Agbonlahor: Two Aston Villa big names set for long-term axe
Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia will not be in the Aston Villa starting XI for the foreseeable future, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Aston Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer backed Ollie Watkins to thrive on the left wing instead.
Coutinho and Buendia were both axed for the 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Sunday (16 October) after they started together for the first time this season in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest (10 October).
Watkins started on the left against Chelsea with Danny Ings through the middle and Leon Bailey on the right wing.
“I said that Gerrard needs to scrap the two number eights and go with wingers in a 4-3-3,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“That’s what the formation looked like to me. Watkins on the left, Ings through the middle and Bailey on the right with a midfielder three with legs and aggression.
“It was working. Watkins looked better on the wing. I didn’t want to play left wing but I did it for the team. When Darren Bent came in, it was either play left wing or don’t play.
“That’s where I see Watkins. Ings is probably a better finisher and you don’t play two up front nowadays so you put Watkins on the left.
“I think it was the right tactics from Gerrard, it was attacking. Buendia and Coutinho have been passengers so it was nice to get a nice three up there.
“It was like when it was me, Benteke and Weimann together. You could go anywhere, if the ball is on the right, Watkins can make it two in the box.
“That was effective under Paul Lambert and the three of us would get goals and assists.
“On another day, Villa beat Chelsea 3-0. I would do the same against Fulham. That’s the best I’ve seen Villa play all season and it looked like it was a team playing for the manager.
“What Villa have been playing is Coutinho and sometimes Buendia. Neither of those two have pace and it’s easy to defend against. Fulham are praying those two play on a tight pitch.”
In other news, Gerrard has told Aston Villa to let a 27-year-old go in January.