Unai Emery
Unai Emery on Squad Rotation and Player Development:
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has emphasized that every player in his squad will have a role to play throughout the season, even if the starting XI has remained consistent in recent matches.
“Right now we are more or less repeating the same XI, but the season is going to be long and we are going to play a lot of matches.”
Emery pointed out that while Ross Barkley has had a high impact, his adaptation to Villa’s tactical demands is progressing well.
“He is not playing in the starting XI in Premier League matches but I believe in case he will play on Sunday or on Wednesday against Bayern Munich he is close to understanding everything tactically I want. In training sessions he is really performing well.”
Emery also addressed the integration of new players such as Kosta Nedeljkovic and others, expressing his hope that they will soon grasp the tactical ideas he is implementing.
“Hopefully we can get our new players understanding our tactical idea. Kosta (Nedeljkovic) is another example. Hopefully we can get our new players understanding our tactical idea as soon as possible.”
New Signings and Squad Depth:
Villa’s summer transfer activity saw them add several key players to the squad, including Lewis Dobbin, Samuel Iling-Junior, and Enzo Barrenechea, who are currently out on loan. However, Emery has £100m worth of new talent at his disposal in Ian Maatsen, Ross Barkley, Jaden Philogene, and Amadou Onana, all of whom are continuing to adapt to the team’s tactical setup.
Tactical Versatility Up Front:
Discussing his options in attack, Emery spoke about Jhon Duran and his desire for more playing time. Emery hinted at the possibility of using two strikers in certain tactical setups, which could open up opportunities for Duran.
“Tactically we can play with two strikers, sometimes with Watkins and Morgan like we are playing, feeling we have two players who can be close together in the box.”
Emery explained the flexibility of his approach and how he could utilize different attacking combinations.
“We can manage to play properly with two strikers like Jhon Duran. Different tactical situations we can manage with versatility.”
