Evann Guessand
Evann Guessand has been making strides in his first season with Aston Villa, having started six of the team’s first nine matches, including the last five consecutively. Despite not yet scoring, the forward has shown promising signs of adapting to manager Unai Emery’s system as a right winger. Guessand’s journey in the Premier League is drawing attention, especially given the rich history of Ivorian players who have excelled in the English top-flight.
Evann Guessand said: “Obviously my teammates have been kind to me when I arrived. I spoke to the French guys and they explained to me how it works here. Now, everything is good and I am starting to understand how my teammates play. I am adapting my style of play to my teammates and I feel good. I am starting to know how to play in this team and understand how the coach wants me to play. I think through time it will get better 100 per cent. I don’t have a position where I prefer to play. As long as I am on the pitch, I am happy. Last season I played number 10 on the right, because at Nice we played with two number 10s. At Villa I am playing a bit wider, but as long as I am on the pitch I am happy. Football has changed. Nowadays we see players in different positions and it helps the coach to move players into different positions. When we play a game the opposition won’t know what is going to happen. If you have versatile players, they can move and change. The opponents don’t know how to defend you as sometimes you’re on the left and then on the right. It is better to have versatile players in your team, rather than players who can only play one position.”
Guessand continued: “Everyone has their own story. They made great careers in England. I hope I will do the same. It is true that we struggled at the beginning a little bit. Every season is different, but we are now starting to win and we are stronger in difficult moments now. We have confidence in each other and that’s getting better and better in each game. I hope it stays like this, because we can achieve a lot of things together. Maybe when the team changed, some players arrive and you have to adapt the team to the new players. The coach had to teach the new players to play with their new teammates. This is maybe one of the reasons we struggled at the start. When I see the quality of the team, I am not scared. There is a lot of quality.”
Guessand also reflected on the differences between playing in France and England, noting the higher intensity and counter-attacking style prevalent in the Premier League. His comments highlight the challenges and adjustments required for players transitioning to English football. Despite these challenges, Guessand remains optimistic about his future at Aston Villa and his potential to emulate the success of other Ivorian players in the league.
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