Aston Villa’s start to the season has been generally excellent,
with significant wins over Liverpool, Arsenal and Leicester City.
Dean Smith saved the side from relegation at the end of last season by tightening the defence,
and Villa had an astute transfer window as well. Emi Martinez, Ollie Watkins, and Matty Cash were
all intelligent signings, two players with high development ceilings who had proved themselves in
the Championship and a goalkeeper who excelled standing in for Bernd Leno and has already
proved his worth. But the loan signing of Ross Barkley from Chelsea has been as significant,
and the midfielder has formed a relationship with Jack Grealish that bodes well for Smith’s side.
Villa have lined up in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, with Barkley occupying the 10 space in the five
games he’s started so far, and Grealish on the left side of the attacking unit.
Grealish starts wide left but clearly has licence to roam and dictate play.
This sometimes sees him dropping deep, but more often he’s to be found taking up central
positions between the lines from which he can drive towards goal. This affords him
passing or shooting opportunities, and also sees him winning a lot of fouls.
This freedom, partly allowed because Matt Targett is such an effective overlapping left back,
means that Grealish is the creative fulcrum of the side.
This can be seen from his numbers for the last two seasons – although this season is still
relatively young, Grealish has consistently contributed more to Villa’s creative play
than anyone else – and his numbers stack up well against the league’s other top playmakers.
Villa’s use of John McGinn on the right side of central midfield does add creativity here
too – McGinn is an excellent ball carrier and passer who likes to get forwards,
but Barkley has added another dimension to Villa’s ability to
get the ball to Grealish and, crucially, to offer options in build-up and attack.
Barkley will sometimes position himself quite deep, dropping into the receiving defensive
midfield slot or even collecting from alongside Tyrone Mings, the better ball-player of Villa’s
centre backs, before turning to carry the ball forwards or play penetrative passes from deep.
It’s something he regularly did for England in their 2019 fixtures, too,
while Gareth Southgate’s defensive midfielder could offer an option slightly higher
and occupy the opposition, creating space for Barkley.
Most of his passing is less adventurous, though. He acts as a still point around which Villa’s
mobile attacking unit, and also Targett, revolve, especially in the left half space. Barkley is tall
and strong, and this helps Villa in build-up. As Watkins is more of an off-the-shoulder striker,
Barkley can push into the 10 slot or even act as a second striker and have balls played into
him in the air or along the ground, where he holds them up. This often sees Grealish make
a run inside him, while Barkley occupies a defender, in turn making space for Grealish.
He’s busy too, dropping into pockets of space to collect the ball. Grealish can carry towards the
defence and then lay the ball off to Barkley, before looking to collect a return pass.
Barkley will sometimes instead switch the play to the right,
where Trezeguet or Bertrand Traore will stay slightly wider – Barkley and Grealish can
then either move into the box or wait for clearances or pull backs slightly deeper.
And Barkley poses a threat from these areas, as he showed against Leicester. With Grealish
and others offering penetrative running and passing from the inside forward positions, this
naturally causes defences to drop off. Barkley’s strike at the King Power was an excellent example
of timing his run to stay in the space between the lines. When, in this instance, McGinn released
the pass, Barkley could carry the ball without significant pressure before picking his spot.
Added to all this is Barkley’s contribution with set pieces. Two of the goals scored against
Liverpool came as a result of Barkley dead balls, and his defensive efforts in pressing
and covering are significant too - his own goal against Liverpool came from winning back the ball
just in front of the penalty area. He even won the first header that preceded McGinn’s sweeping
through ball to Grealish for Villa’s seventh goal in that fixture. Barkley is an all-round midfield
presence, active from one box to the other, capable of hold-up play, carrying, and passing.
Behind the quick, dynamic Villa attack, led by the irrepressible Grealish and Watkins,
Barkley adds experience, positional sense, and a physical impact
that is otherwise lacking in Villa’s attacking game. Grealish may be Villa’s biggest threat,
but Barkley’s arrival has made him even more dangerous.