Aston Villa: Ezri Konsa England verdict shared as defender goes under the radar
Ezri Konsa’s performances for Aston Villa this season should allow him to keep his place in the England squad ahead of the European Championships, according to Ty Bracey.
The defender has been one of the standouts of a great season under Unai Emery despite often playing out of position.
Now a full England international, Konsa has featured heavily as a right-back this campaign and has taken to the new role with ease.
This was recognised by Gareth Southgate in the most recent international break as he was handed two caps against Brazil and Belgium.
His performances matched those he had shown for his club but there is no guarantee of him keeping his spot in the tournament squad.
Bracey believes that he should be rewarded for his performances over many years with a place on the plane, but isn’t completely confident.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bracey said: “I don’t want to say he’s nailed on to be in the squad because you never know with Gareth Southgate but he’s having a great season.
“I think he’s had a great few seasons it’s just gone under the radar a little bit but this year we’re pushing up the table so Gareth Southgate has no choice but to have eyes on him and I think that place in the England squad would be warranted so it’s massive for him.
“I’d like to see him more at centre-back than right back but again, I’m happy.”
How good has Ezri Konsa been for Aston Villa?
Konsa signed for the Villans in 2020 from Brentford for £12m [BBC] and has proved to be excellent value for money.
The defender has gone on to make 178 appearances since making the move and has gotten better year after year.
This has been especially apparent under Emery who has improved him as a ball-playing centre-back and right-back.
This is proved by the fact he has completed 3.71 progressive passes, 0.53 successful take-ons and 91.9% pass accuracy per 90 on average [Fbref].
These stats all point to a defender who is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet and is superb when he moves forward with it.
It is fair to say that Villa fans will share Bracey’s sentiment that they would rather see him play as a central defender on a regular basis.
With links to a new right back in the summer, the chance for Konsa to return to the heart of the Villa defence next season is there.
In other Aston Villa news, Lee Hendrie praised one Villa star after he “ruffled some feathers” versus Man City.
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