Pau Torres continues average start to life at Aston Villa in first half v Liverpool

Pau Torres continued his average start to life with Aston Villa in the first half against Liverpool on Sunday (3 September).

The Spanish international started on the left-hand side of a back-three alongside Diego Carlos and Ezri Konsa for the game at Anfield.

But they had the worst possible start to the fixture, as midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring for the Reds on three minutes before Matt Cash put through his own net on 22 minutes.

Torres arrived at Villa Park in the summer for £33million from Villarreal in a deal that could eventually rise to as much as £38million if certain clauses are met.

The 26-year-old came in with a big reputation, having been linked with a number of Europe’s biggest clubs over the past few years following his form for the Yellow Submarines.

But his former boss Unai Emery persuaded him to make the move to Villa this summer as they look to build upon a successful campaign last season.

Torres joined Villa Park in the summer for £33 million from Villarreal, a fee that may grow to £38 million if certain conditions are met.

The 26-year-old arrived with a high profile, having been linked with a number of Europe’s top teams in recent years following his form for the Yellow Submarines.

But his previous manager, Unai Emery, persuaded him to join Villa this summer as they attempt to build on last season’s success.

View: Emery set to give Aston Villa a golden opportunity with a 23/24 exit tonight’We’re talking about a lot of money,’ says pundit about pricey Aston Villa saleView: Another exodus is almost complete, with the Aston Villa academy currently bringing in more than £30 million.

Exclusives Transfers Stats & Tactics Academy Aston Villa Women About View: Aston Villa’s big-money signing continues to struggle in the first half against Liverpool.James Murray’s

3rd September 2023 | 2:54pm
Pau Torres continues his mediocre start at Aston Villa in the first half against Liverpool.
Pau Torres’ mediocre start to life with Aston Villa continued in the first half against Liverpool on Sunday (3 September).

The Spaniard started on the left side of a back-three alongside Diego.

The centre-back failed to make a single successful tackle in the first half at Anfield, and he also failed to make a single block or clearance as Liverpool fell behind at the break [SofaScore].

He also won only one of three duels on the ground and lost possession six times, making it tough for his team to generate assaults.

Torres tried three dribbles in the first 45 minutes and was only successful once, while his pass success rate was only 76% despite his talent on the ball.

It is still early days for the Villa defender, but there is little doubt that more will be expected of him in the future.

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