- John McGinn has praised Victor Lindelöf for his performance in Aston Villa’s 4-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final
- The Swede stepped in for the injured Amadou Onana, despite never starting a game for Villa in midfield
John McGinn has labeled Victor Lindelöf as “outstanding” for his assured performance after stepping up to replace the injured Amadou Onana in Aston Villa’s 4-0 hammering of Nottingham Forest on Thursday night.
Although he has made a few substitute appearances for Villa in midfield this season, he has never started a game for them in that position. He was faced with the difficult job of filling the shoes of Amadou Onana, who was ruled out of the game with a calf issue.
The 31-year-old certainly stepped up to the plate with a solid display that his captain McGinn labelled as “outstanding.”
It was a match that required the Villans to fight for every ball, especially in midfield, which they did to perfection. Lindelöf battled hard alongside Youri Tielemans and was vital in Villa’s build-up play.
In possession, he would drop into a back three, enabling Matty Cash to get forward, and McGinn to drift inside. This gave Villa the opportunity to have space on the right, as McGinn would drag the full-back with him, giving Cash room to roam in.
Given the stakes of the match, it was a big gamble by Unai Emery to play Lindelöf, but it paid off tonight, and he was rock in midfield.
McGinn on the “outstanding” Lindelöf
In a post-match interview with TNT Sports, McGinn explained the tactical setup with Lindelöf when Villa had the ball.
“We used to play that quite a lot with Kamara when he was fit, but Victor was outstanding tonight.
“I think he’s probably been a wee bit hard done by since he’s signed. I don’t think he’s put a foot wrong, and it shows you how flexible and versatile he is to go into the midfield.
“But I think even off the ball, last week we were a little bit too passive. I was dropping too deep to track Neco Williams, and tonight Victor allowed Cashy to push up, and I could go to Morato. It just let us get on the front foot, whereas last week we were on the back foot.
“But the way he fitted in there tonight, he was outstanding. Maybe tired the last 15 minutes, that’s why he came off. But the manager worked on it a lot because Anderson and obviously, Gibbs-White, when he’s fit, like to drop into that space, and if you allow it, and allow them to play, they’ll hurt you.
“He (Emery) wanted to give Neco Williams a problem, with Cashy going high. Does he go with Cashy or does he come in with me? Which worked pretty well, Victor would get the ball, I’d go into centre-mid, which I’m used to throughout my career.
“We’ve got versatile players, Morgan can adapt and change, and it certainly suited us tonight, and it’s the best we’ve played in a wee while.”
ReadAstonVilla verdict
Overall, Lindelöf’s transition into midfield proved to be a tactical masterstroke by Emery. By seamlessly replacing Onana, the Swede provided the defensive discipline and tactical flexibility needed to dismantle Forest. His ability to drop into a back three unlocked the attacking potential of Cash and McGinn on the right.
As the Scot noted, this versatile performance highlights the depth and adaptability within the current squad. Every player played their part, and it was a special night that will long live in the memories of Villa supporters.
