With Matty Cash still currently sidelined by injury, Unai Emery has used a number of different options as he looks for the best solution in the right-back spot at Aston Villa.
It’s worth noting that different opponents and game situations will require alternative solutions, and so arguably there is no fix-all option available to the Villa boss, who will rightly utilise the competition and depth at his disposal.
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However, there is also a case to be made that Villa haven’t been as effective or have even encountered issues with certain choices, while the decision to use players out of their more natural roles despite having alternatives available, may not always be the right option.
Given he scored in a 3-1 win this weekend, being critical of the decision to deploy Ezri Konsa at right-back again vs Wolves perhaps doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but there are flaws that still come with that and so it won’t always prove to be a successful option.
Aside from the fact that Diego Carlos, in at centre-half thus shifting Konsa across, made the mistake that led to Wolves’ goal, there were times in this game where Konsa didn’t look particularly comfortable when our opponents attacked down that flank and got numbers forward.
We’ve seen that it can be effective as we secured some memorable results with that set-up last season, but there is still an argument in favour of simply playing the England international in his more natural and impactful role as a centre-back, and finding a different solution at right-back.
It seems as though Emery feels that Kosta Nedeljkovic requires more work and time before he’s unleashed again after his outing against Arsenal, despite that appearing to be the direction in which we would go after his impressive pre-season.
That wasn’t to be though, as Lamare Bogarde then stepped in for the three games that followed, but after being replaced at half-time in our win at Young Boys earlier this week, there was another change as he dropped out and Konsa took over.
Time will tell if things settle when Cash returns and makes that position his own, but Villa have four options available in that role, and it remains to be seen what definitive answer we get on who will be the first-choice pick.
With his experience and solid all-round game to make an impact in both phases, Cash is still the stand-out candidate. Bogarde did well in the circumstances, but particularly at right-back, he still needs to improve and develop before he’s ready to take on a bigger workload.
As noted above, there’s a personal preference not to disrupt the partnership between Konsa and Pau Torres in the middle, and so that leaves Nedlejkovic, who starred in pre-season and was seemingly set for an important role this season.
That hasn’t really materialised since the Arsenal game last month, but with the Carabao Cup getting underway in midweek, it’s hoped that the Serbian international is in line to come into the Villa XI, and can hopefully make a big impression on Emery to prove that he deserves more opportunities.
There’s also the interesting factor of who plays on the left that influences this decision too, as Emery doesn’t necessarily like two full-backs who both push up and thus that leaves us imbalanced and vulnerable to the counter-attack.
If it’s Lucas Digne, that perhaps favours Nedeljkovic as it gives him a bit more freedom to express himself and add an attacking dynamic to our play, but if it’s Maatsen, there’s the argument in favour of going with a more reserved choice on the opposite side, with Konsa or Bogarde perhaps coming into contention.
It’s a good problem for Emery to have, and with Villa looking to compete across multiple competitions, he’s likely going to need them all at differing points in the campaign. Nevertheless, a settled backline is the foundation for successful sides, and so hopefully we’ll have a clearer idea of what tactical and personnel direction we’re heading in soon.
Right-back. Which option do you prefer?#avfc #UTV 🟣🔵
— Talk Villa (@thetalkvilla) September 22, 2024
Is it time for the advent of the inverted fullback? Over lap, cut on to strong foot, shot in top of far post, and Uni is a genius again.