Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur: 3 Key Battles

England international Ollie Watkins is expected to take charge of the number nine role for Villa, especially after Marcus Rashford’s injury and Danso is expected to start in Tottenham’s rotated back line. This is going to be an interesting duel given how Watkins likes to peel off centre-backs, especially those still adjusting to Premier League tempo, and he will likely look to drag Danso wide or pin him centrally, creating space for the runners.

Now this is going to be an intriguing challenge for Danso, where he will not only be tested in 1v1s but also how he ends up managing his line under pressure.

The fact that Watkins presses consistently off the ball and tries to time his movements between centre-back and full-back extremely well will make the first phase build-up a bit tricky for Tottenham. If Danso ends up playing too deep, Tottenham will end up conceding territory, but if he tires of being a bit adventurous without apt cover, then Watkins will try to spin in behind.

So it’s a battle that not only decides the defending side of things for Tottenham but also the first phase build-up side of things.

Ian Maatsen vs Wilson Odobert

Now going a bit out wide, this is set to be a more dynamic duel given how the Cobham academy graduate will be encouraged to push a bit higher and try overlaps (especially if Tottenham have to go compact with their structure given Villa’s narrow forwards) – so in such situations, Ian will be acting more like a winger.

Ange has been using Odobert down the right in a way where he can hold the wide and cut inside and stretch the pitch. Most of the time, the Frenchman will likely be isolated in those wide forward zones, and if we are speaking purely tactically, then Odobert must pin Maatsen back early with direct runs and try to force the Dutchman into deeper zones, or Villa will end up creating 2v1 situations in that left channel.

From Tottenham’s point of view, you would expect the former Burnley star to not only become an attacking outlet but also to contain Maatsen’s forward runs and ensure that he can’t deliver those runs that Villa uses to disrupt structures, and if he doesn’t track back, then Tottenham could end up being overrun in transitional situations.

Boubacar Kamara vs Yves Bissouma

Let’s talk structure and pace of the game, and this is where this midfield duel will come into picture, given they will be looking to control the game’s tempo. So Kamara is more of a security blanket in that midfield where he is sitting deep, protecting passing lanes, and trying to get the better of opposition transitions down the middle, and if we compare this with Bissouma, he will be used more dynamically by Ange, where I am not only expecting him to try and become a presence in those vertical passes that Villa plays so often, but the Mali international will also be tasked with early releases to start transitions.

Now Kamara is less adventurous on the ball but positionally elite, always in the right pockets to screen second balls, and Bissouma will need to be a bit sharper with his first touch and avoid carrying the ball into traps (something he has often done this season).