Aston Villa have a top-four finish in touching distance however, Unai Emery must now overcome his next two fixtures without the help of captain John McGinn.
Aston Villa will be counting down the days until John McGinn can return to action in the Premier League.
Unai Emery watched on as his side’s captain was sent off against Tottenham almost two weeks ago, seeing him pick up a three-match suspension at a crucial point in the season.
Having missed the previous outing against West Ham, the Scotsman will be absent for the clashes with Wolves and Manchester City ahead.
While Villa managed to secure a point against the Hammers last time out, it was abundantly clear how much the visitors were missing their skipper in midfield, with statistics reinforcing just how integral his presence is to Emery’s squad.
The statistics that show just how much John McGinn offers to Aston Villa
McGinn is one of the leading figures in Emery’s lineup for his versatility, desire to win and leadership mentality.
The Scotland international’s versatility has been critical to the Villans this term, slipping seamlessly into midfield to cover for the agonising absence of Boubacar Kamara.
Prior to moving to a deeper central role, the 29-year-old was showcasing his strengths in the final third, playing on the flank to support the attack, portraying just how flexible his skillset is.
Aside from his positional versatility, McGinn’s numbers have been outstanding this season for Villa, highlighting just how much the squad are missing him at present.
As relayed by WhoScored, the Villa captain provides an edge in midfield that not many can replicate in the current squad, ranking as Emery’s third-highest contributor of key passes per game with 1.4.
McGinn’s playmaking skills are not the only thing missing in his absence, with the most prominent missing link being his ability to drive the ball forward, with no Villa player averaging more dribbles per game this season, averaging 1.6.
Aston Villa missed John McGinn against West Ham
One of the noticeable elements missing against West Ham was Villa’s stalling at driving the ball forward from midfield, something that McGinn offers frequently when available as pinpointed by his numbers.
Lauded for his “crazy” impact on the team and his capability to “do everything” by Owen Hargreaves, the void left by the Scotsman is an area that Emery’s side will struggle to compensate for.
As touched upon after the draw at the London Stadium, pundit Robbie Earle backed claims that Villa missed their captain’s ability to drive forward, identifying him as the missing link in the midfield.
It will be a struggle for Emery to crack the code to find a way to fill the absence of both McGinn and Kamara, with critical clashes against Wolves and City fast approaching.
