Joe Cole told BT Sport during their live coverage of Aston Villa’s defeat at Sheffield United on Wednesday that Dean Smith’s midfield is ‘very similar to Liverpool’s’.
The former England playmaker also heaped praise on the ‘dominant’ Ezri Konsa and Villa’s ‘great foil’ in midfield Marvelous Nakamba.
Villa went into yesterday’s match hoping to close the gap on the European places, but instead, they left empty-handed and now facing the prospect of a mid-table finish.
Before the game, Cole was waxing-lyrical about Villa this season and how their two centre-backs – Konsa and Tyrone Mings – can both be England internationals.
“He’s dominant,” Cole told BT Sport. “He’s an old-fashioned centre-half if you like. He’s learnt the basics and come up through the leagues with Brentford. The manager knows him very well.
“And having Mings next to him. Having two centre-halves, who are potentially England internationals. Aston Villa have got the right basis to really kick on. It’s really good times for the club.
“He’s (Nakamba) strong. He picks up good defensive positions. And he’s a great foil, especially when Jack Grealish comes back into the side because he’s a ball-winner.
“He’ll get the ball and he’ll shovel it across to Grealish and McGinn. And that midfield, you look at it for Aston Villa and it looks very physical. Very similar to how Liverpool, not as much quality, but a Liverpool midfield.
“They are runners. They are protectors. They then let the El Ghazi’s, Grealish’s and the Watkins go and play at the other end of the pitch.”
Well, Mings has already tasted life as an England player, alongside Jack Grealish.
Many Villa fans will point out that whilst Mings has been brilliant this season, his partner in crime has outperformed him since football restarted back in June.
And, aside from Grealish, if there is any Villa player worthy of that England call then it’s the man they purchased from Brentford.
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