Aston Villa now have their own ‘Sergio Busquets’ in the ranks – Agbonlahor
Douglas Luiz is like Sergio Busquets but is not the right type of defensive midfielder for the Aston Villa system.
That is the view of Aston Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer Gabby Agbonlahor, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Luiz’s poor form at the heard of Steven Gerrard’s midfield.
The Brazilian has been deployed as a sole defensive midfielder as Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn are pushed wide to cover the flying full-backs and has looked isolated as a result.
One alternative for Gerrard would be Morgan Sanson who posted on Instagram on Sunday (20 February) that he would “never give up” after being made to watch on from the bench in the last four Premier League games.
“It’s very difficult for Sanson,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn are undroppable. Can you play Sanson without Luiz?
“If results carry on like this we might get to a stage where Gerrard wants to mix things up.
“I actually like Douglas Luiz. If he was in a team that had so much of the ball that the defensive midfielder didn’t need to defend, like Man City, who are rarely attacked, you’d see better from Douglas Luiz.
“Like Sergio Busquets, he has never been one who can go and get the ball back. He’s a defensive midfielder who starts off attacks and is very good on the ball.
“Douglas Luiz is not a defensive midfielder who goes and gets the ball back.
“With the players in the squad, we don’t need Luiz as a defensive midfielder. If Nakamba was fit he’d be starting. You can see why Gerrard wants Bissouma, someone who can go and get the ball.
“You need one midfielder who doesn’t move, he sits, gets the ball back and is a good tackler. That’s not Douglas Luiz, he gets on the ball and starts attacks.”
In other news, Emiliano Buendia is fighting for his Aston Villa career after a reveal in the last 48 hours.