Aston Villa have recently experienced a tough period under Unai Emery but that was all forgotten on Wednesday night.
Following a run of eight matches without a win, Aston Villa clinched a 3-1 victory over Brentford in the Premier League, moving them up to seventh in the table.
Many of Unai Emery’s first-team stars were instrumental during that win, including Morgan Rogers, who was compared to Dennis Berkgamp, while towering centre-back Tyrone Mings was dubbed ‘superb’.
There was another player – signed by Steven Gerrard – who was at the epicentre of everything Villa did well in midfield.
Aston Villa fans should thank Steven Gerrard for signing Boubacar Kamara
During his miserable 11 months at the club, Gerrard rarely got anything right in the dugout, from his awful tactics and man management.
The Englishman departed in October 2022 after nearly a year in charge, leaving Villa 17th in the table and with Emery needing to pick up the pieces.
Villa fans disliked Gerrard for how the club crumbled during his management, but there is one reason why supporters will thank the Liverpudlian, even if it hurts to do so, and that is for signing Boubacar Kamara.
The Frenchman arrived on a free transfer in the summer of 2022 after his contract with Marseille expired, and just like the capture of Youri Tielemans on a free last year, Kamara has proven to be a bargain.
Kamara is crucial to Aston Villa’s Champions League hopes
When the Frenchman was absent from February to October, Emery realised how much he missed his midfield metronome.
Last season, Kamara’s brilliant partnership with Douglas Luiz became unbreakable as the duo helped Villa qualify for the Champions League.
Now, without the Brazilian pulling the strings alongside him, the former Marseille star is developing a promising understanding with Tielemans.
In the victory over Brentford on Wednesday, Kamara was compared to Man City’s Rodri after running the show centrally.
Martin Keown and Micah Richards were also blown away by Kamara’s passing, as he didn’t misplace a single one of his 32 passes, which is quite remarkable.
Kamara simply possesses breathtaking ‘quality‘ when watching how he reads the game, demands the ball in tight spaces and showcases his excellent vision.
Indeed, for Villa to finish in the top four and go deep into Europe, keeping the Frenchman fit is essential to their chances.
