Bertrand Traore has no future in Steven Gerrard's system

Bertrand Traore was left on the bench as Aston Villa drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon. The 26-year-old has amassed only 21 minutes of Premier League football since early-January and isn’t getting a look-in under Steven Gerrard.

Villa have lined up in a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-1-2 formation under Gerrard, packing the midfield in a narrow shape rather than opting for width, so wingers like Traore aren’t getting opportunities.

The Burkina Faso international has made only nine appearances in all competitions this season, failing to score or make an assist, so he may not have a future in the Midlands.

Traore has eight goals and seven assists from 47 games since joining Villa on a four-year deal from Olympique Lyonnais in 2020, but he’s now been reduced to an unused substitute.  

Unless Gerrard makes a change to his tactics, the 26-year-old doesn’t stand a chance of getting his starting place back, so might a move this summer be on the cards?

Traore contributed 15 goals from 38 games last season but appears to be surplus to requirements now – 180 minutes of Premier League football this campaign and only three league outings since the turn of the year.

Gerrard prefers Matty Cash and Lucas Digne providing the width while Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia are central playmakers, so wingers don’t have a place in his system.

In other news, Matty Cash defended well v Crystal Palace