A new manager usually means a new beginning. And with Aston Villa‘s squad consisting of more out-of-favour players than most, news of Steven Gerrard’s dismissal may have been greeted with the popping of champagne corks popping in the shadowy corners of Bodymoor Heath.
Can Frederic Guilbert kick-start his Villa career under Unai Emery; a coach who boasts an impressive track record when it comes to getting the best out of attack-minded full-backs? Will Marvelous Nakamba receive a fresh start in Emery’s pragmatic, defence-first gameplan.
And what of Morgan Sanson? A man who’s most notable kick in Villa colours was aimed at a water bottle rather than a football.
Unai Emery replaces Steven Gerrard as Aston Villa manager
The good news, for Sanson, is that Emery likes a double-pivot; not to mention all-action midfielders equally effective on and off the ball.
The mercurial Ever Banega finally fulfilled his vast potential under Emery at Sevilla, blossoming into one of Europe’s most complete footballers. Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira played their best Arsenal football under the 50-year-old Spaniard, too, while Etienne Capoue, Francois Coquelin and Manu Trigueiros all added notable strings to their bows for a Villarreal side who stunned Bayern Munich and Juventus en route to the Champions League semi-finals in 2021/22.
Emery admires energetic, hard-running, versatile midfielders. Sanson, a jack-of-all-trades rather than a master of anything in particular, could perform a similar role to Coquelin, Trigueiros or Banega; hassling and harrying the opposition while pushing the team forward and breaking into the box. Sanson is both an energetic, aggressive enforcer and a gifted tactician.
“I am a warrior,” Sanson explains. “I like it when all the players run for the team and for the club.”
Perhaps the biggest problem facing Sanson is that he is just one of many midfielders at Villa who look well-suited to Emery’s style. John McGinn, Leander Dendoncker and Aaron Ramsey can also thrive in a box-to-box role. They too are established Premier League operators. Unlike a man who has struggled to adapt thus far to the pace of the English game.
But if Sanson is to make a success of his time in Birmingham, the appointment of Emery could be the lucky break he needs.
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