Natalia Arroyo's Aston Villa: Formation, style of play and key players
Tactical deep dives on all 12 Barclays Women's Super League sides from The Cutback and Football Manager
The Cutback has partnered with Football Manager to deliver a series of articles that go deeper on the tactics and gameplay of the world’s leading football management simulation game ahead of Football Manager 26’s release.
This year, women’s football features in Football Manager for the very first time, so to get fans ready for a brand new experience, The Cutback has put together the ultimate insights on FM26. Find out about the secrets of building FM26, dive into the tactical details of all 12 Barclays Women’s Super League sides and hear about the next gen talent that will feature in the game.
The next team to be profiled in this deep dives series is Aston Villa.
Formation
Under Robert De Pauw, Villa typically alternated between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3, which provided balance but often left them struggling to keep a decent control of central areas, especially against stronger opposition. The appointment of Natalia Arroyo marked a decisive tactical shift.
Arroyo initially experimented briefly with a 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 formation, the latter particularly used to crowd the middle against narrow teams like Manchester United. However, she eventually settled on a 3-4-1-2 as her most common set up.
This system is built around Rachel Daly, who previously acted as a pure target-forward, but under Arroyo has become an attacking midfielder. Daly now operates in deeper areas to link play and improve ball progression, while still enjoying the license to surge into the box late, arriving from the second line and becoming more difficult for centre-backs to track. Ahead of her, two quick and tireless forwards, typically Kirsty Hanson and Ebony Salmon, stretch defences with direct runs in behind and aggressive 1v1 play, keeping the width high when needed and making the shape resemble a 3-4-3 after prolonged possession. The back 3 are proactive, with the outside centre-backs encouraged to step forward to support the press and aid ball circulation when needed.
The wing-backs reflect different player profiles: Noelle Maritz, a natural full-back, offers more balance on the left, while on the right Chasity Grant (a converted winger) provides a more attacking outlet.
In midfield, Villa lacks a traditional holding pivot but compensates with technical quality. Players such as Missy Bo Kearns, and Jill Baijings provide passing range and energy. However, the absence of a natural zonal shield occasionally exposes the space between midfield and defence. Occasionally, Arroyo has turned to a two-striker partnership featuring a quicker runner alongside a poacher like Gabi Nunes. This setup, used against more physical pressing sides, gives Villa an extra outlet for direct passes when building under pressure.
In possession: Arroyo has instilled a brave, gegenpressing identity, but one that does not depend on always dominating the ball. Villa look to progress quickly, using Daly as a playmaking hub while the two strikers threaten space behind. Despite averaging lower possession figures, the system is extremely efficient at creating high-value chances. For instance, in the 5–2 home win over Arsenal they registered only 35% of possession, but their aggressive pressing and fast transitions proved decisive. Against Brighton (3–1 at home) they had 50%, and against Tottenham away (3-2 win) just 46%. Yet Villa are also capable of controlling games, such as against West Ham or Liverpool, where they recorded 55–60% possession. Not coincidentally, these performances came when Villa lined up with a three-player midfield against teams using a 2+1 structure, allowing them to exploit numerical superiority and win the battle in central areas.
The first distribution is rapid and direct, with wide areas often being targeted by centre-backs or even by goal kicks. The signing of Ellie Roebuck, formerly England’s national goalkeeper, should enhance both shot-stopping and build-up options, adding more reliability when playing short. Progression frequently flows through the flanks: wing-backs like Grant provide depth in the half-spaces, receiving first-time passes from midfielders. This approach was visible in Salmon’s decisive goal versus Brighton and in the winning strike against West Ham, both born from fast combinations through lateral channels. Daly’s role remains central: she operates in between the lines to facilitate short combinations, but she can also trigger direct attacks with long passes to runners beyond her.
Out of possession: Villa defend in a compact 5-2-1-2, with the wing-backs dropping deep and the attacking midfielder actively contributing by closing down opposition pivots. One striker may also drift wide to track full-backs, though ideally both stay advanced to remain a counterattacking threat. The pressing shape often resembles a 3-3-2-2, with the two strikers locking onto the opposing centre-backs while Daly and the more box-to-box midfielder, Missy Bo Kearns, press the double pivot, forcing play wide or back to the goalkeeper. From there, Villa either win the ball high or channels the opponent into long passes against their three centre-backs. This approach has been particularly useful against 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 setups, creating natural man-marking duels across midfield. This structure proved especially effective in the 5–2 home victory over Arsenal, where their high pressing repeatedly forced turnovers close to the opponent’s box, directly producing three of the five goals.
The midfield still lacks a pure holding presence, which leaves potential weaknesses in protecting the zone between midfield and defence. However, the back three provide extra cover compared to the first part of the season, and Bo Kearns’ development has been important, further aiding the team. Like many back-three systems, Villa are occasionally exposed in wide defensive zones.
The 2–2 draw against West Ham highlighted this flaw, with the Hammers exploiting quick 1-2 combinations in the channels between wing-backs and outside centre-backs. Still, the team’s collective work rate and improved defensive rotations have limited the damage compared to the De Pauw era. What has remained, however, is their vulnerability at the far post, especially when defending aerial situations after rapid switches of play. This issue was evident in the first half of the season, when back-to-back goals conceded against Tottenham and Brighton came from diagonal balls behind the right wing-back, followed by first-time passes converted by the opposing striker. It reappeared in the second half of the campaign as well, most notably in the 0–4 home defeat to Manchester United, where three of the goals stemmed from poor aerial coverage at the back post. While part of the problem may lie in personnel, it is clearly an area that requires improvement.
Key players:
Rachel Daly – Villa’s captain and the undisputed leader of the side, Rachel Daly brings both tactical intelligence and international pedigree. A versatile attacker who can operate as a forward, attacking midfielder and even fullback, she has seamlessly adapted to her deeper role under Arroyo, where she contributes to build-up play while still posing a major goal threat with her late runs into the box. Her 2022-23 WSL Golden Boot win with Villa has shown her capacity to deliver consistently at the highest level, and her experience with the England national team further reinforces her status as the reference point for Villa’s attack, and as a role model for younger teammates.
Chastity Grant – Grant has emerged as Villa’s secondary goalscoring outlet, finishing last season as the club’s second-highest scorer despite frequently starting from wing-back. Quick and direct, she thrives in carrying the ball at speed, combining dribbling ability with the stamina to cover the entire flank. Her capacity to cut inside and unleash powerful shots makes her a multi-dimensional threat, while her international experience with the Netherlands adds further pedigree. Grant’s dual role, contributing both defensively as a wing-back and offensively as an auxiliary forward, is a key element of Villa’s attacking balance.
Lucy Parker – Parker provides the defensive backbone of the team and has established herself as a leader at the back. She’s only managed three appearances in the WSL this season due to injury, but Parker is sure to become a vital player in the second half of the season.
Having recently signed a contract extension, she represents a long-term cornerstone of Villa’s project. Comfortable in both a back three and a back four, Parker is vital in the first phase of build-up, thanks to her composure and range of passing, both short and long. She also contributes aerially, being reliable in duels and effective on set pieces, recording one goal and two assists last season. Her growing influence has been recognised at an international level too, with call-ups for England confirming her development into a reliable and versatile defender.
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