Credit: Tung Manh Phan, Breaking Media

James Barker

Sun 26 April 2026 19:10, UK

Ezri Konsa once again posted superb passing stats in Aston Villa‘s defeat to Fulham, but he continues to fall short in doing the nasty side of defending well.

The 28-year-old has been an integral part of Aston Villa’s defence this season, as he has been pretty much ever since he signed from Brentford in the summer of 2019.

He’s started all 32 of his Premier League appearances in 2025-26 so far, and looks certain to be part of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad with England this summer.

Konsa has largely been good this season, excelling as one of the better ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League.

But, with four league games to play, it’s the other side of his defensive game that needs some work, which was proven in Saturday’s loss to Fulham.

How good has Ezri Konsa been in possession for Aston Villa?

In the modern era of football, it doesn’t matter where you play, if you want to reach the top of the game or turn out in a top division, you have to be able to play with the ball at your feet.

The no-nonsense central defender is no longer fashionable to most teams and managers at the highest level, with many gaffers wanting their defensive unit to practically be a deeper midfield line.

Konsa is often lauded for his passing ability, however, and that’s really helped him establish himself as one of the better and most widely-adored central defenders in the Premier League.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Konsa’s lowest passing accuracy rate in a single top flight season has been 86 per cent, with him currently enjoying his highest success rate in that period in 2025-26 with a staggering 95 per cent accuracy rate.

The England international also averages 71.7 touches per game this term, whilst also registering a 92 per cent passing accuracy in the opposition half and a 97 per cent rate in his own half respectively.

He loses possession an average of just 3.8 times per match too, and has made just one error leading to a goal this season, showing just how good he is in possession.

Konsa needs to show he can do the dirty work better

However, for as brilliant as Konsa is and has been as a ball-playing centre-back once again this season, he’s on a current run of form in the physical department of defending that is alarming.

As per Sofascore, Konsa hasn’t won a single tackle in any of his last six appearances in all competitions, which dates back to Villa’s 3-1 loss to Man United on 15 March.

Against Fulham last time out, he won only one ground and aerial duel, whilst against Sunderland in the game prior to that, he again won just one aerial duel and two ground duels respectively.

Over the two Europa League quarter-final legs with Bologna, Konsa won a combined three ground duels and just two aerial duels as well, whilst the games against West Ham and Man United saw him fail to win any in either of those areas respectively.

If Aston Villa are indeed to get back in the Champions League for next season, then if Konsa isn’t able to improve in this side of his defensive game, then Europe’s best forward players won’t fear coming up against him.