After Villa’s last two defeats it’s becoming clear as to what the Spurs fans have warned us about Tim Sherwood. They will undeniably agree that Sherwood will make an instant impact, give us a great high, but within a few months that high will leave and expose Sherwood’s weaknesses as a manager. The team sheet against Burnley was simply appalling, and his tactics made little sense. The game against Burnley could have given a few players the opportunity to impress Sherwood, or make a final bow before the end of the season. Instead, his favourites are starting yet again, it’s starting to feel like the player favouritism we experienced under Lambert!
Sherwood is making it clear that he believes that our team is simply to big and Villa will definitely offload a host of players, but playing N’Zogbia at left back was just too much. I understand that Sherwood likes to experiment, but it’s rather daft to play a very offensive player in a position which he has no experience in. I feel really bad for Matthew Lowton, I think he’s a great player, but he can’t even start ahead of N’Zogbia! His past performances at left-back has demonstrated that he is more than capable of playing there, he did win us the penalty against West Brom after all when he played at left-back.
The midfield trio of Cleverly, Delph and Westwood is becoming a little to predictable. I think even the players feel it, our opposition teams have figured out our weaknesses and strengths, our trio isn’t working as well as it did in the first few months. I think that Westwood played a great game, protected the defence well and was one of our biggest threats forward! But we did not see Delph playing, he was a completely different player. Maybe his head was set for the FA Cup?
I just don’t believe there was a clear image for a first team, leading up to the game there was word that some of our younger players would be given a chance but it never really happened. Full credit to Jed Steer, he was a surprise inclusion and I think he did great, it seems as though he has massively developed whilst on loan this season and I can definitely see Steer becoming a future Villa keeper. He commands the box well, and I don’t think he could’ve done too much against Ings goal. It’s clear that Guzan is not rated by Sherwood and will be most likely leaving the club, but he will play in the FA Cup if Given can not shrug of an injury that kept him out of game against Burnley.
Additionally, I thought that Robinson would come on for Agbonlahor, I didn’t think that Agbonlahor played too well and his finishing has been shocking recently. Robinson is a talented player who knows were the net is.
The defeat against Burnley has produced two conclusions: Aston Villa’s mind was set on the FA Cup, and our team performance has to be massively improved and the mindset has to change if we want to stand a chance against an in-form Arsenal. And, Sherwood will need a transfer window and the chance to bring in his own players before we can fully assess him. I will still be behind Sherwood and I will give him a year before I make the verdict if whether or not he will be a decent manager for Aston Villa.
