Ex-Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes Steven Gerrard will adopt tactics at Aston Villa that will resemble those of Jurgen Klopp’s successful Liverpool side.
The former Anfield captain spent time in charge of the club’s U18s side prior to taking the Rangers job and the 48-year-old claims the old No.8 will have picked up ‘more than a few pointers’ from the German coach during his spell at the Academy between 2017 and 2018.
Discussing the move in his Daily Mail column, Sutton said: “Aston Villa fans can look forward to a 4-3-3. That will involve a narrow front three with the two inside forwards staying close to the striker, much like how Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are in close proximity to Roberto Firmino. That leaves the full backs room to fly forward.”
The former Blackburn Rovers striker believes there is ‘pressure’ on the former England international to ‘deliver’ at Villa Park and in the Premier League he should be prepared for a ‘new test’ compared to what he has become accustomed to north of the border.
“This will be a change for Gerrard. He’s left a club where he was expected to beat every opponent and so the challenge on a Saturday was often how you break down a low block. In the Premier League, he will now be trying to beat opponents who won’t just sit back – they’ll push up, so that’ll be a new test,” he added.
If Stevie can implement some of our tactics into his new Villa side then surely he will prove to be a success in the Black Country.
The Villans have a very talented squad and a loyal fanbase that provide the foundations for the former LA Galaxy man to prove he has what it takes to replace Jurgen once he leaves.
However, if our former skipper struggles to adapt to the English managerial game and doesn’t do much to improve the side Dean Smith has left behind, it could have detrimental effects on whether he gets the Liverpool job in the future as many are expecting him to.
Let’s hope he has a successful spell at the club that sets him up to replace the Normal One when the time comes.