Slowly does it! Steven Gerrard goes back to basics at Aston Villa

Villa entered the international break on a high after following up an impressive draw against Manchester City with last Friday’s 1-0 win over Southampton.

Gerrard found himself under increasing scrutiny after his team lost four of their opening five Premier League fixtures and the boss has now admitted he was perhaps guilty of trying to make them too expansive, too quickly, after a summer which saw significant change in his coaching staff.

Long-serving assistant Michael Beale left to become QPR’s new manager and was replaced by Blackpool boss Neil Critchley, who then missed the pre-season tour to Australia due to passport issues.

Gerrard said: “The change of coach wasn’t ideal, it never is. You lose a coach you have worked so long with, that you are so comfortable around.

“Then we bring another top coach in who wants to move forward quickly, who wants to take the team where everyone sees it. I am the same, I want to move forward just as quickly.

“Sometimes you have to stop and think and analyse. Sometimes it takes maybe a step back or a bit more patience to get where you want to. If it means we have to do that, we will do it. Where we have been in the league is not where we want to be.”

The pragmatic approach has generally served Gerrard well since he replaced Dean Smith in the Villa Park hotseat last November. Of the 12 Premier League wins during his reign, eight have included a clean sheet, with Villa only winning once after conceding first.

Gerrard added: “From a personal point of view I have maybe been guilty of trying to move it forward too quickly.

“You have an idea in your head of how you want it to look, how you want to play. Maybe it is a slower process, maybe it is going to take a little more time.”