Unai Emery Discusses Tyrone Mings’ Return
Aston Villa’s defensive frailties have been a key concern for manager Unai Emery this season, particularly on the road, where the team has been conceding an average of two goals per game and finds itself with a negative goal difference for the season. However, the injury to Pau Torres has opened the door for the return of Tyrone Mings, who is slowly regaining his form and proving his value to the team.
After being sidelined with a long-term injury and slowly reintegrated into the side, Mings’ presence was crucial in Villa’s recent 1-0 win at Everton, where the centre-back partnership with Ezri Konsa delivered their 20th away Premier League clean sheet. Emery praised Mings’ resilience, leadership, and impact on and off the pitch.
Unai Emery on Mings’ Tough Journey
Emery was full of praise for Mings’ dedication and ability to rise to the occasion during a challenging time for Villa’s defence. While his error in the Champions League loss to Bruges was a setback on the comeback trial, Emery has focused on the bigger picture – Mings’ return to form and his leadership on and off the pitch.
“It’s fantastic how he is progressively helping the team; his attitude, his commitment with the club,” said, Emery.
The Villa boss acknowledged that Mings struggled early last season after returning from his layoff but believes the defender is now back to showing his best.
“He struggled a lot last year at the beginning of the season; he was not feeling 100% to help the team,” he added. “When the injury came to Pau Torres, it was his moment.”
Balancing Mings’ Fitness
Concerns about Mings’ durability have been present since he first joined Villa on loan in January 2019, stemming from a serious knee injury during his time at Bournemouth that kept him out for 15 months. However, Mings quickly dispelled those doubts by averaging 35 Premier League games per season over four campaigns after signing permanently for Villa in the summer of 2019.
While Mings is now playing key minutes, Emery remains cautious about managing his workload.
“Now, playing a lot of matches in a row, we have to try to be careful and protect him,” explained, Emery. “Hopefully [for Arsenal] he can feel recovered 100% and play 90 minutes like he has in the last matches.”
This careful balancing act reflects the importance of Mings’ leadership and consistency, especially as he could be the key to Villa addressing their defensive vulnerabilities.
Leadership On and Off the Pitch
Mings’ contributions go beyond his performances on the field. Emery highlighted his impact on the squad as a leader and role model:
“He’s a leader for other players as well and he’s very important in different directions with the players in the squad, on the field and the message we want to send to the players about how we want to be demanding in our new way here in Aston Villa.”
Incoming Centre-Back?
With Pau Torres injured and Diego Carlos reportedly close to leaving, Emery will be keen to get a new centre-back in. Villa getting in Andres Garcia from Levante – for what hopefully turns out to be a savvy €7m+ deal – suggests they wanted to do a PSR balancing act, to keep funds free for a decent centre-back purchase.
UTV
Follow MOMS on Twitter/X & Facebook & Threads & Bluesky
