2 Calvin Bassey attributes Liverpool legend lauded in Aston Villa draw

Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey was lauded by Liverpool great Jamie Redknapp after his performance in Fulham’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.

The former England International spoke on Sky Sports about the 26-year-old, who started at Villa Park on Saturday and played a key role in a defensive display that kept Fulham unbeaten in three Premier League games.

Nicolas Jackson put Villa ahead in the 39th minute, and Fulham levelled in the 64th when Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki turned an Alex Iwobi corner into his net. John McGinn also hit the woodwork from a penalty early on.

Bassey was booked in first-half stoppage time, but his performance drew attention from Redknapp and his teammate Shea Charles.

2 Calvin Bassey attributes that stood out to Jamie Redknapp

1. Leadership

Redknapp’s first point was that Bassey is a leader, and beyond his performance on the pitch, he’s one to always look to get better.

“I like him, I’m a fan of his. Now, you can see this season; he’s a leader, and he wants to defend,” the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder told Sky Sports.

“He’s a leader in the dressing room too, the manager has gone on and identified that, and I was very impressed with him.”

New teammate Shea Charles backed that up. Speaking after the game, the midfielder said:

“He’s a top player. I don’t want to big him up too much, but he’s a really good leader, especially with me coming into my first season.”

Those comments are important because Bassey is not only being praised by an outsider.

Despite the praise, the Inter Milan target wasn’t pleased with what he saw from his teammates.

“We should have got more, missed two chances inside the six-yard box,” he said.

“Since the start of the season, we’ve been improving each week.”

2. His rare profile as a left-footed defender

Redknapp’s second theme was Bassey’s profile. He said Bassey wants to defend and described him as a left-sided centre-back, who is harder to find in the transfer market.

That combination is valuable. Many modern defenders are praised for their passing or their ability to carry the ball. Redknapp’s emphasis on defending is a different compliment, and the left-sided point underlines why Fulham rely on him.

The numbers support it. Fulham have taken seven points from their last three league games and conceded just once in that period. Bassey has made nine league appearances this season.

“He’s just 26 years old, and it feels like he’s getting better every year,” Redknapp continued.

“I don’t think he gets the sort of flowers he deserves to be fair, as we mostly look at what players can’t do, but every year, he seems to improve.”

If Bassey keeps improving at the pace Redknapp describes, Nigeria could have a defender who brings both leadership, quality and versatility on the left side, and one who could be playing for a top European club next summer.