Unai Emery must withdraw ‘class’ Aston Villa ace, who had less touches than Emi Martinez against Young Boys.
Aston Villa had many positives in their victory over Young Boys on Tuesday night, but one player struggled in Switzerland.
Unai Emery’s team started well in the Champions League, winning 3-0 against Young Boys thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey, and Amadou Onana.
Aston Villa had some time to adjust to the artificial field, but once they did, the Swiss team struggled to keep up with their rapid pace and offensive capabilities.
Youri Tielemans was named Man of the Match against Young Boys, while Morgan Rogers was described as ‘unplayable’ by main commentator Darren Fletcher.
Lamare Bogarde’s performance was one of the few unfavorable aspects of their Champions League opener.
Lamare Bogarde’s performance in statistics vs Young Boys
Since Matty Cash’s injury against Arsenal, Bogarde has started at right-back in Premier League triumphs against Leicester City and Everton, and made his Champions League debut against Young Boys.
Whether the artificial pitch or nerves were to blame, the 20-year-old was dragged down the right wing and failed to get into the game.
Villa signed the Dutchman from Feyenoord in 2020, but he only won 3 out of 6 ground duels and was dribbled past once in 18 touches.
Bogarde was replaced by Diego Carlos at half-time due to his lack of touches compared to Emi Martinez. Ezri Konsa took over at right-back.
The 2004-born defender was uneasy in his maiden European appearance, and while it would have been a steep learning curve, this performance may have cost him his position in the starting lineup.
Why Unai Emery should play Diego Carlos vs Wolves
Carlos put in an assured performance on Tuesday night, which was impressive considering he hadn’t played a competitive fixture since the final-day defeat to Crystal Palace.
He completed 12 of his 13 passes, won 66% of his duels and placed both of his attempted long balls accurately, as the 31-year-old’s experience proved pivotal in giving Villa extra solidity.
Although Carlos was extensively linked with a transfer away from Aston Villa in the summer, Emery might now consider starting the Brazilian against Wolves this Saturday.
In the heat of a Midlands Derby, Emery wants his big players to stand up and be counted, since the former Sevilla man is accustomed to playing in huge games, unlike Bogarde.
Bringing Carlos in at centre-back may potentially result in Konsa moving to right-back, which might assist Aston Villa. Konsa is one of the finest one-on-one defenders in the Premier League, and he can cope with Wolves’ danger from the left.
Dropping Bogarde may appear harsh given that he was previously branded ‘class’ in pre-season, but it is a necessary adjustment, particularly for this game.
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