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Former Aston Villa winger Adama Traore enjoying Boro breakthrough

By Josh Tonti

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Adama Traore of Aston Villa makes a break past Angelo Ogbonna Obinza of West Ham United during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and West Ham United at Villa Park on December 26, 2015 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Adama Traore of Aston Villa makes a break past Angelo Ogbonna Obinza of West Ham United during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and West Ham United at Villa Park on December 26, 2015 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /
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Don’t look now, but former Aston Villa winger Adama Traoré is making waves at Middlesbrough.

Adama Traoré is on an unprecedented run of form. I mean, he is tearing up the EFL Championship since the calendar flipped to 2018. Don’t believe me? Check it out here.

Three goals and three assists from nine matches, which is very good, but doesn’t paint the whole picture. Adama was awarded a 9/10 or higher on WhoScored in four of those matches. An 8 or higher in a further two matches. Red card versus Sunderland aside, Adama is simply running riot over the league and opposing defenders cannot do anything to stop him.

Former Villa manager Tim Sherwood, who signed Adama from Barcelona back in the summer of 2015, recently boasted about the Spanish winger’s talents. Sherwood had this to say to Sky Sports:

"“He could go and play for Manchester City tomorrow,” Tim Sherwood tells Sky Sports. “Not Manchester United as he’s not necessarily a Jose Mourinho player, but he could be a Pep Guardiola player and play free and loose. He could probably set the world alight. He has got those qualities. He is eye-catching and he gets people on the edge of their seats.”"

Now it’s quite laughable to think Adama could walk into Guardiola’s side. The same Pep Guardiola who preaches intense tactical discipline, which is (was?) not Adama’s forte, especially during his Aston Villa stay. Still, anyone who watched the winger on a consistent basis could only dream about what he’d become with some tactical refinement.

He’s explosive, no other way around it. He might be the fastest player with the ball I’ve ever seen. Before this weekend’s action, Adama is the only Championship player to have completed successful dribbles in the triple digits. He leads the league by over 40 despite starting only 15 of 35 league matches. Oh, and his success rate is 74%.

Villa Verdict:

Flashback to Summer 2015. Aston Villa essentially swapped Adama to Middlesbrough for Albert Adomah and a few million pounds. Both clubs were bettered by the deal. Still, at the time, Boro were playing in the Premier League. Their relegation brought Adama back to the Championship, a league Villa didn’t think he could succeed in, or couldn’t take the risk to find out.

It remains another “what if?” scenario for Aston Villa.

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