Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Unai Emery provides updates on Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, Donyell Malen, Axel Disasi and Andres Garcia.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is delighted with the progress being made by all five of his winter signings and believes the arrivals have fixed one of the club’s most prominent issues.
Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi arrived on Deadline Day on loan deals from Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea respectively, Donyell Malen joined from Borussia Dortmund earlier in the window for £20 million, and Andres Garcia signed from Levante for around £6 million.
The quintet have made varying impacts so far, with Rashford and Asensio undoubtedly the standouts but Disasi not too far behind. Malen is yet to properly break through into the starting lineup, whereas Garcia is a younger prospect waiting for his opportunity.
Asensio has rather incredibly scored eight goals in his first 10 appearances for Villa, already beating his tally of seven goals in 47 games for PSG. Rashford has done brilliantly, too, netting three goals and making seven assists in 11 games.
Villa’s last three outings have showcased just how much the winter business has strengthened the squad. Emery’s side beat Club Brugge 3-0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals before the international break and then beat Preston North End by the same scoreline in the FA Cup last eight. A hat-trick of 3-0 wins was then completed away at Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.
Of the nine goals in those three games, seven were scored by either Asensio, Rashford or Malen. The other two were scored by Ian Maatsen and Jacob Ramsey, while Lucas Digne and Morgan Rogers picked up several assists each.
Not only have the new additions added a significant goalscoring threat, but they’ve provided Emery with depth in numbers — something he’s been longing for ever since he joined the football club.
Reflecting on the struggles before January, Emery said: “The problem we had this season, we were playing matches and some players they were injured and some players they were not physically well during the season. We weren’t getting 90 minutes performing in our demands. We were struggling sometimes for this reason.
“Of course, our objective was to recover some injured players, we signed some players because we were thinking they could help us with the level they have. They were under their performance when they arrived here because they were not playing confidently. But now progressively they are getting better.”
Villa willing to consider permanent deals
Emery believes there’s still some way to go for all five of his new signings - three of which are loanees - to fully bed into his system, but the rate of adjustment so far has been positive.
Whether or not Villa make the deals to sign Asensio, Rashford and Disasi permanent awaits to be seen. There are many factors at play, including form, financial restraints and the unknown of next season’s European qualification.
Whatever happens, they are thriving in the here and now. Emery just wants to see them continue progressing and then the future can be addressed if and when the club’s targets are achieved.
“The adaptation was going quick with Marco Asensio because the position he’s playing with us is really his position. Sometimes, he was not playing the 10 number. But with us, it’s easy for him,” Emery added.
“Rashford is getting progressively better. It was more slowly. But now I think we can feel him playing with confidence and feeling good with his teammates and our idea. As a striker, his power is running the opponent behind.
“Malen as well, the minutes he played were good. Scoring a goal is really fantastic. Disasi of course means Andres Garcia is playing less but we have to set our mentality as a team, how necessary it is to have players in the starting 11 and the bench helping. Just like Sunday, we had the difference against Preston in the second half.
“Now, we are playing on Saturday (at home to Nottingham Forest) and maybe we will have options and opportunities to show, to change some players on the field that didn’t play today. It’s because some players with two matches in a row playing in three days, maybe it’s not enough time to rest.”
Continue Reading