Steve Clarke analyses Aston Villa’s defending against Newcastle; should Baker start?

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Steve Clarke has criticised Aston Villa’s chaotic defending.

Newcastle United’s Yoan Gouffran celebrates after he scored their first goal

Former Aston Villa assistant boss and current pundit Steve Clarke has told Sky Sports that the club’s defenders panicked too much for Newcastle’s opening goal on Monday evening.

Villa travelled to St. James’ Park on Monday night to take on Rafael Benitez’s high-flying Magpies, with Steve Bruce’s men in terrible form.

Six defeats in seven league games since the start of 2017 had piled the pressure on Bruce, especially with Villa lying just six points clear of the relegation zone.

Whilst Villa were bright in the first half, they fell behind when Yoan Gouffran stabbed home from close range after Villa wasted a number of chances to clear the ball.

Newcastle made it 2-0 after the break when Henri Lansbury diverted Jamaal Lascelles’ shot into his own net, condemning Villa to yet another defeat as their terrible start to 2017 continues.

Villa boss Bruce will be particularly disappointed with the defending for the first goal, as the ball bounced around the penalty area with Villa failing to clear the ball before Gouffran pounced.

The goal was remarkably similar to Barnsley’s third goal in their 3-1 win over Villa last week, when comical defending and failed clearances led to Tom Bradshaw scoring the killer goal.

Aston Villa Manager Steve Bruce speaks to Steve Clarke

After witnessing such shoddy defending, former Villa assistant and current pundit Steve Clarke told Sky Sports that Villa are panicking too much at the back, and urged the defenders to put their bodies on the line around their own goal.

“They have to be more alive,” said Clarke. “They don’t defend the cross well and after that it’s just a scramble. There’s just an element of panic. You have to die to defend your six-yard box,” he added.

Bruce’s back line contained four experienced defenders as Alan Hutton, Tommy Elphick, James Chester and Neil Taylor all started, but the chaos at the back was clear during the opening goal.

Of Villa’s central defenders, Nathan Baker has made the most clearances per game as well as the second most blocks, meaning he may be the player needed in the heart of defence rather than Elphick, who has been struggling of late – and having been on the bench against Newcastle, he will be hoping to return to the Villa side soon.

What did you think of Villa’s defending against Newcastle?