Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has praised Unai Emery for the influence that he has had on his game since he arrived at the club last year.
The 30-year-old started last season on the bench in our opening game at Bournemouth under former boss Steven Gerrard, as he was publicly challenged to rediscover his form to win his place back.
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While Mings had been prone to errors, he remained a pivotal figure for us in our backline, and to his credit, he has embraced the challenge under Emery and earned his spot in the Villa XI to re-establish himself as a pillar of the side.
He ended last season with 35 Premier League appearances, and is seemingly now a piece that the Villa boss will build around this summer, as we prepare for an important campaign where we’ll look to compete on multiple fronts.
Speaking from the England camp, Mings was asked about his early-season struggles and what Emery has done for him, and it’s clear he has benefitted from clear, concise coaching to simplify his role, which in turn allows him to emphasise his strengths and minimise his weaknesses.
“I go back to the first conversation we had and he [Emery] said every time he watched me, I ended up in centre midfield, left wing, right back or covering the other centre back, left back, and all of that can happen within 60 seconds,” he told the media, as per The Times.
“He wanted me to play in my position, simplify what I was doing and learn his methods. I’m expending less energy just being a left-sided centre back. He basically taught me that I know nothing about the position that I play. He’s opened my eyes.
“Even sitting there at Bournemouth thinking I’d fallen a long way, never did I think there was no way back. I learn way more in times of uncertainty or disappointment compared to when it is going well and there isn’t much to think about because things are easy.
“There’s always a plateau in people’s careers where things are coasting. I wasn’t taking it for granted, but you just sometimes need a kick up the backside, don’t you? If I look back now and think, ‘Was I really pushing myself everyday to the level where I am right now?’ Honestly, probably not.”
While Emery’s superior coaching ability has undoubtedly been crucial for Mings, he deserves credit too for being able to adapt to, and learn, the tactical demands of the Spaniard, as it would have been challenging for both him and the entire squad to meet those standards and raise their respective games.
Emery’s relentless analytical football brain and methods have seen countless individuals improve and become more influential under his stewardship, and so in many ways it’s no surprise that Mings puts his improvement down to the Villa boss.
It’s hoped that he still has levels to go and can improve further, as although the expectation is that he could face more competition next season as we look to evolve and continue to demand more by bringing in new faces, he certainly has a big role to play for us moving forward.