Ezri Konsa Aston Villa position should have ‘stability’ amid ‘absolutely brilliant’ form
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Ezri Konsa should remain in his preferred centre-back position rather than be shifted to right-back, according to Dan Bardell.
The Englishman has enjoyed sparkling form under Unai Emery since the Spaniard’s arrival last season, earning himself a new long-term contract (official website, 20 September) to keep him at Villa Park for the foreseeable future. The 25-year-old has emerged as a mainstay of the team and helped his club back to European football as part of a resolute defensive effort towards the end of last season.
Positionally, Emery has been happy to move Konsa around in the backline. While naturally a centre-back, the former Brentford man has often been deployed as a right-back or the right-sided defender in a back three.
Bardell says he would be “loathed” to see Konsa play at right-back too often at Aston Villa, urging Emery to keep him as the stable option at centre-back, especially considering the long-term absence of Tyrone Mings and his exceptional form in this position over the last 12 months.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “I’d be loathed to see Konsa spend too much time at right-back. With Mings out, I want the stability of having him there at centre-back.
“I’m happy to have him at the club. I had my worries 12 months ago and was quite critical of him, but in the last year he’s been absolutely brilliant.”
In other Aston Villa news, the club are reportedly willing to double this Real Madrid star’s wages to bring him to the Premier League.