Understandably, much of the discussion surrounding Unai Emery’s sudden appointment at Aston Villa has been framed through the prism of the Spaniard’s somewhat underwhelming spell with Arsenal; that top-four capitulation, the Europa League final battering by Chelsea, the shapeless, often lifeless football and the dropped points against Southampton, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.
Throughout Emery’s nearly 20-year managerial career, however, the Basque-born 50-year-old has proven himself to be more comfortable at the helm of an underdog than a side expected to win, and win in style.
His rather reactive, defence-first style alienated PSG’s superstar squad. Arsenal, meanwhile, never looked comfortable under Emery either. In contrast, his best work has come with the likes of Sevilla and Villarreal; not-quite-A-list clubs with fanbases happy to sacrifice style for success.
Emery won the Europa League three times with Sevilla, and repeated the trick with Villarreal in 2021.
A man for the small details
Players like Neymar and Mesut Ozil – those used to being given something of a free role – grew tired of Emery’s obsession with the small details and total professionalism on and off the pitch. An Aston Villa squad with fewer egos than he found at PSG or Arsenal should, however, be more receptive to Emery’s methods.
That is not to say he cannot win over the more big-name members of this Villa squad, however.
“From the moment Unai arrived at Paris, he showed his passion for football,” said former PSG striker Edinson Cavani, who scored 89 goals in just two seasons under Emery (Coaches Voice). “I really liked his way of working. It’s the small details that determine these kinds of games.
“He’s a hard-working coach. And that is why he has won titles and trophies everywhere.”
Can Emery get a tune out of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings?
Cavani starred as a lone-striker under Emery at PSG, a la Alexandre Lacazette at Arsenal, plus Kevin Gameiro and Carlos Bacca at Sevilla. During his two-and-a-bit years at Villarreal, however, Emery tended to favour something more familiar to a 4-4-2; the stylish, cerebral Gerard Moreno often paired with a more mobile frontman.
Perhaps the Danny Ings-Ollie Watkins partnership Steven Gerrard tried and failed to implement at Aston Villa could be unleashed by Emery; Ings in the Moreno mould, Watkins performing the Arnaut Danjuma role.
Emery also prefers a double-pivot in the centre of the park. Two midfielders capable of either dominating the ball, or sitting back and forcing errors, depending on the game. In John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Leander Dendoncker and Boubacar Kamara, Aston Villa have plenty of hard-working midfielders who are comfortable with and without possession.
Emi Buendia, meanwhile, may find himself playing in a deeper role, a la Dani Parejo or Ever Banega. He is arguably Villa’s best option when it comes to progressing the ball through the thirds. Buendia also looks like an intriguing often drifting in from the left; his work-rate perhaps giving him the edge over the exasperating Philippe Coutinho.
Cash and Digne will be key
Emery also likes attacking, overlapping full-backs, with his wide midfielders tending to come more central. Rampaging full-backs Alex Vidal and Benoit Tremoulinas both caused havoc during Sevilla’s 2014/15 Europa League win. Emery also managed to create a potent left-wing partnership out of Alex Iwobi and Sead Kolasinac at Arsenal. Pervis Estupinan earned himself a big-money move to Brighton, meanwhile, after a season spent flying down the left at Emery’s Villarreal.
The energy and creativity of Matty Cash and Lucas Digne should come in very handy, then. Particularly when paired with the guile of Philippe Coutinho or Buendia. To give the full-backs the freedom to push forward, Emery often asks one of his midfielders to drop into the defence – creating a back three – when his side are in possession. Kamara, McGinn and Luiz could all do that job.
One area where Villa fans will hope to see some improvement, however, is in the final third. Emery has often frustrated in La Liga due to his reluctance to let Villarreal off the leash. He likes to keep things tight at the back. The Yellow Submarine have been breached just seven times in 11 games this term. But this pragmatism sometimes comes at the expense of creativity at the other end of the pitch. Can Emery strike a better balance at a Villa side with plenty of talented but underperforming forwards?
It will be interesting, meanwhile, to see what Emery has planned for a revitalised Leon Bailey. Will he be used out wide or, perhaps, in a more central role, a la Danjuma at Villarreal?
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