Kenza Dali: The assist machine on a mission to entertain at Villa Park

Kenza Dali is a football purist.

As you might expect from a playmaker who idolised Ronaldinho and wears the number 10, her love of the game is built on much more than statistics and xG.

She extracts joy from every perfectly weighted pass, from each deft flick and shimmy past an opponent, from every pinpoint through ball.

“I like beautiful football. I always see football like a show,” Dali says.

“People come to watch good football. They come to see the team win but I always put myself in the stand and think about what kind of football people want to watch.

“I love the way people see Villa this season, saying all the goals we’re scoring are quality goals. I love that. I’m passionate about football, so it’s really important to me.”

Anyone who’s seen Aston Villa play this season can attest that the French international’s footballing philosophy has found a spiritual home in the playing style of manager Carla Ward since she joined from Everton last summer.

Dali has been given the freedom to orchestrate and create chances for her team, a decision that has paid off handsomely. And while statistics are not Dali’s driving force – “I can’t tell you how many goals or assists I have this season,” – they’re pretty impressive.

Villa scored just 13 goals in the Women’s Super League last season. With seven league games left to play this term, they’ve already found the net 27 times.

The 31-year-old has been responsible for six goals and ten assists across 23 appearances in all competitions. However, Dali recognises that personal success comes off the back of collective effort.

“The manager really understands my role and the type of player I am and what I can bring to the team. I’m a player that needs a bit of freedom and Carla gives me that,” she said.

“We had conversations, she analysed my game and she’s given me the freedom that’s allowed me to perform this season.”

Dali added: “Everyone plays a part in it. It can’t be only one player, you need to be on the same page as the people around you.

“Football starts with the ‘keeper, so if you have a ‘keeper who just puts the ball long all the time, you can’t play football. There’s a chemistry between the team to be on the same page.”

Joining Villa sparked a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for a player that had decided her time in England was over at the end of last season. Two years at West Ham United and one at Everton had left Dali with a sense that she hadn’t been able to show her true colours on the pitch.

Her mind had already been made up to leave the country when she took a meeting with Ward out of respect for the manager. Thankfully for both parties, Dali reversed her decision and signed a two-year deal in August.

“I never lost my love for football or the game, but I felt that England wasn’t for me as the player that I am,” she reflected.

“In France, it is a different game. People think that it’s easy to adapt but it’s not. It’s a completely different way to play and to think. I tried and I felt it wasn’t for me.

“I have completely changed my perception this season. Now people see a different side of me, that’s what I heard from people outside the club. The most important thing is every day that when I’m coming in, I’m happy. When I’m really happy, you can see it in my football.”

Happiness derived from Villa’s performances on the pitch has been matched by Dali’s appreciation for what’s been taking place off it. Investment in the playing squad has seen England internationals Rachel Daly, Jordan Nobbs and Lucy Staniforth sign in recent times as the club continues to push forward.

And while events on the pitch deliver doses of positive emotion to players, feeling part of a project and sharing the vision of those around you can help to elevate a player’s state of mind.

“I have a lot of conversations with people who are in charge of the club and they really care about the women’s team,” Dali said.  

“That makes me feel so good about it and confident for the future. When people on the board at Villa are coming often to speak with the players, to have a vision of what’s going on, I like that. I don’t like being separate from my club. I like the fact that Villa is a family.

“If tomorrow I need to speak with the board, I can speak with the board. They already know the project they have for the next three years. That gives you more trust and confidence about where you are. Villa is in a really good place now.”

Boardroom support has been supplemented by support from the stands. Fan power was in full force on the opening day of the campaign when a crowd of 6,636 turned out at Villa Park to see Dali and Co shock Manchester City 4-3.

A rapidly growing fan base, which has seen a 319% growth in Season Ticket Holders this season, has an exciting team to watch.

The backing they’ve provided during a campaign that is building to an exciting crescendo following an FA Cup quarter-final win against City has been greatly appreciated by the squad, and, in particular, by a player who makes it her mission to entertain them.

“I really felt the love straight away from Villa fans,” Dali said.

“That’s something that felt really good and I didn’t really have it in the past. Villa really accepted me as I am and made me feel good.

“If I put myself as a fan, I want to see goals. This season, we’ve scored a lot of beautiful, team goals. The way we play is really, really attractive, so fans are never bored.

“When you watch Villa this season you’re never bored because you know something’s going to happen. I think we play attractive and beautiful football – that’s enough to come to the stadium.”

Villa’s playing style isn’t just easy on the eye, it’s effective. Eight league wins – an improvement from six last season – and a run to the FA Cup semi-finals is proof of that.

As a result of their rise to fifth in the table, Dali believes that teams are starting to fear Villa. Ward’s team have compiled a seven-game unbeaten run, and their next assignment comes at Villa Park on Sunday when they take on Leicester City.  

Underneath the happy exterior, there’s a steely edge to Dali as she looks to ensure the team don’t let up anytime soon.

“The difficult part is when you’re on a good run and you beat City, you can’t switch off and say, ‘It’s going to be easy.’ It’s not going to be easy,” she said.

“I know their manager, he signed me at Everton and he’s going to come to Villa Park to win. We need to be ready for that.

“We can’t drop points because West Ham and Everton are behind. It’s up to us at home at Villa Park, where we have great support, to get the three points.”

Dali has fond memories of scoring on her debut against City at Villa Park in September.

She’s aiming to entertain once again on Sunday.

“I’m 32 soon but I feel 20 in my head and I’m still really in love with the game. I always watch players who bring joy to the fans, and I’m always trying to be like that.”