Clement Lenglet produced another solid defensive display during Aston Villa’s 0-0 Europa Conference League draw with Ajax but it was the other side of the Frenchman’s game that saw him receive a gentle ribbing from the Dutch press at full-time.
With Diego Carlos, Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa all suffering injury issues of late, not to mention the long-term absentee that is Tyrone Mings, Clement Lenglet is starting to feel a little less superfluous – another left-sided centre-half for a club who already had a fair few at their disposal – and more like a masterstroke.
As far as back-up centre-halves go, you’d struggle to find many better than a man who arrived at Aston Villa on loan from Barcelona, bringing a La Liga winners’ medal and 15 international caps with his to the Midlands.
Aston Villa ace impresses again in Ajax draw
Lenglet has now started all of Villa’s last ten Premier League games. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Sevilla stopper was integral again as Unai Emery’s side held a fired-up Ajax side to a 0-0 draw in Amsterdam on Thursday night too.
Though while Ajax’s baby-faced duo Jorrel Hato and Ahmetcan Kaplan impressed not only with their remarkable reading of the game but with their pinpoint passing range too, Lenglent’s defensive talents did not save the France ace from a few mocking jibes aimed at his distribution.
“Kaplan’s certainty and vision are really on a different level. I really haven’t seen that calmness, the constructive qualities and the long ball from (Josip) Sutalo (Ajax’s suspended £20 million centre-half),” former Eredivisie ace Kenneth Perez tells ESPN.
“Compare it with the left-footed central defender on the other side, who even played for Barcelona. On the ball, he’s just Bambi!”
From strength-to-strength under Unai Emery
When Lenglet is keeping Ajax’s attack at bay – the in-form Brian Brobbey frustrated by Emery’s well-oiled high-line – most of the Aston Villa supporters who made that midweek trip to the Dutch capital will probably be happy to overlook the odd misplaced pass from a man who is shaping up to be one of the club’s more underrated acquisitions in recent times.
“He is a very good professional,” Emery said of Lenglet in February, praising the Barca-owned colossus for his willingless to adapt to Villa’s rather unique defensive approach.
“He’s trying to understand our style. He was even coming in when the players had a day off to do extra work.
“I am speaking with Lenglet and sending him a message that I am very happy with him. I need him, the team needs him.”
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