It was a summer of change for Aston Villa. We saw new faces arrive and one notable face depart, but it was also all change off the pitch with John Terry and Richard O’Kelly moving on, and Austin MacPhee and Aaron Danks arriving in the dugout.
MacPhee was certainly an interesting one having been predominantly employed as a set piece specialist and we are already seeing subtle tweaks to our dead ball play to good effect.
After all, Kortney Hause’s winner against Manchester United at the weekend was from a corner.
https://twitter.com/VillaViews_/status/1441779812486553600
It’s fair to say there was some scepticism when he first arrived, but the impact MacPhee has had added to his passionate stance on the sidelines (maybe it’s just the beard?) has definitely seen Villans quickly warm to him and one eager eyed fan spotted him doing his homework on Saturday.
No coincidence that he was measuring up the corners 15 mins before kick off pic.twitter.com/0dieximueY
— Beavo 💜💙 (@Beavilicious) September 25, 2021
Small details and small margins, but I think this Tweet sums it up nicely.
https://twitter.com/BenTebbutt3/status/1441780603364380675
As does this post from Vital Villa forum member danvilla2.
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MacPhee has been one of the signings of the season.
People are seeing the goals we’re creating from chances where we isolate big men and nod it back across, and that’s just a part of it. The way we’re setting up from throw-ins, for example – attacking and defending – is a level above anything I’ve seen.
I’ve noticed it at the home games and watching the United game now, we’re much more orchestrated than anything I’ve ever witnessed, where everyone is starting from positionally, is a very detailed exercise, and it’s how we are able to stay in games with top teams.
The guy is a revelation and he’s a thoroughly top bloke from personal experience of bumping into him.
