‘What’s Gerrard meant to do’: Warnock claims Aston Villa duo are unreliable

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Stephen Warnock has claimed that Aston Villa duo, Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore, are unreliable, as he told the Football Show on Sky Sports.

The former Villa left-back pointed out that Bailey is ‘never fit’ and Traore has been injured, so Steven Gerrard ‘can’t rely’ on them.

Over the weekend, the duo came off the bench during Villa’s quite miserable 1-0 defeat to Arsenal where their only shot on target came in stoppage-time.

When Bailey first joined Villa in the summer, it came with excitement and a lot of expectancy, but with the 24-year-old spending more time on the sidelines, that hype has now died down.

As for Traore, he was injured at the start of the season, then when he returned it was Africa Cup of Nations duty time, and since then, he has picked up another knock, as well as spending a number of occasions as an unused substitute.

All in all, Warnock feels this current Villa side under Gerrard is lacking pace and athletism, as their performance and defeat to Arsenal over the weekend proved.

“I don’t think, at the moment, when you play Coutinho and Buendia they have enough pace in the team to hurt you,” said Warnock.

“I don’t think they are athletic enough within that team, pace-wise. McGinn gets around the pitch very well. He’s not outstandingly quick, but that’s not his job in the team.

“Bailey is never fit, so you can’t rely on him. Traore has been injured as well, so he’s not been reliable. You look at that and think what’s Steven Gerrard meant to do? Who is he meant to play in those positions.”

After the international break, it’s going to be interesting if Gerrard starts either player because something needs to change.

The biggest problem for Villa is their midfield and the fact that it’s lacking aggression, control and physicality.

Bringing in Bailey and Traore isn’t going to change that, but given that Villa aren’t a possession-based side, perhaps it would make them more dangerous on the counter with either of those players in the XI.

Either way, ever since Gerrard swapped Rangers for Villa, life has been up and down for the former midfielder as he tries to search for his best XI and his best formula.