Steven Gerrard will be looking to push on in his first full season in charge of the Midlands club
After a 14th place finish in the Premier League last season and two early cup exits, some Villa fans will rightly be expecting a little more from Steven Gerrard. The former Rangers boss oversaw a mixed bag of performances last time out, after joining in November, and will surely feel there is more to be gotten out of this Villa squad.
While the results weren't always outstanding, one thing which Gerrard has shown he can do is attract players that otherwise wouldn't be coming to Villa Park. Top of that list is of course Philippe Coutinho, who impressed greatly after joining on loan from Barcelona in January. That move has since been made permanent. Summer signing Diego Carlos from Sevilla also cited Gerrard as a motivating factor in his decision to join the club. On top of those more recent incomings are the signings Villa made last summer, before Gerrard arrived, which include the likes of Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Lucas Digne.
All of that is to say that there is quality in the Villa ranks, more than enough to be competing for a top half finish and perhaps dreaming of a foray into Europe. Gerrard proved himself to be a canny operator at Rangers, where he ended the domestic domination of rivals Celtic but also showed his ability to adapt to differing circumstances through the results he achieved in Europe. There have been some doubts about how well his style fits the playing staff currently on hand at Villa Park but fans will be hopeful and expectant that the Liverpudlian can find the right solutions to make Villa a force to be reckoned with this season.
There will perhaps be a few more players coming in the door before the transfer window ends, and with a squad already more than capable of competing, Villa fans have every right to dream a little. Isn't that what we all do leading into the opening day of the season? It's a time of hope, and there is plenty of cause for optimism about Villa's chances this season.
However, we wanted to get an insider perspective. We wanted to find out what true dedicated Aston Villa fans think about the situation, about Gerrard, transfers, the academy, their expectations for this season, and more. That's why we caught up with Aston from The AVFC Faithful and Dan from Total Villa to get their thoughts on all things Aston Villa.
Here's what they had to say:
Q. What would you say were the highlights and positives to take away from last season?
Aston: I would say the biggest highlight/positive from last season was Jacob Ramsey, he had a breakthrough year and was a shining light in what was a dull campaign overall. The January signings of Olsen, Digne and Coutinho also gave us hope mid-season and with a pre-season under their belts, hopefully they hit the ground running this week.
Q. What can Villa learn from last season and improve going into the next?
Dan: I think the biggest difference this season will be Boubacar Kamara. We’ve lacked a proper defensive midfielder since we were promoted three seasons ago so he’ll bring so much quality and balance to our midfield which will impact our entire side.
Q. From your perspective, is Steven Gerrard the man to make progress at Aston Villa?
Aston: I don’t know. From what we’ve seen so far, he likes a narrow formation, which at the moment doesn’t seem to suit the personnel that we have. I would like to think Gerrard can be that man, but he is yet to prove anything to me, last season when he came in the inconsistencies were there. This season he has to hit the ground running, of course I will back him and I want him to be successful but the jury is still out for me.
Q. Who was the standout player for the side last season, in your personal opinion?
Dan: Matty Cash. He was the definition of consistency. He was always a very solid defensive fullback but his attacking game really improved in a more advanced role under Steven Gerrard. Jacob Ramsey won Young Player of Season and looked really impressive. At one point, both Villa fans and neutrals were discussing him as a potential England call-up and rightfully so.
Q. What do you make of the transfer business done so far this season?
Aston: Our transfer business has been very good. Kamara and Carlos are Champions League level players, hence they had UCL quality clubs after them. Coutinho on a permanent for only £17m could prove to be a masterstroke and we have improved our goalkeeping and left back options. I would say that another midfielder is probably needed to make it a ‘perfect’ window but we’re not far off.
Q. What areas of the pitch still need improving if Villa are going to push on in this upcoming campaign?
Dan: A lot of people have wanted a striker but with Cameron Archer now confirmed as staying, I don’t think that will be an area that sees any additions as neither Danny Ings or Ollie Watkins will be going anywhere. We have Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn who are good at carrying the ball but we lack someone who can hold onto the ball and be more of a passing, tempo controlling midfielder that can break the lines with excellent passing range.
Q. Are there any academy prospects on the fringes who may break into the first team this season? Is there reason to believe the current coaching staff will be giving opportunities to youngsters?
Aston: Yes we have quite a few, Cameron Archer, Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Tim Iroegbunam have all really impressed in pre-season and I would expect them all to stick around the first team this season. Josh Feeney is another one to watch, just 17 years old but Gerrard rates him highly.
Q. What are your realistic expectations for this campaign? What would represent success and what would you consider a failure?
Dan: There's a lot of talk about gate crashing Europe this season from both the club and the fan base so obviously that would be the dream. Realistically though, Europe will be incredibly hard to break into but I would say that, given the investment we’ve received and quality that our squad has, a top half finish shouldn't be out of the question.
Villa begin their Premier League campaign this Saturday away at newly promoted Bournemouth, where they will hope to get off to a winning start.
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