Paul Lambert’s first foray into the transfer market as manager of Aston Villa saw the midlands outfit snap up Karim El Ahmadi from Feyenoord last week. The 27-year-old arrives on a three-year contract for around £2.5m and will help address the gap left in the Villa midfield after club skipper Stiliyan Petrov was diagnosed with leukaemia in the latter part of last season:
With his central midfield options largely limited, Lambert’s move to boost the ranks is an obvious one. The new Villa boss prioritised the signing of El Ahmadi shortly after arriving at Villa Park and expects the defensive midfielder to make a substantial impact in the Premier League, as he looks to improve on the club’s 16th place finish under the previous boss, Alex McLeish.
Karim is a player who I feel could definitely improve our squad. He has experience of big club football and also at international level. He can pass the ball well and he could be an important player for us in central midfield.
The Statistics
El Ahmadi was snapped up by Dutch club Twente as a youngster and progressed through the youth academy before being handed a professional contract. His debut came as a 19-year-old in the 2003-04 season and over his five years at the club, he showed plenty versatility by playing on the right of midfield and in defence, in addition to featuring through the centre. In total, he made 89 league appearances for Twente, scoring three times and providing six assists.
His displays as a combative defensive midfielder caught the eye of Feyenoord and, in April 2008, El Ahmadi signed a five-year deal to join the Eredivisie club the following season. After a couple of campaigns as a regular, El Ahmadi was loaned out to Al-Ahli FC in the United Arab Emirates before returning in time to produce his most successful season at the club last time out. Under the guidance of Ronald Koeman, El Ahmadi returned two goals and five assists as the club finished second in the Dutch top-flight and clinched a Champions League slot for the season ahead. His time at Feyenoord produced four goals and seven assist from 94 games, while El Ahmadi has also picked up experience on the international stage, turning out for Morocco on 17 occasions and finding the net once.
The Prospects
While the above-mentioned stats hardly look the most enticing, El Ahmadi’s arrival could help provide a better balance at the back for Villa in the season ahead. As manager of Norwich in the previous campaign, Lambert saw his side concede in all 19 of their away games, with just three clean sheets produced at Carrow Road; clearly, a more combative player who is willing to sit in front of the back-four and break up the opposition’s play will be vital, given Lambert’s attacking ethos.
A low to mid-price valuation across the Fantasy games can be expected, with a cost of around 5.0 – 5.5 looking likely in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game but he could struggle for investment, given his limited attacking returns – more attacking options such as Charles N’Zogbia or even Stephen Ireland will hold greater appeal in Lambert’s midfield from a FPL perspective.
Indeed, it seems likely that El Ahmadi’s tackles and passes may be more suitable for the new bonus rule in the Sky game; coming in at just 4.7, the Moroccan, who was nicknamed “The Governor” in Holland due to his influence in the middle of the park, should prove better value there. Commenting on the style of play the Villa fans can expect, he revealed:
As a player, I always want to have the ball and that is my main quality. I always want the ball and to dictate the game. That’s what I did at Feyenoord and hopefully I can show the fans, the club and the manager my quality.
Certainly, analysis of their opening schedule suggests Villa have the potential to produce over the early stages. Home clashes against Everton, Swansea and West Brom look prosperous, while trips to West Ham and Southampton are also on the agenda by Gameweek 5, handing El Ahmadi the perfect opportunity to hit the ground running in his new surroundings.
Further Reference
Karim El Ahmadi Wikipedia
Karim El Ahmadi Statistics
Karim El Ahmadi YouTube
