Aston Villa: Jamie Redknapp wowed by what ‘tremendous’ Ezri Konsa did in win v Wolves
Ezri Konsa put in yet another excellent performance for Aston Villa against Wolves on Saturday (30 March).
The England international started the game at right-back and registered his first goal of the campaign when he doubled Villa’s lead in the second half following Moussa Diaby’s opening goal.
The 26-year-old was instrumental in helping Unai Emery’s side pick up the three points over their West Midlands rivals, with the scoreline ending 2-0 at Villa Park.
His performance caught the eye of Jamie Redknapp in the Sky Sports studio after the game, with the pundit praising his “tremendous” work ethic and applauding him for the contribution he made during the recent international break with England.
“He might find with injuries that he might end up being England’s right-back,” said Redknapp. “I think he’d rather play centre-back with his capabilities, but I think he’s shown he’s a versatile player.
“He’s got a great appetite for the game. He’s also got a lot of desire, tremendous work ethic, what a week for him.”
There is no doubt that Konsa has certainly strengthened his chances of being called up by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate for the European Championships this summer.
He put in a strong performance off the bench in his debut against Brazil before backing that up with another solid display in his first start against Belgium.
The defender then capped off what has been a memorable week for him with his first goal of the campaign in the victory over Wolves.
Although there has been some debate over whether he meant to lob Jose Sa, it’s his name that’s been registered on the scoresheet after the ball crept over the line after hitting the post.
It wasn’t just that strike that ensured Konsa earned the plaudits, though, as he put in a superb performance to help limit the threats posed by the Wanderers attackers.
He was handed a 7.7 rating by SofaScore – the second-highest score behind Diaby – after winning five of his eight ground duels, alongside making one tackle and one interception.
The defender was extremely tidy in possession, having recorded an impressive 94 per cent pass success rate and finding a teammate with his only cross of the game.
He was also fouled four times as he caused a threat going forward and found the target with 50 per cent of his shots during the game.
It’s clear that Konsa is going to be vital in Villa’s push for the Champions League as the club face a huge few weeks following what has so far been a great season at Villa Park.
In other Aston Villa news, a broadcaster has shared the likelihood of Villa making a £64million double signing.
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