Why Joao Gomes' biggest Wolves weakness can prove to be Aston Villa's strength

Joao Gomes will be hoping to push Aston Villa to the next level.

The Villa Park outfit are already looking like a much different side heading into next season, and Unai Emery will be looking to Gomes to set midfield standards.

With Onana set for a prolonged period on the sidelines, and Youri Tielemans' departure, Gomes is primed for a key role.

But, at Molineux, the Brazilian did have one trait that could be viewed as quite the weakness.

His numbers in one area last season have placed him among the top two in the Premier League.

And while at first glance, this stat could be a concern, Emery will find it to be quite valuable.

Joao Gomes' fouling numbers are not a flaw for Aston Villa

In the Premier League last season, Gomes' disciplinary record was not the best.

Over the course of the season, he accumulated 10 yellow cards and ranked in second for most fouls committed (69) as per Sofascore.

Only Brentford's Igor Thiago (73) had more fouls.

However, while that may be a stat seen as a flaw, due to Aston Villa's high-pressing intensity it could be an asset.

That level of aggression points to a midfielder that can cover plenty of ground and has a willingness to stop attacks.

If Aston Villa are to play on the front-foot, having those types of players that can disrupt the opposition will be key.

So, while Gomes may commit plenty of fouls, for a team that could be open to counter-attacks, that would prove to be a valuable trait.

At Aston Villa News we have also reported on Gomes' elite ball-winning qualities.

But, while those two traits will be key, there will still need to be work on one part of his game that affects both of those attributes.

Why Unai Emery still has work to do with Gomes

Gomes' fouling can be a positive, but his number of yellow cards will be an issue.

Gomes can be guilty of over stepping the mark sometimes, and Emery will have to try to instill a little bit of disclipine into his game.

However, he should not attempt to take away the aggression the Brazilian shows in his game; rather, he should nurture it.

Gomes must learn to be selective with his fouling, rather than give the referee an easy decision to make by handing him a yellow card.

Fouls in the middle of the pitch can be vital to allow a team to reshape their defensive structure.

If Emery can manage to improve that part of Gomes' game, his clear weakness at Wolves would turn into a key strength for the Villans.