Pau Torres is one of the first names on the teamsheet at Aston Villa.
The 27-year-old joined last summer after previously working and being successful under Unai Emery at Villarreal.
Tyrone Mings’ season-ending injury at Villa was a big blow, but Torres covered that by taking the team’s game to another level.
From a ball-playing and offensive standpoint, he is outstanding and helps build attacks or push the team as far up the pitch as possible.
That’s why Torres was crucial to Villa securing Champions League football last season, even if those on the outside gave more plaudits to his teammates.
But when it comes to the defensive side of the game, it’s fair to say that Torres is lacking and he doesn’t have the quality of an Ezri Konsa.
Konsa is regarded as one of the best one-v-one defenders in the Premier League and he perfectly complements Torres’ game.
However, a surprising stat has emerged involving the Spain international and his Aston Villa teammate isn’t even in sight.
Pau Torres is the least dribbled past defender in the Premier League
Given that Emery likes to play a high line, then any Villa player on this list makes it rather impressive, but not many would have expected Torres’ name to pop up.
After ten Premier League matches this season – and those who have played a minimum of 800 minutes – it’s Villa’s ball-playing centre-half sitting alongside Virgil van Dijk.
In truth, the Liverpool captain being on this list isn’t a surprise, as well as someone like William Saliba, who comes in at third.
But Torres has been dribbled past 0.10 times per 90 minutes this term, as posted by WhoScored.
What Unai Emery said about Torres’ defending
There have been a few instances this season where Torres has either lost that defensive battle or made an error.
Go back to Villa’s defeat to Tottenham over the weekend, or even the win over Fulham at Craven Cottage when Raul Jimenez opened the scoring. There were mistakes from Torres.
That Jimenez goal resulted in Emery being critical of Torres’ defending and how he ‘needs to be stronger in his duels with his opponent’, as posted by Jacob Tanswell in October.
“Pau Torres needs to be stronger in his duels with his opponent. But he knows. We are working on it and he reacted fantastic after the goal.”
