We seem to be motoring at pace through Summer, and with a hiatus in an exhilarating Ashes series, here we are a week away from Villa’s first pre-season friendly.
That of course, is the ‘traditional curtain raiser’ away at Walsall on Saturday when we get to indulge once more in a first matchday since the end of May. With so early a fixture the focus will be very much fitness based and we should expect to see some first teamers (those who have already reported back after an interrupted Summer) and some of the younger loan returners and retained U21s. Whatever the status of the game it will be a welcome return to Villa life and the start of a busy month before the Premier League season commences away at Newcastle.
Villa Twitter (or soon to be Threads?) has been awash with speculation and debate since European qualification was confirmed at a sunny Villa Park in May. Transfer incomings, injuries and the status of younger squad members have all been hot topics – along with some contrasting views on the new kit, ‘second’ badge and the about turn on some of the VP developments. All of that conversation (and consternation) can be distilled into a few big questions that need an answer over pre-season.
CAMERON ARCHER
A real conundrum. Villa fans seem to be occupying a conflicted space between believing Archer can make a real impact versus the chilling fear that if he is sold then somehow Villa would live to regret it as he scored at Haaland-esque levels somewhere else. The answer probably lies somewhere in between.
There is no doubting his talent, as we have seen flashes of in Cup competitions for Villa, in the second tier for Preston and Middlesbrough and this Summer as the U21 England side became European champions. It is interesting though that he wasn’t a starter for England – Lee Carsley preferring non-traditional striking options.
It’s that mindset which also complicates his Villa future. If we assume any other forward related business is going to be wider forwards in the vein of (but not actually) Nico Williams it is reasonable to say Archer could be a back up to Watkins. But is that enough for the young man himself? He spent the first half of last season on the Premier League bench after all, with little opportunity.
The question Emery and Archer need to answer is, despite whether he deserves the opportunity or not, how much opportunity is he actually going to get?
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MIDFIELD MIX
The signing of Youri Tielemans is an exceptional one, not least on a free. It does complicate the midfield mix and will keep Emery on his toes as he strives to achieve the right balance whilst keeping everyone happy.
The news of Jacob Ramsey’s injury whilst away with the England U21 further complicates things – especially as despite the reserves of talents in midfield there is no obvious like for like replacement for him. The likelihood is that messrs McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans will fight it out for three positions leading up to Newcastle, unless SJM plays further forward.
I completely take the point of Villa fans that there should be more games this season and so depth is important but Emery has always, either through necessity at Villa or through desire in Spain, preferred a settled side so one can assume there will not be wholesale regular rotation unless absolutely necessary.
Perhaps the key question is how to replace Ramsey’s drive initially, which may see McGinn play more on the left. Added to this are returning loan successes Iroegbunam, Azaz and Bogarde who one might assume will be loaned out again, unless both Dendoncker and Chambers depart.
I’d err on the loan options as these players will not – as alluded to with Archer – get sufficient opportunity not to stunt their development. It’s not too difficult to imagine Walsall being a semi audition for the likes of Azaz especially given most of the starting options aren’t even back at Bodymoor Heath yet.
DEFENSIVE SET UP
Even Fabrizio Romano tweeting padlock emojis every day cannot convince all Villa fans that Pau Torres isn’t suddenly going to actually be signed by someone else. But assuming all is proceeding as planned, what a signing. Arguably the highest profile signing of a player at their peak I have seen as a Villa fan?
One can assume Pau will start so questions remain about who accompanies him – and obviously Villa are not short of options. Diego Carlos is still I suspect some way off starting a PL game as he continues to rehabilitate. Much has also been made of Ezri Konsa as a possible right back although evidence is scant – a behind closed doors friendly post World Cup to allow Carlos a run out and the fact Emery played Juan Foyth there for Villareal. Foyth is arguably a more natural ball player than Konsa for a start and to airbrush Matty Cash out of a conversation is a little odd.
The set-up quandary is only exacerbated by the fact that Villa’s injury problems come on the left, with the aforementioned Ramsey joined on the side-lines by Moreno. This may impact on Emery’s thinking – with possibly the right-hand side becoming the more offensive and Lucas Digne sitting deeper on the left.
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BUENDÍA? COUTINHO? AN OTHER?
It’s obviously how dear many Villa fans hold Emi to their hearts – which equally explains how quick many are to jump to his defence. I am an admirer of Buendia and he has attributes that can be useful to this Villa squad. But the brutal reality is that as a starter under successive managers he has failed to have a significant impact on games on a sustained and regular basis.
His assist stats bear this out. Emery played him – until he didn’t – because there wasn’t any other viable option but he did little to justify that faith. Assuming Coutinho sticks around – and I hope he does, imagine not singing his song – and stays fit there will be competition.
Coutinho feels like a man with a point to prove – if he can match that sense with a real desire to do so then he could become the frontrunner. It feels like a massive pre-season for both men, one way or another. The other scenario of course is that neither regularly start – it is viable to imagine Tielemans, McGinn or even Luiz playing in a proactive 8/10 role within an Emery system.
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ACADEMY DECISIONS
We have already mentioned Archer, Azaz, Iroegbunam and Bogarde as Villa academy prospects returning to the fold this Summer – and key decisions about what opportunity they can or would have in a first team set up. There is much to weigh up with others too – Ben Chrisene, Aaron Ramsey, Louie Barry, Josh Feeney, Tommi O’Reilly amongst them.
For any club the balance needed to be achieved is delicate – as with last season you can imagine that the majority of the U21 side that competes in PL2 will be on the younger end of that age bracket with the older ones loaned out.
Equally plyers like Feeney would clearly benefit physically and emotionally from week in week out professional game time. Several academy stalwarts have already departed – Raikhy, Lindley et al. The question over pre-season will be who is seen as likely to make a bigger impact in B6 versus the impact they might have elsewhere. The romantic nature of academy plyers is that fans want them to succeed and take on the ‘one of our own’ mantle. The reality is of course starker than that with only Jacob Ramsey and Jack Grealish making that full step up in recent times.
It feels good to be back and Saturday cannot come soon enough. It will be fascinating to see how Emery answers these questions and others over a busy preseason, in which we are bound to see a range of options and systems tested out. By the time we arrive in Valencia on the 5th of August we should get a clear idea of a plan for Newcastle. Enjoy the ride.
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MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR | IVAN MCDOUALL
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