Anwar El Ghazi is playing well for Aston Villa at the moment.
El Ghazi, who joined Villa on loan from French club Lille in the summer transfer window, has disclosed that Smith has urged him to work on the defensive side of his game.
The 23-year-old has said that Smith made the comments to him after Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Norwich City away from home at Carrow Road in the Championship on October 23.
El Ghazi told The Birmingham Mail: “I had a really bad performance against Norwich and the manager told me that I had to work of my defensive work.
“My fitness wasn’t good because I hadn’t played for one-and-a-half months. But I’ve listened to the manager and done what he has asked of me.
“Now I understand what he wants. I am very happy to fight again for the team, to get my place and I hope I can keep my place now.”
In good form
El Ghazi is in good form for Villa at the moment and scored both goals in the Villans’ 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion away from home at The Hawthorns in the Championship last Friday evening.
According to WhoScored, El Ghazi has made five starts and three substitute appearances in the Championship for Villa so far this season, scoring four goals and providing one assist in the process.
The Villans are eighth in the Championship table at the moment with 32 points from 21 matches, just four points behind sixth-placed Middlesbrough.
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