Steven Gerrard was ‘infuriated’ by Douglas Luiz’s decision-making during Aston Villa’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.
If actions speak louder than words, then the look on Steven Gerrard’s face in the dying seconds of St James’ Park would have told the Villa players more than even the most ear-ringing, teacup-smashing dressing room dressing down ever could.
As Rangers fans will tell you, there are two things Gerrard demands from his side. ‘Intensity’ and ‘standards’.
During their lacklustre defeat on Tyneside, Aston Villa fell short on both counts.
John McGinn, Tyrone Mings, Ollie Watkins and even Emiliano Martinez underperformed on Tyneside. And Luiz, hardly the most in-form of Villa players going into the game anyway, maintained his own disappointing form with another below-par display.
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Luiz, as the deepest member of Aston Villa’s midfield, must set the tempo and break the lines. A la Steven Davis at Rangers.
It was his job to send piercing passes fizzing through a hard-working and organised Newcastle side, ensuring that Philippe Coutinho and Emi Buendia could pick up possession in dangerous positions and thereby provide ammunition for Ollie Watkins.
Instead, Luiz frequently chose the easy option. Passing the buck while passing the ball.
According to the Birmingham Mail, Gerrard was ‘infuriated’ by Luiz’s tendency to simply nudge the ball back to Calum Chambers and Tyrone Mings, absolving himself of any playmaking responsibility.
There was one such instance when, the publication adds, Gerrard ‘screamed in annoyance’.
Improvements needed
Now, it is no secret that Brazil international Luiz would prefer to play higher up the pitch. He sees himself more as a number eight than a number six.
But when the ever-improving Marvelous Nakamba returns from injury, Luiz might not be playing at all. Let alone in an unfavoured position.
He’s not as effective going forward as an Aaron Ramsey, a Buendia, a Coutinho or a John McGinn. And, throughout Gerrard’s tenure, he’s proven less capable as a number six than Nakamba, a player who’s come on leaps and bounds following Dean Smith’s departure.
“We were way off the level by far,” Gerrard fumed on Sunday (BL).
“We have to be careful we don’t repeat that performance because we can be dragged down this league and dragged down pretty quickly.
“There needs to be a drastic improvement, individually and collectively. We got what we deserved.”
One suspects that warning was intended for a few choice targets…
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