Six for Villa, Four Against Newcastle – Is Jaissle Ready for Saturday?

Aston Villa will arrive at St James' Park on Saturday full of confidence after their emphatic 6–0 Champions League victory over Fenerbahçe.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are still trying to recover from Monday night's humiliating 4–1 defeat at Coventry.

Two very different results, and a serious challenge for Matthias Jaissle.

Saturday isn't simply about bouncing back...

It's about showing that Newcastle have learned from their mistakes and that Jaissle can organise his players to compete against one of the Premier League's top manager's - Unai Emery.

What Must Jaissle Work on in Training?

The first priority has to be defensive organisation.

Newcastle cannot afford to give Villa the space and opportunities they allowed Coventry and the defensive dawdling and mistakes that led to their goals has to be cut out.

Jaissle needs to spend this week's training sessions working on the distances between his defenders and midfielders, particularly when Newcastle lose possession.

Villa have hit their stride in their last two matches and in Nicolas Jackson they have a player who is bang on form and on his day can be as good as any striker in the PL.

Just as important is Newcastle's pressing.

Jaissle stated on arrival that was the way he wanted the team to play but the truth is we've seen little evidence of that, in fact we've seen the opposite with the oppo almost given a free invitation to walk through to the edge of our box without hardly a press or challenge.

That weakness has been evident in very game we've played this season leading to two 4-1 thrashings in the last three games and if the same weakness is show against what will be a super confident Villa then another beating will be on the cards.

Team Selection Could Be Just as Important

Jaissle faces a difficult balancing act.

Joelinton, Dan Burn, Amar Dedić and Will Osula have returned from injury, but the manager has warned that they are still some way from full match fitness and that was the reason why all but Dedic were used sparingly against Coventry.

My view expressed in a previous post is that it is difficult to really judge Jaissle's 4231 system until he has more of a full squad at his disposal.

Without the likes of Burn, Jo and Osula there is no physical presence or real aggression in the team and we are also seriously lacking the leadership and experience of Burn and Jo - and that is a major reason IMO why 4231 is not, and will not, work with the team selections we have seen all season.

Even with those three players back, Jaissle still has selection decisions to make, and not only who he leaves out to accommodate them.

Assuming all three return; Burn would replace a stuttering Botman, I'd play Jo alongside Nico to provide physical cover for the defence, and Osula would replace Pardo at CF.

But, that still leaves Jaissle with a big decision - who plays in the 3?

That three, along with Osula, is the first line of a press that will stop the oppo freewheeling into our half. Up to now, that press has been almost non existent.

Go back to Howe's early days when he had Jo wide left, Miggy wide right, and Wilson in the middle; all three harried the oppo constantly and the team as a unit pushed high to fluster and pressurise the oppo - and it made us a tough team to play against.

Now we are the opposite, far too easy to play against, and teams and their managers know our weaknesses and will be ruthless in setting up to take advantage.

So, back to who plays in the three...

For me Steur has to play at 10.

He is by far and away the best technical mid we have and his movement, ball retention, range of passing and motivation to always look for a forward pass are exactly what that position, and the team, currently needs.

Barnes is a shoe-in at LW and that just leaves the RW position in my eyes.

With Elanga still unavailable I'd be making a choice between Pardo and Miley.

Pardo can't continue as the main ST, in fact in Belgium they are surprised that he sees himself in that position.

IMO he needs to get used to the power and pace of the PL on the wing where he will have more space and time on the ball to utilise the pace and skill he undoubtedly has.

My other option, Lewis Miley.

We've seen how good the lad is at RB where he has influenced the game far more than in a central midfield position. A surprising stat is that Miley is one of our best, if not the best, (BPH to check!) at dispossessing the oppo.

In a RW come RWB role his tackling ability aligned with his ability to get up and down the flank will give another edge to our ability to press and add another line of defence.

My Team for Saturday

Evolution and revolution were two words that were never far away from this summer's squad discussion.

In my mind that's where Jaissle is at now,

Tinkering with his 4231 team selection to evolve it into a working unit is IMO far too risky.

He needs revolution.

For me that starts with - depending on fitness - bringing all three of Burn, Jo and Osula straight back into the team, leaving out Wissa, Willock and Murphy, playing Steur as a 10 and Pardo or Miley wide right.

My team;

Hornicek

Dedic Thiaw Burn Hall

Nico Jo

Pardo/Miley Steur Barnes

Osula

I'd also be telling Osula and the three behind him that I want to see them standing on the oppo's toes in their half, closing them down relentlessly, and chasing back when play goes into our half.

If they are knackered after 60-70 minutes we can bring on subs to continue the hassle.

If I see a team sheet against Villa almost identical to the one that started at Coventry I'll be worried not only about another hammering, but also about the ability of Jaissle to see, react to, and be decisive in addressing the obvious weaknesses in the side.

It's high time for a revolution either in team selection or the playing system.

And it needs to start on Saturday.

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