Dan Bardell exclusive: Leander Dendoncker in defence at Aston Villa only in emergencies
We’re delighted to welcome The Athletic’s Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Leander Dendoncker is unlikely to feature in defence for Aston Villa despite playing there for Belgium at the World Cup, says Dan Bardell.
The deadline day signing from Wolves was selected by Red Devils boss Roberto Martinez to start in a back three for their opening group game against Canada on Wednesday (23 November), although Bardell wasn’t impressed with the line up.
He feels that the 27-year-old’s versatility will be useful for a manager like Unai Emery but doesn’t expect to see him push ahead of regular starters Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, despite the injury of Diego Carlos.
“I think in an emergency you’d see him come in [in defence],” Bardell exclusively told Villa News.
“Even without Carlos Villa have got four centre-backs when they’re all fit. They’ve still got [Calum] Chambers and [Roman] Bednarek who’ve barely played at all this season.
“It’s been Konsa and Mings since Carlos went out.
“We know Emery likes to tweak things and change his system. You could see [Dendoncker] if Villa went to a back three.
“But it’s not his best position, that’s as a defensive midfielder in a two, breaking up the play, picking up good positions and keeping it simple.
“Although Belgium won [against Canada] I thought their team selection was a little bit all over the place. An attacking midfielder playing at left wing-back, a left-sided centre-back who is old and hasn’t got the pace to play on the side of a back three, and Dendoncker who’s a midfielder playing on the other side.
“Belgium were quite disjointed and I think a lot of that was to do with team selection.
“But more and more in the modern game is good to have multipurpose players.
“Especially with the manager Villa have got now, having people who can play different positions will probably come into play more than if they’d kept Steven Gerrard.”
Dendoncker has made eight appearances since he arrived at Villa Park but rarely as anything more than a cameo off the bench.
That may change now that Emery has replaced Gerrard, but it seems pretty unlikely that he is going to find more minutes in the back line.
The dearth of quality defenders in the Belgian set up below the age of 30 has obviously benefited the Villa man, but he is surely better utilised in midfield.
In other Aston Villa news, Morgan Sanson isn’t finished at the club under the new manager says Alan Hutton.