Aston Villa exited the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night with a 2-1 home loss to Crystal Palace, but one standout performance has left Unai Emery with a welcome dilemma.
Emery rotated heavily, making 10 changes from the weekend’s draw with Bournemouth, keeping only John McGinn from the starting lineup. Emery’s selection choices underscored his priorities, as regulars like Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins, Pau Torres, and Ezri Konsa were rested.
Youth players Lamare Bogarde, Jamaldeen Jimoh, and Kadan Young came off the bench in the latter stages, though Villa couldn’t prevent their exit from the cup.
Though several players struggled, Villa fans were thrilled by the return of Boubacar Kamara to the lineup, alongside Tyrone Mings, both of whom excelled. Mings impressed in his first start in over a year, but it was Kamara’s superb midfield play that stole the show.
Boubacar Kamara’s Commanding Performance
Kamara partnered with captain McGinn in midfield, displaying his hallmark ball-winning skills and defensive awareness. His presence was crucial for Villa, as he consistently broke up Palace’s play and stabilized Villa’s midfield.
Kamara’s standout stats, courtesy of Sofascore:
– 90 minutes
– 84 touches
– 87% pass accuracy (55/63)
– 3 accurate long balls
– 2 successful dribbles
– 9 ground duels won
– 5 tackles
Birmingham Live rated Kamara an 8/10 for his “colossal” display, calling him “crucial” for Villa’s midfield. With his work rate and defensive capabilities, he provided a level of control that has sometimes been missing in Villa’s midfield.
Emery’s Midfield Dilemma
Throughout the season, Emery has leaned on a central pairing of Tielemans and Amadou Onana, with Ross Barkley also featuring regularly. However, Kamara’s performance showed his unique defensive focus, which could balance a midfield often left exposed when Onana advances forward. Kamara’s strength lies in screening the defense and breaking up opposition play, skills that Villa have occasionally lacked in his absence.
Though Emery is likely to field Tielemans and Onana for the upcoming match against Tottenham, Kamara’s impressive outing against Palace might just alter the manager’s plans going forward, giving him valuable depth and versatility in midfield.