83 tackles, 55 interceptions: Matt Targett shines for Aston Villa during 2020/21

Add as preferred source on Google

Aston Villa finished the 2020/21 campaign with a 2-1 win over Chelsea. Dean Smith’s men finished the season in 11th place and in Matt Targett, an unsung hero emerged during the season.

The Villans were nearly relegated last season. They needed a 1-1 draw on the final day of the season against West Ham to confirm their survival and it proved a nervous time for the club.

Smith got his recruitment spot on during the summer though and it’s helped the club’s fortunes. Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash and Bertrand Traore have all made an impact and helped Villa enjoy a more comfortable campaign.

It’s been a player who was signed in the summer of 2019 who has really slipped under the radar, however. He checked in for £11 million from Southampton in July 2019 and came of age during 2020/21.

The statistics prove as much too, with some extremely good numbers emerging from Who Scored to back up Targett’s brilliance as a regular in Smith’s team.

During the campaign, no Villa player made more than the 83 tackles that Targett made during the season. He also made 55 interceptions and 1684 passes – again the most of any Villans player.

The 25-year-old played in all of the club’s 38 Premier League fixtures and his ever-present status will have undoubtedly seen his stock rise.

Villa have a lot of quality in their squad now and the challenge for Smith next season will be to lead his team into the top half, following another recruitment drive in the summer.

There is certainly no cause for concern at left-back though and the future looks bright for the Villa man if his form during 2020/21 is anything to go by.