The Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield does not believe that Emiliano Buendia is lacking confidence after his quiet start to life at Aston Villa.
The 24-year-old moved to Villa Park for a club-record fee at the start of the summer but has not made a significant impact so far.
What's going on with Buendia at Villa?
Buendia started the team's first three league games this season, and looked to have kick-started his Villa career when he scored against Brentford at the end of August.
However, ever since being forced to quarantine after the September international break, he has been unable to force his way back into Dean Smith's starting XI as the Villa boss has moved to a 3-5-2 formation in recent weeks.
The Argentine attacker has played just 33 minutes of the side's last four top-flight matches, and looks to be no more than a fringe player at the moment.
What has Hatfield said about Buendia?
Despite Buendia struggling for game time since his summer transfer, Hatfield feels that he is still enjoying his time at Villa based on what he saw from the winger during the warm-up ahead of the team's clash with Tottenham last Sunday.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about Buendia's warm-up routine, Hatfield said: “I was watching him in the warm-ups against Spurs, and I know it’s a warm-up, it’s not the game, but he was still seeming to have a great time. And he was confident there in the way he was playing with his teammates.”
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How much did Buendia cost?
Villa paid an eye-watering fee for Buendia which could rise to £38m including add-ons.
With this in mind, it seems very likely that the club will want to see him back in the starting line-up in the near future. This may mean that Smith needs to alter his formation again.
Playing a 3-5-2 does not suit Buendia, as he is neither a wing-back nor a central midfielder. He needs to be operating as a winger or in the No. 10 position to show exactly what he can do.
In the four league matches that Villa have used a 3-5-2 system this season, they have picked up mixed results, winning twice but also losing on two occasions. Their recent performance against Spurs saw the side produce a below-par display, and this may cause Smith to consider whether this new-look formation is actually working well.
If he decides that it is not, he may switch things up, and this could offer Buendia another chance to cement his place in the team.