Baker attempted just THREE passes – Clark competing two passes and Herd having one incomplete pass.
Despite that, they performed 33 of Villa’s 53 total clearances, won 83% of their combined aerial duels (5/6) and 78% of their combined ground duels (7/9).
A perfect example of this disciplined, backs to the wall style defending is demonstrated below:
The Aston Villa back five (circled) crowd the penalty box, whilst Bannan, Westwood and Holman also support. This leaves nine Aston Villa players in the box versus Liverpool’s four (Sterling, Allen, Shelvey and Suarez). Once Sterling’s cross comes into the box, Aston Villa won initially won the ball but it did not clear the box. Interesting to this was the instinctive positioning of Clark and Lowton, who both retreated onto the posts whilst other Villa players moved towards the ball and cleared.
Holman’s Energy Key
Half of Villa’s game plan was to sit back with numbers behind the ball, which Liverpool played into by playing inside; the second half was to counter attack – which Villa did with incredible efficiency.
Key to this counter attacking approach was the energy of Brett Holman. With Weimann slightly right sided, but tasked with supporting Benteke, Holman was able to burst forward to create attacking options. Often, with Liverpool’s fullbacks being advanced, the trio of Holman, Weimann and Benteke could attack Skrtel, Agger and Lucas.
Example 1:
Daniel Agger drove forward with the ball and passed to Stewart Downing before continuing his run forward. Downing had limited options so dribbled the ball inside. His pass to Gerrard was anticipated by Holman who pounced and won back the ball.
Holman’s interception fell to Lowton, who advanced and clipped a pass into the channel for Weimann. This required Lucas to move across and close him down, leaving Benteke 1v1 with Skrtel.
Holman burst beyond Liverpool’s midfielders and into the box, receiving the ball from Weimann. Skrtel was then moved across leaving Benteke completely free on the penalty spot. Holman’s cut back clipped the heel of Skrtel and fell to Reina – Liverpool escaped a brilliant Villa counter attack.
Example 2:
Liverpool tried to play out. Joe Allen passed to Joe Cole, but Holman straight away pressed and regained possession. The ball fell to Benteke who could turn and dribble at Skrtel.
Holman then sprinted forward and ran on the outside of Benteke. As Benteke approached Skrtel, Villa had isolated him 2 vs 1. Skrtel over-compensated his positioning when trying to cover the Holman option, so Benteke skipped inside and finished beyond a helpless Reina.
Conclusion
Liverpool had 72.1% of possession and attempted 42 more passes in the final third then Aston Villa did all match (253 vs. 211), yet Aston Villa won 3-1. Despite all these passes, and having 27 shots, Liverpool didn’t create one clear cut goalscoring chance. Aston Villa made them pay. By sitting deep and crowding central areas, Villa forced Liverpool to attempt an incredibly high number of crosses (37) and Liverpool continued to try to move the ball inside. This played into Villa’s hands, and they could win back possession and counter attack – with Holman and Weimann getting forward to support Benteke, who held up the ball and worked the channels brilliantly.
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Categories: Aston Villa, EPL Index Featured Article, EPLIndex Tactical Report, Liverpool
Tags: 3-1, Aston Villa Stats, AVFC, AVFC Stats, Benteke, english Premier league, EPL, epl opta stats, EPL Stats, Holman, LFC, LFC Stats, Liverpool, Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 3 Report, Liverpool Vs Aston Villa Tactical Analysis, Opta Stats, premier league, Premier League Stats, Tactical Analysis, Weimann
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Kate,
Absolutely first class analysis. In addition to the player mistakes where the ball was lost unnecessarily, there was a very poor reading of the situation by the manager. He even said during the interview that he couldn’t see what the problem was. He also talked about players being “flat”. They didn’t look flat to me. They can’t go 110% for the whole game. At some point the tactics have to adjust to the situation, and nobody adjusted.
The final third problems persist. We spend so much time in build-up that our opponents always have 9-10 players in their own box. Your pictures show it clearly, but I don’t think this is the first time. Everyone is playing us with a deep block or with the idea of every player getting goal-side if they are beaten. They know that we will have 5 more touches before we are on goal. We are not difficult to play.
And I’m not sure Suarez wants his teammates to score.
Thank you for reading
I agree that a lot of teams are getting men behind the ball when playing Liverpool. Liverpool’s dominance hasn’t equated to goals and the complex build up play could play a part. Of course, Charles Reep’s research and also an Australian analyst Ron Smith have found a huge number of goals come with 3 passes or less. This isn’t necessarily an advocacy for long ball, but more proof that teams score in transition when the opposition isn’t set in their defensive shape.
There is always room for improvement and Liverpool need to score more goals, but full credit to Aston Villa who was disciplined and countered brilliantly; being an Australian it is especially pleasing to watch Herd and Holman produce such assuring performances, and Holman in particular has been exceptional so far for a player in a new league
It is me again. Liverpool have been exposed and offer no plan b when going behind. At Udinese they were fantastic in the final third (note no gerrard ) cough cough. Yes they get “picked off” on the counter. EPL and tika-taka do not mix. Rodgers is naive and Liverpool are in serious decline.. The structure of Liverpool behind the scenes needs to be broken up. Gerrards legs have gone and he should go. I am confident that Liverpool will continue to be picked off if they play the same style, Would be great in Italy. IN EPL teams counter quickly. I await my “put down”
I don’t understand why you are awaiting a “put down”.
Thanks for reading
yes defending the counter attack but if they were effective in the final third they would score more . V villa should have been 2-0 up before villa countered. Game re Liverpool attacking looked like a game of pinball with the ball fizzing around …Privately Rodgers is getting a lot of criticism for rigid use of his system. The players cannot play the system so change the system. Anyway Karen great piece and you are given the chap at zonal marking a run for his money.
1. Liverpool are not creative in the final third
2. They get “picked off”
3. They will keep losing if they do not have a holding player as you rightly pointed out before and a player sitting behind a “goal scorer”
I would have saurez sitting behind a chap such as RVP.
Now the key point is that no good player will want to go to Liverpool. Why? because the manager does not have full control and they play a game that is flawed.
I disagree with the idea that Rodgers is rigid. He has a playing philosophy and he stands by it; apart from that he has been quite willing to readjust his formation. Multiple times he has switched his midfield orientation this season, played a midfield diamond vs Man Utd and used a back three at times.
His system needs refining, that is evident. Liverpool are getting caught out and improvement in the final third is a must.
Thanks Jimmy
LIverpool SFT final third pass completion is 2130/23 goals so 1 goal per 92.6 Final third pass completed which is (bottom six standard). There is a correlation between goals and final third passing which does not apply to Liverpool. The use of the word creative in the final third can mean many things but it is clear that liverpool in last 20 games have won just 30% so whatever they are doing it is certainly not working.
Yep. The chances they create are generally not ‘clear cut’. Like I said in an above comment, often defences get set and are more difficult to break down and score. From a set deep block it is also easier to structure a counter attack. That is Liverpool’s issue, as you stated above – if they score more goals, the opponents set up becomes void, taking chances is a must
My favourite line if I was a commentator would be “Liverpool are too slow to recycle possession”
At least we all agree now that Gerrard is not the second most creative player in the EPL re final third passing
I think a lot of Gerrard’s set pieces may be distorting the statistics.