While results on our USA pre-season tour haven’t been ideal thus far, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has had two stand-out positives to take from the trip already.
Villa looked excellent in consecutive 3-0 wins over Walsall and Spartak Trnava to start our preparations this summer, but defeats to Columbus Crew and RB Leipzig have seen that momentum broken.
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As reiterated by Emery this week though, although he naturally never likes to suffer defeat given his competitive nature, there are bigger and more important considerations at this time of the year as we ultimately look to ensure we’re in optimal condition when we face West Ham Utd on August 17.
With that in mind, to see both Emiliano Buendia and Jacob Ramsey get minutes during our time Stateside has been one of the most important, and enjoyable, aspects of the trip, as although others have impressed and made positive impressions, getting that duo back to full fitness and top form will be fundamental in the upcoming campaign.
Our new signings are mostly showing promising signs in their adaptation process and integrating into the side, while we almost now have all of our internationals back, getting back up to speed as we enter the final phase of our pre-season preparations.
However, one of the key points this summer was always about our injured players completing their respective recoveries and being available again, and we’ve seen Buendia steadily build up his minutes and regain match fitness and sharpness, while Ramsey got a valuable run-out in midweek and will hopefully build on that against Club America before we return home.
Emery confirmed that Tyrone Mings is expected to rejoin group training when we get back to Bodymoor Heath, and while it’s a cliche statement, given the length of time that these key individuals have been sidelined for, it may well feel like adding new signings back into the fold, such is the potential lift and impact that they will have.
Both Buendia and Ramsey excelled in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign after Emery took charge, as they become integral pieces in his side and showcased their best form for Villa in terms of availability and consistency over a prolonged period.
Ramsey scored four goals and provided five assists in the last 12 Premier League games of that season, while Buendia contributed four league goals and two assists after Emery’s appointment, compared to just one goal and no assists prior.
Unfortunately, the Argentine playmaker was lost for the season last year after suffering a serious knee injury on the eve of the new campaign, while foot issues plagued Ramsey’s start and end to the year as he was limited to just 21 appearances.
With the creativity, flair, work ethic, tempo and goal threat that they add to the line-up, which will hopefully complement and lessen the pressure on the likes of Leon Bailey and Morgan Rogers, Villa will hope to have an even more dynamic and dangerous attacking line-up this season, and they’ll be a major part in that on their return to the side.
It’s also important when considering what Villa have lost this summer, as many have expressed concern over how we replace the goals and assists that Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby contributed last season. These two will certainly have a big say in replacing them and replicating those numbers.
Time will tell if they face further competition for places if Villa opt to delve back into the transfer market for another attacking reinforcement, but having them back in training and playing games in pre-season has been one of the highlights of the summer so far, and it’s hoped that everyone comes through unscathed and is in peak condition and form for the start of the competitive football.
