With under two weeks to go until Aston Villa begin the new Premier League season, Unai Emery still has issues to resolve and fix in his current squad.
While our results on our pre-season tour in the USA were disappointing, there is an overriding sense that there is no need to overreact to them, as ultimately what matters is how we start the upcoming campaign.
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Having avoided any injuries, improved the fitness of the group and begun the process of implementing new ideas and personnel, it will hopefully have been a critical exercise in helping Emery get his players as prepared as possible for the season.
However, there are still key questions yet to be answered as we head into the middle of August, and it’s hoped that we’re provided with those answers sooner rather than later to help the squad continue to develop and evolve into an increasingly competitive group.
Moreno or Digne to depart?
With the signing of Ian Maatsen this summer, Villa appear to have a new first-choice left-back that fits Emery’s style more effectively than those who were already at his disposal.
The expectation is that Samuel Iling-Junior will play more advanced, but with his ability to also play as a left wing-back, that starts to stack up options for the same role, and it seems too many.
In turn, although they’ve both featured heavily on our pre-season tour, will it be Alex Moreno or Lucas Digne to leave? Personal preference would be to keep the former given his suitability to Emery’s style and the reported high wages of his 31-year-old teammate, but one must surely go this summer.
Nedeljkovic, Kesler-Hayden ready to compete with Cash?
It was widely suggested that Villa must upgrade at right-back this summer to either push or replace Matty Cash in that crucial role.
Similarly to how we operate on the opposite side, our right-back must be technically gifted enough to help build our play when central areas are crowded, while balancing that with their defensive duties and a need to push forward and stretch the pitch while adding an attacking dynamic.
Cash in fact ticks a number of those boxes, and it seems as though he’ll be staying with us. With Kosta Nedeljkovic emerging as one of the biggest positives of our pre-season so far, coupled with Kaine Kesler-Hayden making strides and counting as a club-trained homegrown player, is that the right-back department set?
Centre-half reshuffle if Diego Carlos leaves, is Mings ready?
Speculation last week linked Diego Carlos with an exit, and after his red card in our friendly against RB Leipzig and subsequent absence from the squad vs Club America, if he is heading for the exit door, Villa must absolutely replace him and add more quality competition and depth in central defence.
Then there’s the Tyrone Mings conundrum. Emery has confirmed that the Villa stalwart is likely to rejoin group training this week and will eye a comeback in September after a long-term absence due to a serious knee injury.
If we don’t sign another centre-half, separate to the Carlos situation, that means we have complete faith in the ability of Mings to not only recover from his setback, but to get back to his previous levels. It seems a risk at this stage, but those within the club will know best.
Enough creative flair in final third to complement pace and power?
Villa have an excellent contingent of attacking players to deploy behind Ollie Watkins, with Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey, Emiliano Buendia and Jaden Philogene all available to Emery, while the likes of Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ross Barkley can play in more advanced positions too.
The question though, is does that give us enough variation, versatility and differing dynamics in the final third to make us unpredictable and a nightmare for opposition defences?
Buendia aside, it could be argued that there is a lack of creativity and technical flair to balance with the pace, directness and power of the other players, and so could that be something that is addressed before the window closes?
Duran to leave, more firepower needed?
If Jhon Durán leaves, as has been heavily touted for weeks now amid his off-the-pitch antics and comments, that would leave a major void in terms of depth and an alternative option to lead the line behind Watkins.
Cameron Archer is a talented player and can perhaps offer a poacher option off the bench if we’re looking to throw caution to the wind, but he arguably hasn’t convinced enough over pre-season to warrant being the second option to rotate with Watkins as he’s still struggling to deliver the entire package of what is required in an Emery set-up as the lead frontman.
In turn, more firepower is arguably already needed with Lewis Dobbin still to bed in and make his mark, but especially if Duran goes, Villa must bring in another goal threat to allow Watkins to rest when needed, and to lessen the burden on his shoulders to score consistently and provide all the other attributes and qualities that he possesses.
Agree with the above? What else is perhaps concerning you ahead of the new season?