View: Carney Chukwuemeka can unlock Aston Villa X-Factor in 2022/23
Aston Villa appeared to have lost their attacking spark towards the end of the 2021-22 campaign and they need to find it again in pre-season.
A major part of the problem was down to a very tired midfield department and you could tell they were almost running on empty as there was never any runs from deep to break a stubborn defence.
One player who could change all that for Steven Gerrard is 18-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka after a handful of substitute appearances last term.
The Daily Mail had reported that the England Under-19 international was a transfer target for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on 22 March but nothing has come of that since and his performances for the young Three Lions may have a large part to play in that.
In England’s latest 2-0 win over Austria’s Under-19s side, Chukwuemeka scored and assisted in a man-of-the-match display but it was his sheer energy that caught the eye.
In this instance, he had all the time in the world to pass the ball sideways in an easy move but he never considered it, instead opting to play a short, sharp pass into the feet of the attacker.
Most of Aston Villa’s midfielders would have left it at that if they had made that pass, choosing to stand still and watch the attackers try to create a chance to shoot.
Chukwuemeka though would not just stand there and watch so he glided into the penalty area, ready to receive a return ball but that never came as Harvey Vale hit the post.
It’s not just without the ball where the teenager’s movement has caught the eye either. Here, the Villans’ wonderkid was surrounded by Austrian defenders but rather than panic to get the ball away, he charged towards the byline and tried to cross.
That directness and confidence needs to be utilised by Gerrard and if his senior midfielders can’t get it together, then Chukwuemeka has to be given more chances to shine in the Premier League next season.
In other Aston Villa news, the latest reports claim that Gerrard will not raid his former club to sign this international midfielder this summer.