Aston Villa were right about Lindelof.

Lindelof has played well for Aston Villa.

Aston Villa's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace in the 21st round of the Premier League on the morning of January 8th didn't produce a spectacular scoreline, but it was a game rich in information about Unai Emery's team structure and operation. Victor Lindelof was mentioned most often, not for his spectacular saves, but for his almost absolute consistency.

Lindelof's standards

Aston Villa controlled possession and organized their game more proactively, but lacked sharpness in finishing. In that context, Lindelof emerged as a crucial anchor in the defense.

According to Opta , the Swedish center-back completed 85 passes with a 100% accuracy rate, a rare and impressive figure in the Premier League. This statistic is considered the best passing performance by a defender in the league since Aymeric Laporte did the same for Manchester City against Everton in February 2022.

Not only did Lindelof play a safe "transfer station," but he also directly contributed to creating a rare opportunity for Aston Villa. From a neat one-two pass in midfield, Youri Tielemans had space to shoot from outside the penalty area, but his shot went over the crossbar.

That situation showed that Lindelof not only played to avoid mistakes, but also participated in how the team approached the opponent's goal.

Lindelof's perfect pass accuracy demonstrates his composure and exceptional decision-making ability, especially when playing away from home.

Following the match, BBC Sport described Lindelof as "a key factor in Aston Villa maintaining their structure," highlighting the defender's ability to make safe passes and read the game, especially given the visitors' lack of attacking options. BBC also noted that Lindelof's perfect pass accuracy demonstrated his composure and excellent decision-making ability, particularly when playing away from home.

Meanwhile, The Guardian sees Lindelof as a prime example of the type of player Emery favors: unpretentious, risk-averse, but one who helps the team control space and the tempo of the game. The newspaper emphasizes that Aston Villa avoided dangerous counter-attacks from Palace largely thanks to Lindelof's positional awareness and intelligent ball distribution on the right flank of the defense.

The Telegraph approached the issue from a deeper tactical perspective, suggesting that Lindelof is gradually becoming Emery's "risk-relief" option during a period when the team is short of defensive personnel. The fact that the Swedish center-back can play on the right flank, plays simply, and rarely puts the team in danger helps Villa maintain stability, a crucial factor in the increasingly congested Premier League schedule.

Emery was right about Lindelof.

These assessments perfectly match how Emery spoke about Lindelof. The Spanish coach revealed that he called Juan Mata, Lindelof's former teammate at Manchester United and also his former pupil, to inquire about both his professional skills and character. Emery emphasized that everything Mata shared, from professionalism and politeness to commitment, is clearly being demonstrated by Lindelof at Aston Villa.

Emery was particularly pleased with Lindelof's patience in adapting to playing on the right wing due to injuries to Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres.

Emery was particularly pleased with Lindelof's patient adaptation to playing on the right wing due to injuries to Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres. According to him, Lindelof "played exactly as the team expected" and, more importantly, "set a new standard" in the squad. Once that standard was established, Emery would not tolerate any decline.

Lindelof may not be a center-back who generates sensational headlines, but through the lens of Emery and the English press, he is becoming a reliable tactical link. In a team that values discipline and structure like Aston Villa, that's a value that cannot be measured solely by goals or highlights.