New Aston Villa Shirt Numbers for This Season and Morgan Sanson Expectations

Aug 15, 2021

Aston Villa Squad Numbers 2021/22

With the 2021/22 season up and away, for the record, below are the current full list of Aston Villa squad numbers, with new additions Leon Bailey and Axel Tuanzebe taking No.31 and No.16 respectively.

It comes after Villa last week confirmed fellow summer signings Emi Buendía would wear No.10, Ashley Young No.18 and Danny Ings No.20.

While traditional 1-11 numbers have lost their significance over the years, some insight can be gained. When looking at Villa’s 1 to 11 numbers, the most noticeable change perhaps is Morgan Sanson stepping up in the number 8 shirt.

After arriving in January, in a transfer window ahead of schedule, Sanson has struggled to get up to speed with the Premier League. Being injured over the pre-season wasn’t ideal, but Villa’s scope for improvement and success this season will grow significantly, if Sanson does become the midfielder we hoped for when Villa first bought him.

For MOMS, if Sanson gives the Villa midfield a dependable traditional all-rounder No.8 presence, then it’ll go along way to establishing Villa as a top-half outfit. It’s the missing link at the moment, and could help get the best out of Emi Buendia playing as a 10, and help establish the midfield if a variation of the 4-4-2 is used to get both Ings and Watkins up top.

After Villa CEO Christian Purslow’s recent address to Villa fans and also Dean Smith’s pre-Watford comments about not expecting anyone else in this window, the onus certainly seems to be on Sanson coming good.

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New Villa Kit Below