Aston Villa’s January transfer window business is proving to be decisive, with our new recruits making key contributions already.
Andres Garcia is deservedly receiving praise as he looks to be a potential steal given how he’s started life at the club and fitted into Unai Emery’s system and style, while Axel Disasi has added much-needed depth at the back.
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Moving further up the pitch, Donyell Malen is gradually making his presence felt, and Marcus Rashford looks rejuvenated under Emery as he has not only added a crucial new dynamic to our attack with his ability to stretch the pitch and take players on down the left flank, but he looks happy and is relishing his role at Villa.
However, arguably the most important addition has been Marco Asensio, who has bagged four goals in six appearances so far, and is adding the touch of class and decisiveness in the final third that was badly needed in the second half of this campaign.
In addition to his experience and winning mentality after years of performing at the very highest level, his technical ability, positional awareness and finesse in attacking areas to find pockets of space and make game-changing impacts is proving to be fundamental, as we saw again in our win over Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Friday night.
It could be argued that the Spaniard is what we hoped Emiliano Buendia would be after his return from injury this season, and so that reshuffle has proven to be crucial thus far after the Argentine playmaker departed on loan.
Villa boast plenty of pace, power and direct running in the final third with players like Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey and Marcus Rashford, but finding the balance with composure, vision and technical class is key, and Asensio is providing that.
His four goals have come in pairs after braces against Chelsea and Cardiff, but in both games, he exploited spaces in dangerous areas and showed his calmness and technique to find the back of the net and make a decisive difference, as we’ve struggled to find breakthroughs against sides sitting deeper and packing central areas, and that’s where his influence becomes even more pivotal to find a way to unlock them.
Time will tell if his move becomes permanent in the summer, but in the event that it doesn’t, he hasn’t got a lot of time to make his impact and leave a lasting impression.
In turn, it’s been such a boost to see him make the difference so quickly, and it’s hoped as we continue to compete across multiple competitions in the coming months, that he can continue to justify the decision to land his signature on loan and cover his wages by helping us achieve our objectives between now and May.