"Traore has desire to prove himself "

Bertrand Traore has been backed to be an Aston Villa success by assistant boss John Terry after a brilliant goal on his debut.

Villa beat Bristol City to set up a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie with Stoke City next week.

Anwar El Ghazi put Villa ahead after good work by Keinan Davis and Traore hit a wonderful side-footed volley before Ollie Watkins added a third.

"It was important for him [Traore] to get off to a great start," said Terry.

Traore - who was Terry's team-mate at Chelsea in 2015-16 - joined Villa for £17m from French side Lyon last week.

"He hasn't played in a while. So to get the goal and top it off was good," Terry said.

"He was someone at Chelsea who was very hungry. He went away from the Premier League but he's always had that desire to come back and prove himself.

"He's got that opportunity now at Aston Villa and personally and professionally we're delighted to have him."

The Burkina Faso forward could take some of the pressure off Villa captain Jack Grealish, who was last season's top scorer in the Premier League with eight.

"He can isolate people in one-on-one situations and we have that on the other side with Jack as well," said Terry.

"That might free Jack up as well if we can play very quickly during games."

Dean Smith's side, who lost last season's final to Manchester City, were good value for their win.

They could have won by more and should have taken the lead earlier. Davis and El Ghazi were both denied by a good Max O'Leary double save in the first half.
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*The Guardian*
*Thursday 24 September 2020*

​"Bertrand Traoré hits volley on debut as Aston Villa see off Bristol City"

​There are few better ways to whet the appetite than a debut goal and Bertrand Traoré got up and running in style as Aston Villa breezed past Bristol City into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. Ollie Watkins struck two-and-a-half minutes after arriving off the bench to complete the scoring but Traoré’s sumptuous first-time volley, moments after Anwar El Ghazi converted from close range, was the highlight of a satisfying victory for Villa, who rested Jack Grealish with an eye on Monday’s trip to Fulham.

​Dean Smith made wholesale changes from the team that overcame Sheffield United on Monday. Tyrone Mings and John McGinn were named among the substitutes but Grealish was absent altogether, though Traoré ably deputised for Villa’s catalyst. Traoré, the Burkina Faso forward who completed 70 minutes on his first outing since arriving from Lyon, kept the Bristol City backline on their toes to help set up a tie at home to Stoke next week.

​Traoré played alongside John Terry at Chelsea and the Villa assistant coach said he gave the forward, who helped pick holes in an inexperienced Bristol City defence, a “very good character reference”. Terry added: “At Chelsea he was very hungry and he went away to learn his trade elsewhere, in France and elsewhere at the top level. He has the pace to run behind but he can isolate people in one-on-one situations. He’s got the potential to go and beat players one v one. It is great for him to get off to a good start after Emi [Martínez] saved a penalty [on his debut against Sheffield United last week].”

​Watkins arrived at Villa for a club-record £28m and Traoré for £17m, more than the combined cost of the entire Bristol City starting XI, and such class told here. When Jacob Ramsey dinked a cross towards Traoré, who arrived in the 18-yard box unmarked and at speed, he opened up his body and effortlessly volleyed the ball into the far corner.

​That doubled Villa’s advantage after El Ghazi tucked home a low cross by Keinan Davis, who reduced Tommy Rowe to all fours before cutting the ball back at the by-line and Watkins slotted in a third late on after meeting Trezeguet’s pass.

​“We gave ourselves a mountain to climb, [conceding] two goals in 15 minutes is difficult to respond to,” said Dean Holden, who was promoted to the role of Bristol City head coach last month. Holden hoped Smith, who he worked for as a player-coach at Walsall, would come away empty handed but Villa were rarely threatened.

​Famara Diedhiou headed over a Niclas Eliasson cross and Antoine Semenyo drove an effort against the side-netting but Villa should have run away with things. El Ghazi could have had a hat-trick and Watkins, who enjoyed a fruitful loan down the M5 at Weston-super-Mare five years ago, could have doubled his tally but for the excellent Max O’Leary, the Bristol City goalkeeper who superbly stopped Ramsey adding a fourth.
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