Going into the game between Aston Villa and Chelsea, the home team would have been considered the favourites. Unai Emery’s side have struggled in recent months, but even then, the same could be said about the Blues as well.
Aston Villa had actually won their previous two meetings, both by a 2-1 scoreline. Fortunately, Chelsea came out on top this time around. And by a convincing 4-1 margin as well.
The result could be vital for multiple reasons. Firstly, it gets Chelsea right back in the mix for the Champions League qualification spots, while also beating a direct rival. And not only did Aston Villa lose. So did Manchester United at the hands of Newcastle. Secondly, it should be a major confidence booster for them. In recent times, they have rarely beaten top four teams in the Premier League.
One of their best performers on the day was Alejandro Garnacho. The Argentine has come under some heavy criticism since joining Chelsea in the summer. But this proved to be one of his better displays in the Royal Blue jersey. In the first half itself, he created five chances. In the second, he set up Joao Pedro’s hattrick goal. Perhaps most importantly, it was that seemed to finally impress the Blues supporters.
Garnacho impresses Chelsea fans with performance vs Aston Villa
One Chelsea fan wrote on X about Garnacho’s display against Aston Villa: “Garnacho has been top this game. Probably the first game where I have actually enjoyed his all around performance, the game allows it due to the space but still, credit where it’s due, he’s been good.”
Of course, there is still room for improvement in his game. Another Chelsea fan said: “Garnacho was excellent with those runs. He should work on his finishing.”
Should Garnacho be starting for Chelsea?
Garnacho has always been considered an elite talent. He has never really met those expectations though. The hope is that he will do so at Stamford Bridge over time.
It is understandable why fans are often frustrated with Garnacho. He is not always brilliant in one-on-one situations. And his finishing often lets him down as well.
That being said, there is a lot to like about the Argentine’s game as well. Perhaps his standout quality is his willingness to try to make something happen. Garnacho always attacks the box, is willing to take a shot and is a general nuisance to the opposition defence. Those are qualities that many of Chelsea’s current crop of players do not have.
Does it always come off for him? Definitely not. But when you look at his numbers, they are not bad at all. Garnacho has 6 goals and 3 assists in 1528 minutes of football. That is 0.53 G+A per 90 mins. Just for comparison, Bukayo Saka has a 0.57 G+A per 90 mins and he is widely considered the best winger that England have.
Also, another thing worth pointing out is that Garnacho is still just 21 years old. He has plenty of time to improve. Most youngsters are just settling in at the senior level at his age. On the other hand, the Argentine has already played 175 times for Manchester United and Chelsea combined.
