Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has confirmed that he is set to hold talks with club chief Christian Purslow and director of football Jesus Garcia Pitarch over the employment of a set piece specialist in a bid to pick up a game changing advantage.
Of the 24 league goals scored by the Villans this season, 10 of them have come from set plays, but despite their impressive record Smith has revealed he has been left staggered by the inability for players to remember their duties, and is hoping a backroom expert in the role will secure success down the line.
He told the Express and Star: “It is something I will discuss with Suso (Pitarch) and Christian further down the road,” said Smith.
“They (set pieces) are important. It still staggers me rugby union players have to remember 60 or 70 line-out calls and football players struggle to remember six corners.”
Opinion
It seems strange that Smith sees a set piece expert as a priority for the club, for nearly half their goals have come as a result of dead ball situations. Does he feel that they could get even more from their opportunities, or that it is in fact defending from opposition corners and free kicks where the problem lies? If that is the case, then perhaps a specialist could well make all the difference – but fans are likely going to feel that there are other areas of the side’s game which need improving before they look at set plays. That will come down to the January transfer window, and unless Smith has got a definitive shortlist ready for when the new year comes around, that should be what he is discussing with the likes of Purslow and Pitarch. The set pieces can wait for now, as Smith seems to be doing a fine job by himself without the expert opinion.