Gabby Agbonlahor has shared that Steven Gerrard will lay down the law with players like Leon Bailey at Aston Villa, as he told talkSPORT.
The former Villa striker suggested that Gerrard will state ‘sit next to me’ if Bailey goes down the same road of not tracking back for his team.
In Dean Smith’s final game in charge of Villa, Bailey wasn’t tracking back in an abject first-half display against Southampton.
During the second period, Smith changed it up and Villa’s £25 million man (BBC Sport) moved up top, rather than being subbed off.
But Agbonlahor thinks that’s something Gerrard simply won’t allow now that he is in charge.
“If I am a player now at Aston Villa,” said Agbonlahor. “I walk in and I see Steven Gerrard in the meeting room, then I am in awe of him.
“One, from his playing days. Iconic England and Liverpool midfielder. I just think he’s going to get more out of these players. You are going to work harder for Gerrard.
“He’s not going to let Leon Bailey not track back like he did against Southampton and get away with it. If you do, then you are going to come and sit next to me.
“I think he is going to bring that discipline into the team.”
The lack of aggression and intent without the ball this season from the Villa players has been pretty worrying.
That’s something that Gerrard needs to address pretty much straight away because it has been a problem area for the club.
Since that eye-opening performance against Everton from Bailey, he has flattered to deceive.
But a number of these Villa players, during these coming weeks, will either thrive or stagnate under this new coach – and you don’t want to fall into the latter category.
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