Craig Dawson has had a funny old journey at West Ham United.
It’s easy to forget the furore that surrounded his arrival late in the summer of 2020. For many Hammers fans, Dawson signing from relegated Watford – coupled with the £18 million sale of academy graduate Grady Diangana – was reflective of a damnging absence of ambition permeating the London Stadium boardroom.
Less than two years later, he had well-and-truly secured cult hero status, turning those cynics into supporters. Goodbye Craig Dawson, hello Craig ‘Ballon D’Awson’. From underwhelming loan signing to the UEFA Europa League Team of the Season.
It was a transformation not seen in East London since Russell Brand went from twittering irritant to bonafide political commentator.
Aston Villa want West Ham United favourite Craig Dawson
And the Aston Villa supporters questioning why Steven Gerrard needs a 32-year-old centre-back with a pair of Premier League relegations on his CV simply haven’t been keeping a close enough eye on Dawson’s performances over the last couple of seasons.
According to the Daily Mail, the under-fire Gerrard has turned to Dawson to solve his defensive issues. Villa, during a damaging run of three defeats in four and a nervy EFL Cup win over third-tier Bolton Wanderers, have looked like a team crying out for a reliable presence at the back, with Diego Carlos out injured and both Ezri Konsa and Calum Chambers lacking consistency and confidence.
Dawson would not be the most glamorous or high-profile signing Aston Villa have made this summer. But he could be the most important; the industrial strength superglue preventing yet another claret-and-blue collapse.
‘Seven out of ten every week’
“Craig Dawson has got to be one of the most reliable centre-backs in the league,” former England international Jonathan Woodgate told the BBC recently. “He gets the job done week in week out, seven out of ten every week. So reliable.”
“Unbelievable,” adds Hammers team-mate Michail Antonio. “He’s been a rock at the back, he’s like an old-school centre-half.
“He’s tough, he fights, he’s solid, he’s not scared to get down and deep, he’s been quality and he’s been solid for us.”
Aston Villa, throughout the last season-and-a-bit, have looked like a team with more style than substance. A team far worse than the sum of it’s parts. And while Dawson is not going to contribute many headline-reel moments a la Philippe Coutinho, Leon Bailey or Danny Ings, if any club is crying out for an experienced, reliable, ‘old-school, 7/10, week-in, week-out performer its Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
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