Unai Emery: Versatility is key for Aston Villa
Unai Emery thinks versatility will help Villa’s squad cope with the demands of a Champions League season.
Villa’s campaign is poised to ramp up a gear with this Saturday’s visit of Everton the first of seven matches in 22 days for Emery’s team, a run which includes Champions League ties against Young Boys and Bayern Munich.
Emery has already seen his squad hit by injuries with both Matty Cash and Leon Bailey suffering hamstring problems.
But the boss believes the ability of other players to adapt will help them deal with depleted numbers.
“We are ready in case we have injuries with different players in the squad being versatile,” said Emery.
“For example, John McGinn is already ready to play in different positions. His versatility for us is very, very important.
“We need to have players who perform well collectively in the demands we have.”
Cash is facing another fortnight on the sidelines while Bailey’s status is uncertain after he was forced off early in the 2-1 win at Leicester prior to the international break.
Emery hopes fellow winger Jaden Philogene will be recovered in time to face the Toffees after he sat out the trip to the King Power Stadium.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.