The teething problems continue at Aston Villa, but there’s no question that this new wave of players are knitting together.
Financial parameters have kept Villa in tow. For most clubs, breaking the hegemony, legally, is no easy task. After winning the Europa League last season, the Midlands club were forced to ring a number of damaging changes.
Unai Emery deserves a lot of credit for bringing Villa Park back around, but the squad was always going to be knocked down a few pegs. After all, you can’t sell players of Morgan Rogers‘ calibre and not expect some form of regression.
How Aston Villa used the Rogers money to rebuild
Rogers, 23, must feel like he’s riding the crest of a wave at Chelsea, already forming a deadly partnership with Joao Pedro and his buddy Cole Palmer, but he was made into the superstar he is today at Aston Villa.
The Villa had to sell the attacker this summer, unable to resist Chelsea’s £116m offer. So ended two-and-a-half years under Emery’s wing.
Replacing him was never going to be easy, but the decision-makers have done a neat job. Johan Manzambi arrived from Freiburg for around £50m, with Alejandro Garnacho also welcomed from Chelsea on loan (in a separate deal). The Argentine hasn’t won his new manager over just yet, but there remains faith that he will adapt.
Recent weeks have portrayed a more promising picture for Aston Villa. A winless four-game start to the Premier League season sparked fear, but a brilliant win away at Tottenham has been followed by a 2-2 draw against Brentford at Villa Park. A step back, perhaps, but the performance spoke of a new group gelling together.
But there does remain a sense that Rogers is missed, and someone needs to step up in his absence.
Why Aston Villa are struggling without Rogers
Clearly, not everyone knows how to spend over £100m on superstar signings, but there was no doubt in the Villa fanbase’s mind that Rogers would hit the ground running at Chelsea.
He has been immense so far, boasting four goals and four assists across eight games in all competitions. Xabi Alonso has hailed him as “the complete modern footballer“, and he’s already repaying the faith as the Villa adapt.
Adapting to this new chapter was always going to be difficult. For example, The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell has described Manzambi the “direct replacement for Morgan Rogers“, with his ball-carrying ability fundamental to Emery’s tactical outlook.
Manzambi is a proper talent, already coming into his own, but he’s not yet firing on all cylinders, as is expected. Moreover, Garnacho finds himself on the fringes, and Hemmings is talented but certainly not on the same level as the Three Lions superstar, one of the best in the business.
This rebuild was always going to take time, but maybe Emery needs to be open to utilising his options. Ibrahim Mbaye could offer more, as could Garnacho, whose impact has thus far been nominal.
|
Alejandro Garnacho’s Premier League Career |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps (starts) |
Goals + Assists |
|
26/27 |
3 (0) |
0 + 0 |
|
25/26 |
24 (14) |
1 + 4 |
|
24/25 |
36 (23) |
6 + 2 |
|
23/24 |
36 (30) |
7 + 4 |
|
22/23 |
19 (5) |
3 + 2 |
|
21/22 |
2 (0) |
0 + 0 |
However, it’s not just the forwards who may be frustrated with a lack of match action so far – Emery is also overlooking Aston Villa’s new version of Rogers, a summer signing found far deeper.
Emery is wasting a Rogers-style signing
Aston Villa have made a bit of a habit of signing rising stars who have previously spent time growing up within one of England’s biggest outfits. Rogers hailed from the Manchester City academy before joining Middlesbrough in the Championship, and Aston Villa have now repeated their same trick.
Indeed, Emery wanted a centre-back this summer, especially after Ezri Konsa finalised a transfer to Arsenal. Villa probed around before landing on Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis, signing him for £25m in August.
The 24-year-old is already an England international, and has the kind of modern-tailored skillset which could see him thrive in the Premier League. But Emery has been hesitant to unleash him, claiming he is still adapting, still bedding in at Villa Park.
Against Brentford, Tyrone Mings endured a dismal game. He made mistakes and lacked clarity and composure in central defence. Victor Lindelof was much better beside him, but clearly in need of a more reliable partner.
Harwood-Bellis is one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in England. Hailed as the “ultimate professional” by the definitely-not-divisive Tonda Eckert, the one-time Manchester City youth graduate has to start playing football for Aston Villa. Surely he has more to offer than Mings, whose error-strewn display at the weekend brutally exposed his flaws.
|
Most Successful Passers in the Championship (25/26) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Pass % |
Succ. Passes per 90 |
|
Aidan Morris |
91.9 |
67.2 |
|
Matt Grimes |
87.5 |
62.7 |
|
Taylor Harwood-Bellis |
85.7 |
60.9 |
|
Luke Ayling |
86.1 |
60.5 |
|
Nathan Wood |
93.5 |
58.0 |
Already bound to be frustrated by being left out of the club’s Champions League roster for the first phase, Harwood-Bellis is too big a talent to allow to get annoyed and start angling for the exit.
Whether Emery gives him the minutes he deserves in the Premier League remains to be seen, but if not (as with Garnacho), this rebuild could get a whole lot tougher.
