While there were countless key figures in Aston Villa’s run to qualifying for Europe this past season, two in particular stood out at the back.
Unai Emery’s arrival was fundamental in our upturn, and the Spanish tactician showcased his superior coaching ability and skills by developing the respective games of the players that he inherited.
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Villa improved and evolved both individually and collectively to adapt to his preferred style of play and demands on the pitch, and Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa were a huge part of our improved competitiveness week in and week out.
From Emery’s first game in charge against Man Utd on November 6, Konsa was an ever-present in his starting XI and didn’t miss a single game in the entire campaign, while Mings put a negative start to the year behind him and missed just one game through injury after Emery’s appointment.
The 30-year-old finished the season with the most interceptions [54] of any defender in the Premier League, as he showed a higher level of consistency and discipline after working with the Villa boss and his coaching staff over the last six or seven months.
Across all competitions, Mings won 107 duels in 37 appearances, won 62% of tackles, made 166 clearances in total and made 22 blocks while winning 72% of aerial duels.
Further, he had an 85% passing completion rate and was instrumental in our improvement in building out from the back and playing the Emery way.
His physicality, presence, composure, concentration and leadership to marshal the backline all made him a pillar of the Villa XI, and as he continues to mature and gain knowledge by working with Emery, it’s hoped that he can continue to go from strength to strength in the coming years.
As for Konsa, he won 167 duels in 39 outings, winning 71% of his tackles, made 115 clearances, had 26 interceptions and 25 blocks while winning 60% of his aerial duels.
Additionally, he had an 89% passing completion rate, and so as a pairing, Mings and Konsa were not only pivotal in keeping things tight at the back, but also transitioning our play from defence into attack as part of the all-round style of play that Emery wanted to implement.
Konsa arguably doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves, especially after a concerning dip in his form last season. However, he has responded brilliantly and has proven to be a critical piece in the side, and his partnership with Mings has again come to the fore to emerge as one of our biggest strengths.
Time will tell if they continue to set the standard next season as Diego Carlos will provide stern competition having now returned from injury, and perhaps Emery will look to strengthen further. Villa though owe a great deal to their performances this past season as we look forward to a return to Europe.
That will entail more games and a bigger need for squad depth, but Mings and Konsa have proven that they’re more than capable of adapting to what Emery is trying to build and establishing themselves as mainstays in the side.
⛔ @TyroneMings recorded more interceptions (54) than any other @PremierLeague defender during the 2022/23 season. pic.twitter.com/0QNNGBLdKR
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) June 1, 2023
