View: Boubacar Kamara arrival could see John McGinn become attacking threat for Aston Villa
Steven Gerrard may release the shackles off Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara will handle most of the defensive work.
If the manager wants to play a three-man midfield and deploy Phillips Coutinho out wide, McGinn can play the Mezzala role for them.
This means that the Scotland international will receive the ball in the half spaces and carry it into the box or play forward passes right into the final third.
In the image below, McGinn receives the ball from a throw-in and can easily square the ball to Jacob Ramsey (Number 41).
However, that would’ve seen a barrage of Chelsea players running towards him and that would kill the attack.
Instead, the Scotland international decides to take both Chelsea players on himself and manages to play in a cross that almost founds its man inside the box.
In another instance against Wolves, he receives the ball with an opposition player running in his direction.
Generally, defensive-minded players take a touch in this situation and play the ball back to one of the defenders.
However, McGinn made the most of the contact and turned the Wolves player to find himself in space without letting him touch the ball.
He now has an exposed defence ahead of him and his teammates running into the channels waiting for him to pick the pass.
The 27-year-old is arguably the most talented player in the Villa ranks and we’re certainly going to be seeing him closer to the final third next season.
In other Aston Villa news, manager Steven Gerrard is very keen to bring Liverpool defender Joe Gomez to the club.