Youri Tielemans’ assist for John McGinn’s second goal in Aston Villa’s 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest was superb and an example of his excellent passing range. However, the Belgian midfielder also contributed to Villa’s first two goals of the game.
Ollie Watkins’ first goal was made possible by an inside pass to Morgan Rodgers, a credit to Tielemans’ ability to find his teammates between the lines. The second goal came after he won the ball back and showed a different side of his game that is still evolving.
It’s been 12 years since Tielemans made his Champions League debut as a 16-year-old prodigy at Anderlecht, and five years since Brendan Rodgers dubbed him the perfect midfielder. Unai Emery has made him even better. “I’ve improved since Leicester,” he told Sky Sports.
Some of that will come over time. “I’m more mature now. Twelve years and three children later,” he says with a smile. But Emery’s influence is clear and the result of these long video sessions. “The coach added something to my game tactically,” he added.
“It’s more of a complete package. Technical ability has always been my strength, but technically I feel like I’ve improved. Technically, the fact that I can play under pressure and invite that pressure and play through it, I feel like I’ve gotten better in those areas.”
“I also feel like the coach has challenged me to give 100 percent in that position and be stronger in duels, especially defensively. And also the tactical analysis of the match, just trying to find better spaces on the pitch to break the opponent.”
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Premier League highlights of Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
pass under pressure
Tielemans’ job at Villa is to pass under pressure. Last season in the Premier League, he completed 1,102 such passes against opponents from a distance of three meters or less, second only to Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães with 1,124. This is a test of skill and temperament.
“By focusing on this in training, it will make the matches easier, because when you practice, you train in a small area. If you can train in a small area with a good opponent, then in a match (it feels easier).”
“In the game, obviously everything happens much faster, full speed, but also a wider area, so it feels more comfortable.” Scanning is something he describes as a “natural process”, something he was taught to do at Anderlecht’s academy.
“We start scanning from an early age because we need to know where our opponents are coming from,” he explains. “The more you do that in training, the more natural it becomes in matches. You should try to look over your shoulder in every situation, really.”
“It can feel silly sometimes during passing drills, but once you get used to looking over your shoulder before receiving the ball in passing drills, it becomes second nature. Even around town, I sometimes start scanning.” And, “No, that’s just a joke!”
play a dangerous pass
Tielemans is a good talker and it’s easy to see why Emery insists his best quality is mental rather than passing. “From an early age, I always had a good heart,” he says. That’s why he has the courage to risk losing the ball when he has it.
Of all the Premier League midfield players, only Bruno Fernandes has played more passes that bypassed at least four opponents over the past two seasons. Tielemans is ranked among the top players to successfully complete a through ball, but he also ranks among the highest in players to fail to complete a through ball.
Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans plays a lot of passes that bypass opponents
Not everyone has the strength to keep trying passes that cut through defenses while the crowd groans when a pass goes awry. “Sometimes you lose the ball, but it’s the next action and trying to help the team move up the pitch,” he explains.
“You don’t have to force stupid passes, which I have done and will continue to do from time to time, but you have to find the right balance between playing forward and playing laterally or backwards.” Both are effective, but you need players who can do both.
“When you play sideways or backwards, sometimes you create space by pulling your opponent in so you can play forward. If it’s not on, it’s not on. But I try to look forward as much as possible.” Is that still his original thought? “Yes, always,” he insists.
Path sent with message
It is essential to have players who are willing to start running. It was McGinn’s movement that made the through ball possible against Forest. But it was Tielemans’ pass that essentially demanded the move. “The path always contains a message.”
That’s something we amateurs might miss. Morgan Rodgers receiving the ball on the half-turn and running toward the defense was a hallmark of the season. However, players often pick him out with passes by adding invisible details.
Youri Tielemans’ desire to pass zonally and forward
“For me to play with his left foot means he has to turn in that direction. Morgan, with his quality, can turn in any direction and he understands that where I pass the ball is the direction he has to turn and there’s space there so that’s the way we need to go.”
“I’m referring to Morgan, but Leicester had James Maddison, who could turn between the lines and always be ready to receive the ball and attack in the right direction. Emi Buendia can do that easily. So can John McGinn.”
“John’s size allows him to keep anyone at bay, which makes it easier to pass between the lines because I know they will keep the ball and help us move forward. So having good team-mates like this helps me as well.”
adapt to different roles
If this extraordinary vision was a natural result of some sort of radar built into the football pitch, Tielemans’ growing defensive acumen would take even longer to develop. Emery demands a lot from Villa’s playmaker, as he uses him in two very different but very specific roles.
Sometimes he is asked to do both in the same game. He started in a deeper role alongside Boubacar Kamara against Chelsea, and with the arrival of Amadou Onana he moved into a more advanced No. 10 position. That helped Villa turn the game around.
“They have different roles, different responsibilities, but I like both of them very much and the manager has found a good balance between me starting in that number 10 position or just doing it towards the end of the game where I might need to attack a little bit more.”
Youri Tielemans’ minutes at Aston Villa by position show his different roles
Interestingly, while some might think the number 10 role would give him more freedom, Tielemans has suggested that being deployed further forward actually makes his defensive responsibilities more difficult. There too he has to defend and attack at the same time.
“Offensively, you have to go every time,” he points out. “You have to support the striker, but defensively it becomes more demanding because you have to manage the pressing, the centre-halves and the number six who drops in to get the ball.
“A lot of times you’re in a three-on-two position, but in central midfield you’re often in that zone and only occasionally do you need to press.
“In central midfield you obviously have to do a defensive job, but offensively you don’t necessarily have to be in the box and attack. So the demands are a bit less demanding, but when you play in central midfield there’s more positional play.”
“I want to aim even higher.”
In any case, Tielemans is thriving. He missed most of the fall due to injury, which he described as a “setback,” but he has definitely found his rhythm again. “I’m feeling really good and I want to keep it that way for the rest of the season,” he says.
He has already made 642 appearances, but he doesn’t necessarily appreciate it being pointed out that Arsenal’s replacement Jamaldine Jimoh-Aloba was celebrating his seventh birthday on the day of his Champions League debut.
“I feel young. I feel fresh! I’m very grateful for this journey. Now I’m looking forward to the remaining games. As you say, I’ve already played a lot of games. I’m just trying to be natural and talk about my experience and give that experience to the young players.”
Wednesday, January 7th 6pm
7:30pm kickoff
How far can I get to Aston Villa?
“We all know how far we’ve come since the start of the season to where we are now and how well we’ve done to turn things around. We want to get a positive result and maintain our current form to finish the season in a high place.”
“It would be great if we could finish even higher this season.”
But Youri Tielemans makes it easy to achieve a stunning look.
