Chance for Nicolo Zaniolo to force Unai Emery transfer decision at Aston Villa as Jacob Ramsey news emerges in last 24 hours
A fresh timeline on the expected injury absence of Jacob Ramsey has now emerged meaning there’s now a critical chance for Nicolo Zaniolo to force Unai Emery into a swift Aston Villa decision.
Telegraph journalist Matt Law, taking to his personal Twitter account (6 October) believes Ramsey will be out for multiple months and the early suggestions are that it could be a six-week absence.
The 22-year-old will be out due to the recurrence of his metatarsal injury although that’s not understood to be as significant as the initial setback.
Law wrote on Twitter, “Hope around Jacob Ramsey that he won’t be out for another 2/3 months. Recurrence of metatarsal injury not thought to be as significant as initial injury. Some suggestion it could be more like six weeks.”
While the 22-year-old may be deemed as a more advanced midfielder, he’s also played at number eight on numerous occasions and out-wide when Emery favours a rigid but fluid counter approach which Ramsey performed to devastating effect last season.
His stats when compared to other midfielders in Europe, make for impressive reading and Emery will certainly miss his game-changing abilities.
According to the Opta-powered stats on FBREF, Ramsey looks to be one of the most-rounded midfielders in the Premier League, sitting in the top 20% of his counterparts for goals (0.21 per 90) and assists (0.18 per 90).
He also impressively sits in the 96th percentile for non-penalty goals per90, 94th percentile for assists per90, 94th for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 – such contributions in the box have been missing which has certainly impacted Ollie Watkins’ early-season form.
He also averages 3.71 progressive carries per 90 minutes which puts him in the top two per cent and his touches in the attacking penalty box are in the top five per cent.
Even when compared to number 10s and wingers, his work off the ball is commendable and it’s why Emery and Aston Villa will sorely miss him while he faces more weeks out.
However, the Spaniard has a certain solution in the form of on-loan Galatasaray forward Zaniolo who can also perform the roles that Ramsey has performed on occasion for Emery.
Though, it’s been a rather struggling bedding-in period for the Italian international who has so far failed to set Villa Park alight on a consistent basis.
One of his worst performances came in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on 16 September where he won just four of his 12 total duels, barely touched the ball with just 37 touches to his name and 14/18 out of successful passes, completed just one of his four dribbles at a 25% success rate while also losing possession of the ball 15 times [SofaScore].
Against Brighton on 30 September in a 6-1 win, it was a similar trend, barely touching the ball for his team with 20 touches, completing just three of his passes and failing to complete any of his four dribbles, won one of his 13 ground duels at a dreadful rate of 7%, lost possession of the ball eleven times and registered zero key passes also giving away four fouls [SofaScore].
Given he only just signed on the dotted line at Villa Park, Zaniolo still has a lot of acclimatising to do to get to grips with life in the West Midlands and such form may well have been as a result of him not assured of guaranteed minutes in a Villa shirt, with Ramsey returning to full fitness.
However, now with the Villa Park fan favourite out for another extended period, that now gives Zaniolo some respite to gain the consistency he needs to deliver every week for the Villans.
He impressed in the 1-0 win over Bulgarian outfit Zrinjski in the Europa Conference League on Thursday (5 October), registering two key passes, and winning three duels but still barely touched the ball throughout his 90 minutes on the pitch with just 35 touches [SofaScore] but it was an encouraging showing, more so than his last two starts, prior.
With Ramsey out of action, Zaniolo can now enjoy a run of games and it may be his chance to force Emery into an immediate transfer decision to make his loan agreement permanent, especially with Aston Villa suffering from a lack of quantity in attack.
What an opportunity for the Italian to make his name again.
In other Aston Villa news, an Aston Villa Women defender has been handed a club honour following the exit of one player.