Aston Villa star who won 75% duels was the shining light for Unai Emery vs Everton
After qualifying for Europe last term, Aston Villa are playing catch-up in their quest to replicate those heroics in 2025/26.
Aston Villa drew 0-0 with Everton on Saturday, extending their winless and goalless start to the campaign after drawing blanks against Newcastle, Brentford and Crystal Palace.
The Villans have looked toothless in attack, with Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins among the players struggling to hit the heights of last season.
Equally, Unai Emery’s men haven’t looked comfortable in defence, as Troy Deeney slammed Tyrone Mings for his ‘terrible’ start to the game against the Toffees.
However, whilst Mings is one of multiple players yet to cover himself in glory in 2025/26, one of his teammates can hold his head high.
Lamare Bogarde was quality for Aston Villa against Everton
In a match of rare quality performers in claret and blue, Lamare Bogarde proved why he can be an invaluable player for Emery this term.
Capable of playing across multiple positions, including as a centre-back, right-back and midfielder, Bogarde was deployed centrally against Everton and didn’t look out of place.
The 21-year-old set the tempo in the middle of the park alongside Youri Tielemans with his intensity off the ball and ability to break lines with his passing.
Lamare Bogarde’s stats vs Everton
- 83 minutes played
- 29/30 passes completed (97%)
- 9/12 duels won (75%)
- 4 fouls drawn
- 3 clearances
- 3 tackles
- 1 shot blocked
Impressively, Bogarde only misplaced one of his 30 passes and won nine of his 12 duels while making three tackles and drawing four fouls.
Although Emery has mainly deployed the versatile youngster at right-back, he has proven that midfield is a position he can thrive in.
What Bogarde has said about Unai Emery
Emery is someone who values versatility from his players, which explains why Bogarde is now a prominent part of his plans.
Unsurprisingly, the talented Dutchman has previously paid compliments to the Spaniard, labelling him a ‘genius’ after sticking to his word of not loaning him out in 2024.
“I had already talked to clubs, but when we put that down at Villa, Emery said: he’s with us now, I want to see him at work,” Bogarde said via Voetbal Primeur.
“Emery is a man of his word, because he really gave his chance. If I had to describe him with one word, I think it would be ‘football genius’. He really loves the game. He analyses every game to the second and is really obsessed with football. He knows what he’s doing, and you can really see that.”
In a campaign where Villa will be competing across multiple competitions, Bogarde’s availability will be crucial.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Aston Villa news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @villanews247