Scouting Tottenham midfielder – Villa loanee – Josh Onomah
By Josh Tonti
Aston Villa acquired Josh Onomah on-loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the season. What’s the midfielder’s best position and where will he feature for the claret and blue?
Last week Aston Villa lost Jack Grealish for several months through a kidney rupture. The injury, one that occurred in Villa’s final pre-season friendly, left a void of creativity in the final third for the claret and blue.
Yes, Aston Villa has Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan – two lethal forwards in England’s second division. But, the service just behind them was a concern even before the club lost its starting number ten midfielder.
Albert Adomah led the club in assist last season from his right wing position. His eleven assists, many from fizzling crosses, is a swoon, but he will miss a few matches to start the year. Henri Lansbury and Conor Hourihane were January signings expected to produce in the attack, but their form thus far is a bit lackluster.
Enter: Onomah, Josh. The Tottenham product arrives from London on a season-long loan to Aston Villa. He’s jack-of-all-trades in midfield; one that is a massive talent on the continent.
Background:
Onomah turned 20 years of age back in April. He’s a true academy product – spending his entire career in the Spurs’ system. He made his Tottenham debut in January 2015 during an FA Cup 3rd-round tie against Burnley. That would be his only appearance that year as a 17-year old.
The following season represented a “breakout” year for the England midfielder. He made 19 appearances with the first team spread across all competitions. Many of which were substitute appearances, which should be taken with a grain of salt.
This past season was a disappointing one for Onomah. Not because he performed poorly, but because he had very little chance to impress both the manager and the supporters. He made just 12 appearances. Though, on the bright side, he did score his first professional goal in the League Cup.
Under Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, Onomah frequently featured as a right midfielder. Simply put, it’s not his preferred position. He’s an attacking midfielder by trade, true, but it’s in the middle where he’s far more comfortable. Onomah absolutely starred in this summer’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup in South Korea. Onomah started 5 of England’s 7 matches along the way (suspended for one match through bookings).
He didn’t make any team of the tournament awards as his midfield partner Lewis Cook took home the plaudits, but he excelled nonetheless.
Where He Fits:
This is the million dollar question for Villa supporters. It’s fair to say he might directly fill the gap left by Jack Grealish. As a number ten ahead of Whelan/Jedinak and Henri Lansbury, Onomah is allowed free reign to dictate the attack. He would be well-protected behind him. With a star striker like Jonathan Kodjia ahead of him, Onomah is walking into a perfect set-up.
It’s also possible Onomah fills-in for several other midfield roles in different systems, too. In a diamond, he can assume the position as any of the three advanced central midfielders. In a 4-3-3, he could feature alongside a Conor Hourihane or Henri Lansbury.
Next: Predicting the Championship Table
Aston Villa picked-up one very talented player. The midfield ranks begin to look more Premier League level than Championship level.