Aston Villa 2018-19 player preview: Ahmed Elmohamady

When thinking of Ahmed Elmohamady, one word mostly comes to mind - reliable.

Now, that’s not to say that Villa’s right-back position is at all a position of strength in the team, but the team, in Elmohamady have someone who can go forward, get back, and whip the ball in. Where people like Alan Hutton are happy to use the floor, Ahmed looks to the air.

And for the most part, it works - it’s just that he never seems to have a target. Villa are a team seemingly scared of encroaching the opposition penalty area. That means Elmo’s main threat, for the most part, is useless. He doesn’t have Robert Snodgrass alongside him either and a lack of chemistry on Villa’s right side could be a big issue.

However, it’s likely Villa will run with Jonathan Kodjia up front, and if there’s a man who knows how to get forward and attack a football, it’s him. That could mean a world of difference to Elmohamady.

A good season for Elmo is a stable one, however he’s prone to a nightmare game. Cut those out and rotate his position with James Bree on occasion and that’s good enough for everyone involved