Why Agbonlahor is key to Aston Villa’s counterattacking gameplan against Spurs

Aston Villa face the daunting task of hosting Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon as they look to record back-to-back home wins for the first time this season.

Spurs hit a road bump in their quest for the top-four last time out in losing 3-0 to West Ham at White Hart Lane. Andre Villas-Boas will be determined to put his side’s form back on track at Villa Park.

It’s been a happy hunting ground for the Lilywhites in the past, and the fact that Villa have failed to beat this weekend’s opponents in each of the last eight games—the last two meetings in finished 4-0 to the away side—could do wonders for Spurs’ confidence.

With a clear gap in quality between the two rosters, Paul Lambert will be expected to pull out a tactical masterplan if Villa are take any points from this encounter, and key to those preparations will be Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Tottenham’s possession percentages so far this season

Spurs are capable of dominating games against almost any Premier League team; they’re technically superior to most, physically overpowering in midfield and tend to build long spells of pressure in front of the opponents’ goal and ask playmaker Christian Eriksen to “pick the lock.”

Villa, as it happens, struggle when asked to force the issue but thrive when allowed to sit back, soak up pressure an counterattack with lightning pace. They have done so against Arsenal and Manchester City this season and claimed a six-point haul, so Villas-Boas will need to be wary of the threat they carry on the break.

Spurs conceded all three of their goals against West Ham on the counter, with the final one in particular a mazy Ravel Morrison dribble through the heart of the formation.

Watching Spurs’ defence open up and let the England youth international waltz through will have put a smile on Lambert’s face, as he knows his side can construct a carbon copy of that attack.

Chances created by Agbonlahor this season

Agbonlahor’s incredible speed will be the key factor, and as he lines up on the left he’ll be taking on a right-back in Kyle Walker who doesn’t exactly relish the defensive side of the game—despite possessing the requisite pace to keep up with his marker.

The academy product has created the most chances of any Villa player this season, with 10 key passes and two assists to his name in just six games. His unrivaled pace could give a nervous defence a jittery start, and Andi Weimann will also look to play a similar role from the right.

Chances created by the entire Aston Villa team this season

That will be Villa’s gameplan: absorb pressure, stack the midfield, dare Spurs to go wide and counter with pace. When Agbonlahor is on his game, there are few better in that role. Just ask Arsene Wenger.