Boubacar Kamara is returning to his best — and that changes everything for Aston Villa

I don't think there was ever any serious doubt about Boubacar Kamara's quality, because we've seen enough of him over the last four years to know that when he's fit and playing regularly, he's one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. What there had been, particularly during the opening weeks of this season, were some understandable questions about whether the injuries he'd suffered were beginning to have an impact on his performances, and I think the display against Manchester City went a long way towards answering them.

I've mentioned previously that Kamara hasn't always looked quite as sharp physically as he did before some of those injury problems, and there were moments earlier in the campaign when he appeared a little short of his usual level. However, there were also encouraging signs that his understanding of the game and ability to anticipate danger remained intact, and what we're beginning to see now is a player returning to the sort of form that makes such an enormous difference to Aston Villa.

Speaking on The 1874 Podcast, Jacob Tanswell described Kamara as the glue that holds Villa's midfield together, and I think that's an excellent way of explaining his importance because so much of what he does allows the players around him to perform their own roles more effectively.

His defensive positioning is outstanding, particularly when Villa's full-backs advance or one of the centre-backs is required to step out of the defensive line. Kamara has an instinctive understanding of where danger is likely to develop, and his ability to cover those spaces means the team can commit players forward without constantly leaving itself exposed.

That's particularly important for somebody like João Gomes, who is still developing his understanding of Emery's system and the responsibilities that come with playing in Villa's midfield. Having Kamara alongside him provides an enormous amount of security, allowing Gomes to be aggressive when pressing opponents and engage in the physical battles that are such an important part of his game.

The performance against Manchester City demonstrated that relationship particularly well, with Villa's midfield competing against opponents who had cost extraordinary amounts of money to assemble. There was something quite satisfying about watching Kamara, who arrived at Aston Villa on a free transfer, produce arguably the most accomplished midfield performance on the pitch.

I don't think transfer fees necessarily tell us very much about the quality of individual footballers, but it does provide a reminder of just how exceptional Villa's decision to bring Kamara to the club was. He's been a hugely important player throughout Emery's time in charge, and when you consider what a midfielder of his ability would cost in the current market, it's difficult to overstate the value of that signing.

It's not just his defensive work that makes him so important, either, because I think his composure in possession is sometimes taken for granted. Jacob highlighted the bravery required to receive the ball from Suzuki in difficult areas, particularly when opponents are pressing aggressively and there is very little time to make a decision.

Kamara is comfortable accepting possession under that pressure, understanding where his teammates are positioned and moving the ball into areas that allow Villa to progress up the pitch. It might be a relatively simple pass to a full-back or centre-back, but the ability to recognise and execute those decisions consistently is what allows Emery's team to play the way he wants.

The biggest question surrounding Kamara now is probably his availability rather than his ability, because injuries have interrupted several periods when he's been performing at an extremely high level. Jacob suggested that keeping him fit for an entire season could potentially be worth two or three places in the Premier League table, and while that's impossible to measure precisely, I understand the point he's making.

Villa have other good midfield players, but nobody offers quite the same combination of defensive intelligence, positional awareness and composure that Kamara provides. He's the player who gives so much of the team its balance, and the difference between having him available regularly and constantly having to find solutions in his absence could be enormous over the course of a demanding season.

There's still a long way to go, and I wouldn't suggest one excellent performance means every concern about his fitness has disappeared, but the signs over recent weeks have been increasingly encouraging. If Villa can keep Kamara on the pitch and allow him to build some real continuity alongside Gomes, I think we'll see further improvements from a midfield that is already beginning to look incredibly strong.

For all the excitement surrounding the new players at Aston Villa, the return of one of Emery's most important established performers could be every bit as valuable to what the club achieves this season.