Aston Villa are preparing for another crucial game in their season, as they could secure Champions League football at home to Liverpool on Monday night.
If Villa are successful and secure all three points then they will guarantee a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League this season.
Even failure to win could mean they know their fate by the time they face Crystal Palace on the final day next Sunday, with Tottenham Hotspur having to beat Manchester City on Tuesday to take the Champions League race to the wire.
Unai Emery must help his side shake off the disappointment of their Europa Conference League semi-final exit to Olympiacos on Thursday night ready to go again on Monday.
The Spanish manager has a fatigued squad and some players have lost form at a key time, meaning he may decide to make some changes.
Unai Emery must drop Matty Cash against Liverpool
One player whose form has nosedived recently is Matty Cash.
The full-back did not start in the 1-0 defeat away at Brighton in the last league game, but came on in the first-half to replace the injured Morgan Rogers.
The Poland international took up a more advanced right midfield position at The Amex and followed that up by playing in a similar role against Olympiacos on Thursday where he looked to be a wing-back at times and an out-and-out winger at others.
Cash was extremely poor against Olympiacos, with The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell expressing on ‘X’: “Matty Cash’s faceplate sums up this half. Some really nice football but that final touch is agonising.”
According to Sofascore, Cash lost possession 13 times in the second leg against Olympiacos and made no crosses or key passes despite his advanced position.
He also registered a relatively low pass success rate, completing 84% of the 38 passes he attempted.
Emery must replace Cash with more attacking alternative
Cash can play further forward and started off his career as a winger before gradually moving back to right-back.
However, it is undeniable that the 26-year-old lacks the cutting edge of some of the more naturally attack-minded players in the squad.
This was pointed out by BBC journalist Raj Chohan on Thursday night, who posted on ‘X’: “Matty Cash as the width at right wing has been disastrous. Mendilibar setting up Olympiacos back four narrow on purpose and he can’t take advantage of the space.”
Against Liverpool, Emery should utilise Ezri Konsa as the right-back in a back four, with Diego Carlos and Pau Torres the central defensive pairing, and Lucas Digne or the returning Alex Moreno at left-back. This should give Villa the defensive structure they need to be solid and allow the more attacking players to express themselves.
It should not be overlooked that a big factor in Cash having to play further forward is the injuries that Emery is dealing with, however it may be time to try someone different to inject some life into a Villa side that look like they might need it.
That could mean a slight reshuffle, but the likes of Youri Tielemans, Jhon Duran and Tim Oroegbunam are all players that offer different profiles but could come into the side to offer more in an attacking sense.
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