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Moussa Diaby branded 'nightmare for defenders' after Aston Villa displays
Moussa Diaby’s recent displays early into his Aston Villa career have earned him a reputation for causing trouble for opposition defenders, with his creativity and threat becoming apparent.
Sunday People journalist Neil Moxley singled Diaby out for praise when speaking to GIVEMESPORT [6 November] as he claimed he can be a “nightmare for defenders” and was worth every penny of his £50million fee.
Diaby has three goals and three assists in his first 11 games of the season and has played as a partner for Ollie Watkins in Unai Emery’s system, proving to be a clever investment so far.
In recent games, the Frenchman has put on somewhat of a creative masterclass in his secondary role alongside Watkins who is the main attacking outlet of the two strikers and the most consistent source of goals at Villa Park.
Diaby’s last three appearances in the Premier League have come against Nottingham Forest, Luton and West Ham, and across those three games, he has made nine key passes, created two big chances, and attempted five shots with his creativity going forward proving difficult to handle. [Sofascore]
His four key passes even in defeat to Nottingham Forest show the consistency of the level he is playing at, and the impact he can have on this Aston Villa team under Emery.
The forward is also ranked in the 89th percentile for non-penalty expected goals when compared to other forwards in the Big Five leagues, where he also ranks in the 85th percentile for assists and the 88th for shots. [FBref]
Diaby has been living up to his “nightmare” reputation so far at Villa Park, and defenders will not relish playing against him, with his mixture of speed and trickery, as well as the ability to pick out passes and create for his teammates, creating a deadly forward.
In other Aston Villa news, one Villa star is in the “form of his career” this season.