Individual errors making Sherwood’s position untenable
Published:
Two sides met at Stamford Bridge on Saturday very much in need of a confidence boost. Unfortunately for the visitors, Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa meant manager Tim Sherwood faced yet more questions over his future.
Ladbrokes now make the former Tottenham boss 1/2 favourite to be the next casualty in the Premier League with Steve McClaren, the other downtrodden tactician in the division, at 4/1 and still to play his latest fixture with Newcastle.
Reports in the Sunday press that former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes would “find it very difficult to turn down” the Midlands club should they come calling only add more pressure to Sherwood.
Whether the former Premier League-winning captain sees out the coming weeks on the sideline, let alone the season, will naturally depend on his results. If those are to improve then the individual errors that are littering Villa’s game need to stop.
Against the Blues, Brad Guzan’s distribution and a general sloppiness in possession aided the hosts’ two goals. Sherwood labelled the second flukey, but the chance only presented itself once Villa gave the ball away in their own third.
Guzan’s poor decision making when starting attacks has been a problem since the end of last season and the uncertainty the team are showing on the ball is a by product of their overall form and league position.
It’s telling that the only top-flight side to have made more defensive errors this season is Liverpool, who of course sacked Brendan Rodgers before the international break.
His bravado and style makes him football’s management’s Marmite, but whether you sympathise or revel in his misery it cannot be denied Sherwood is being let down by his players at the moment.
After the defeat in west London, the former Blackburn captain insisted he will keep swinging until he finds a way out from the corner he’s penned in, but if his players continue to make errors he won’t have the chance.
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