When asked about Anwar El Ghazi many Aston Villa fans are quick to criticise by pointing out the fact that he has 0 assists this season. However, despite having no assists El Ghazi has proved himself to be more than capable of being a goal scoring winger due to currently having the fourth highest amount of goal contributions in the premier league this season thanks to his 8 goals which also places Anwar El Ghazi as Aston Villa’s second highest scorer.
El Ghazi has provided moments of pure magic recently which have been swept under the rug by the media and swiftly forgotten about by many football fans. He has demonstrated fantastic composure to net the winning goal against a forward thinking Leeds opposition where many may crumble under such an intense 1 on 1. El Ghazi then produced one of the best strikes of the season for Aston Villa against Crystal Palace to finish a 3-0 win as he thundered a strike into the top corner where many would have opted to pass and been too
afraid to shoot. This is evidence of El Ghazi’s development as a player not only physically but also mentally as when he scores you can continue to see the confidence ooze throughout his game as he appears to continually strive for more and show a hunger for more goals. This is a key attribute that all successful modern day wingers express.
Whilst criticising El Ghazi’s season many fans point to his high frequency of shots taken in situations where a pass appeared to be a more viable option. Some fans criticise El Ghazi for his frequent shooting from distance despite this being one of his greatest qualities which was prominently on display for the recent winning strike against a strong Everton team who are pushing for European football. It’s these long range moments of class which El Ghazi gambles on and frequently leaves opposition goalkeepers rooted to the spot as he can turn a game on it’s head with a deadly top corner finish. Nevertheless it is evident that El Ghazi has been instructed to take more shots and risks by the coaching staff as he appears to take more chances and long range strikes. Despite criticism it is notable that this increase and focus on chance taking has led to a drastic double in his goal tally with 5 games to go. Overall, Anwar El Ghazi has proven himself to be an impressive winger who demonstrates better performances as his confidence in his game increases. El Ghazi has had 2 seasons in the premier league and has shown a significant improvement between his 2 years of playing time.
El Ghazi has continually demonstrated moments of an impressive premier league winger as he has accumulated the same goal tally as Sadio Mane in significantly less games. El Ghazi is visibly underrated as he has produced a crucial winner against Wolves and a goal against Premier League giants Chelsea to earn us a draw. Thanks to El Ghazi’s goal contributions we have earned 10 points this season whilst boasting an impressive scoring frequency of a goal every 149 minutes. His impressive stats and improving play style
decorate Anwar El Ghazi as one of Villa’s unsung heroes.