Volpone
Well-Known Member
Albrighton has been consistently superb since about Febraury and him coming into the team coinciding with our great run at the back end of last season and us looking completely lost without him in the first half at Stoke is no coincidence I feel. He's one of the most important players to how we play. Not only obviously his superb crossing/long passing ability (and it's nice to have someone who can take a corner again) but I also think the defensive side of his game gets underrated. The way he tracks back and covers the attacking full-backs. I think one of the main reasons Schlupp never looked as exposed as De Laet at fullback despite them both being very attacking fullbacks is because Schlupp always had Albrighton to cover.
Absolutely cannot believe Villa let him go on a free and absolutely cannot believe Villa never played someone with such a fantastic cross on him when they had a striker so imperious in the air as Benteke. Beggars belief tbf, but I guess that's just indicative of the shambles of a way Villa have been managed in recent years and why they hopefully will be going down.
Agree. I only watched the extended highlights on Sky against Norwich, but I thought he was man of the match.