Aston Villa face Ajax in their first home European knockout game since 2010/11 after their worst performance of the season at the weekend. They were decimated at Villa Park at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur and will be looking to hit back in this midweek fixture. Last Word on Football brings you an Aston Villa predicted lineup.
Aston Villa Predicted Lineup Vs Ajax
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How Have Aston Villa Lined Up Recently?
The Villians have been battling defensive injuries throughout the season which has dictated their starting 11 over the last couple of months. Since Boubacar Kamara’s season-ending injury, Douglas Luiz has slipped into his vacant number six role with ease, making way for the talented Youri Tielemans to drop into the number eight spot alongside John McGinn.
Against Spurs, Unai Emery picked a back five for the first time this season, playing Ezri Konsa, Clement Lenglet, and Pau Torres along the back with Matty Cash and Lucas Digne as overlapping fullbacks. A move that proved fatal as Spurs ran riot in a chaotic second half.
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Ollie Watkins remains in top form ahead of the clash and will be keen to add to his tally of 21 goals, as he hunts down the much-coveted 30-goal landmark for the first time in his career.
Aston Villa Recent Form and Tactics
It’s no secret that Villa’s form has fluctuated in recent months. They are hitting highs and lows from week to week, but have stuck by their tried and tested methods throughout the season. Emery’s side have become adept at playing out from the back, commanding possession of the ball against lower league opponents, and breaking with pace against the high lines of the high flyers.
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However, Emery’s decision to play a back five against Spurs showed that potentially the weight of the occasion got into his psyche, forcing him to move away from his usual methods, resulting in a crucial home defeat. It seems a certainty that he will revert to his original methods and encourage his team to dominate the ball against Ajax at Villa Park.
Aston Villa Injury List
After considerable injuries at the back, the Villians are finally getting close to their full-strength side. Kamara’s injury will not be rectified by the end of the season, but Diego Carlos has recently overcome a short-term injury to be fit and available for this clash, making his comeback in the dying embers of the Spurs dismantling.
Pau Torres has also had his own issues with injury but played the full 90 minutes at the weekend and looks fit to make the starting 11. Jacob Ramsey remains sidelined with an ankle injury and is expected to be back to full fitness by next week. Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia are out for the season.
John McGinn will miss three fixtures following his suspension for serious foul play during the Spurs encounter. However, those are in the Premier League and he is all but guaranteed to start here ahead of his time on the sidelines. Ezri Konsa misses out through suspension after he was shown two yellows in the away fixture
Aston Villa Predicted Lineup
GK: Emiliano Martinez
RB: Matty Cash
CB: Diego Carlos
CB: Pau Torres
LB: Alex Moreno
CDM: Douglas Luiz
CM: Youri Tielemans
CM: John McGinn
RM: Leon Bailey
LM: Morgan Rogers
ST: Ollie Watkins
