Aston Villa boss Unai Emery will face two important selection headaches in particular on Saturday as we face Newcastle Utd in our Premier League season opener.
Having been dealt the blow of Emiliano Buendia’s injury in midweek, we’ll also be without a string of key players including the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Alex Moreno.
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In turn, we’ll have to utilise our strength in depth to find alternative solutions in key areas, and the main area of contention is our left side given the absences of Moreno and Buendia, who would have likely started if available.
Instead, Emery will need to shuffle his pack, but he’ll have to get his choices spot on as this promises to be a hugely difficult first game up, particularly given our record on Tyneside over the years.
Pau Torres to start? Philogene to get nod in front of him?
The first big call comes in defence, and whether we go with Pau Torres as our ‘left-back’, with Matty Cash on the opposite side, or flip it so Ezri Konsa starts on the right with Lucas Digne on the left.
As we saw over pre-season, Emery likes to now shift into a back-three when in possession, and so while Torres would start on the left, we’d predominantly see him tuck inside to partner Tyrone Mings and Konsa, with Cash given the licence to push forward on the opposite flank and create width.
Should Villa go with that though, will that see Jaden Philogene emerge as the top option to start on the left side of our midfield in the second big call on our starting XI? With Kieran Trippier and Miguel Almiron expected to start on Newcastle’s right flank, that has the potential to cause Torres a lot of problems if he doesn’t have the necessary protection and help to deal with that threat.
While he’s experienced, possesses obvious quality in possession and will be key in that phase for us coupled with his defensive strengths, he did look vulnerable at times in that role in pre-season. In turn, rather than risk a Leon Bailey or Youri Tielemans in front of him who aren’t as defensively strong, Philogene could be the pick given he showed impressive defensive discipline and work-rate over the summer in that position.
Conversely, Villa could go with Digne at left-back to provide width and an attacking outlet, shift Torres across to partner Mings in the heart of our backline and then deploy Konsa on the right to tuck inside and form the back three.
Whichever way Emery goes with, it’s pivotal we find the right balance in our performance between defensive solidity and control in possession to create opportunities, but Philogene could arguably be a ‘surprise’ selection for this one having impressed in pre-season to earn the starting role.
Which option do you think Emery should go with? Philogene to start ahead of Bailey?
Predicted Villa XI…
Will morph into a back-three in possession with Pau tucking inside/Cash pushing on. Philogene impressed with his defensive discipline in pre-season, think we need protection/help for Pau in difficult first game as opposed to a Bailey.
Thoughts?#avfc #UTV pic.twitter.com/n5LLiTFsIF
— Talk Villa (@thetalkvilla) August 11, 2023