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Aston Villa will look to close the gap on Championship leaders Leeds United when they host them at Villa Park on Sunday, and manager Dean Smith should make a brave formation change to ensure they get the three points and do exactly that.
The Midlands outfit lie in eighth position going into the weekend’s fixtures and are 12 points adrift of Marcelo Bielsa’s men at the summit.
On the chalkboard
Smith has largely stuck with either a 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 system since taking the reins following Steve Bruce’s sacking earlier in the campaign, with one of either Tammy Abraham or Jonathan Kodjia preferred in the central role.
The likes of Albert Adomah, Yannick Bolasie and Anwar El Ghazi have featured on the flanks, although Kodjia has also played out wide on occasion as the former Brentford boss looks to find a prominent role for the 29-year-old.
Why change a formula that is working?
As per Transfermarkt, the 4-2-3-1 formation has yielded 12 points from a possible 18 in recent weeks, but the conundrum for Smith is that he has two strikers in good form, and now could be the perfect opportunity to start both of them – there is little doubt that Kodjia is more effective through the centre.
The 47-year-old could have this and keep the width with a simpler 4-4-2 system in which Kodjia could drop deep as more of a 4-4-1-1 when his team was defending, and it makes even more sense given Leeds’ problems at the back.
While Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling have returned to training this week, it remains to be seen whether they will be fit enough to start at Villa Park this weekend, which could once again mean that Bielsa lines up with a makeshift backline including midfielders Kalvin Phillips and Jamie Shackleton.
