Jim Beglin destroyed Nicolo Zaniolo for the concession of the Phil Foden goal from the free kick as Aston Villa lost to Manchester City.
The Citizens played host to Unai Emery’s side at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, 3 April, and won the contest 4-1.
Their second goal of the game was a Foden free kick which easily found its way into the back of the net as Zaniolo moved away from Ezri Konsa to create a huge gap in the wall which was exploited by the England international.
Shocking Aston Villa display by Zaniolo
Speaking in commentary on the world feed, Beglin, an ESPN pundit, said (3 April, 21:01): “That’s a shocking wall. That’s absolutely terrible. Because Zaniolo has disconnected himself from Konsa. Basically decides to jump away and turn sideways and leave a big gap. I’m sure he’ll be told about that as soon as he gets in the dressing room.”
His statistics reveal a lacklustre display across multiple key aspects of the game, making him arguably the worst player on the pitch.
Firstly, completing just 11 passes throughout the game with an 85 per cent accuracy reflects a significant failure in maintaining possession and orchestrating plays.
His inability to connect with teammates hindered Villa’s ability to build attacking momentum.
Furthermore, failing to complete any crosses from his two attempts or through balls highlights his ineffectiveness in providing service to the forwards, limiting Villa’s offensive threat.
The Italian’s poor dribbling record, with zero successful attempts out of two, indicates a lack of creativity and an inability to bypass City’s defence.
Zaniolo struggled in and out of possession for Aston Villa
Additionally, losing seven out of ten ground duels and failing to win any aerial duels illustrate his struggles in physical battles, ultimately conceding possession too often – losing it on nine occasions.
He even got dribbled past twice and it was certainly a forgettable evening for the Italy international.
Unai Emery should reconsider starting the 24-year-old in future matches, as his subpar performance severely hampers Villa’s chances of success.
Improvement is imperative for Zaniolo to justify his place in the starting lineup and contribute meaningfully to the team’s objectives.
In other Aston Villa news, a doctor has issued an “unfortunate” response as footage has emerged of Tyrone Mings with an update on his current situation.
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