Alejandro Garnacho scored in Aston Villa's win over Sevilla
Alejandro Garnacho scored in Aston Villa's win over Sevilla(Image: (Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images))
Alejandro Garnacho posted "ready now" on Instagram after scoring in successive friendlies during the international break, as he took his opportunity to impress Unai Emery ahead of Aston Villa’s return to action this weekend.
Villa take on high-flying Brentford at home on Saturday before playing another eight matches in a gruelling four-week schedule ahead of the second international break of the season in November.
While many of Emery’s squad headed out on international duty with their respective national teams, a reduced group remained behind for games against Southampton behind closed doors and Sevilla in Spain.
After scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win against the Saints at Bodymoor Heath, Garnacho followed it up with an impressive showing against Sevilla, where he scored Villa’s second goal in a 3-0 victory.
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On Claret & Blue, John Townley spoke about how the last couple of weeks might well kick-start Garnacho’s career at Villa following a slow start.
"I think before Garnacho signed, we were talking about how much he prefers to play on the left, and that's the position that he said he wants to be operating in, but it feels like he has very little power in this anymore. But it's like, well, if you want to play at the highest level, if you want to play for Villa and you want to get minutes, you're going to have to play wherever this manager wants you to play.
"Obviously, his goal against Sevilla came from the left and he played the majority of the game from the right. I would say something similar to what I said about the Southampton game, but in the end, maybe his goal against Southampton has mattered, because he's now followed it up.
"I don't think this means that Emery will now start him against Brentford or even Fenerbahce. It's going to be interesting, although we don't know the clause or the trigger to make him a permanent player. Is that only league games, or does it also include the Champions League? I don't know.
"But whether it does or doesn't, Emery clearly hasn't trusted him up until now. And maybe he will give him another opportunity in a Premier League game, off the bench. And if he's still not doing what Emery wants of him, then, you know, he's going to have a problem.
"It feels like, to me, the next few weeks are really important to Garnacho's future - not just at Villa, but in general, because he needs this move to Villa to work out for him. If he doesn't play at all, I don't know where he's going to go or what's going to happen to him after that.
"Like we've seen with Sancho, for example, he still hasn't got a club. I'm hoping it goes well for him. I hope that he can show enough strong form that we do buy him because I've said before, he's young enough that if he does show a good level under Emery, then it's probably £40 million well spent if he plays well and Emery can get the best out of him.
Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho scored in Aston Villa's win over Sevilla(Image: Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images)
"So it's nice to see that he's displaying those signs now. And I did watch the game against Sevilla, and he did do well. I don't think the opposition was particularly good, but it doesn't really matter as long as he can have confidence.
"We've seen him play as one of the better wingers in the Premier League when he was 19, 20 years old. So, we know he's got it in him and that he can play against the best teams and best defenders. It just feels like a lot of it is confidence and mentality and those different things. And that's Emery's challenge and Garnacho's challenge as well.
"He did post on Instagram, saying "ready now" afterwards. So, it appears that he feels different about what he's doing at the moment. And hopefully, listen, he can do well in a friendly to boost his confidence, but he needs to do well in competitive matches, without saying, you know, that's - that's what we want to see and judge him on now.
"But the break certainly feels like it's - just to end on it - it feels like it's come at the right time for, I think, a few of our players, to be fair, especially Garnacho, which maybe we didn't think about when the break hit.
"That could be a bit of a platform for him to play and earn the trust of Emery. So, yeah, it's certainly done him much better than where he was before the break started, should we say? He could be like a new signing."
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