Alejandro Garnacho - discussion thread

[TheToffnar]

Anyone noticed how our transfers take twice as long as others to complete.

I'd put money on the Summerville transfer throwing a spanner in the works somewhere.

[PaulWinch again]

I’m not sure they do. It’s just the way information gets out.

[john e]

Anyone noticed how our transfers take twice as long as others to complete.

Based on what?

Rogers
His feet touch the runway and the next minute he’s making big club videos in a new shirt

[SaddVillan]

This is from a piece Jacob Tanswell wrote in The Athletic - it gives an insight into how Emery 'manages' the dressing room. Or rather hiw the senior pros for that for him. 

Whoever comes in will find that Emery allows the dressing room to police itself. He has never fined a player for indiscretions since arriving. Despite his demanding nature, he does not tend to mind what a player does off the pitch, as long as they are performing on it.

This applies to maintaining high standards in training, which are so taxing that new signings can struggle initially and is perhaps why, until this summer, Villa have maintained such a similar nucleus to their squad. Last season, for instance, Ollie Watkins kept being picked over Tammy Abraham, even during his goal drought, because Watkins was considered to be displaying a better level of application and quality in training. Garnacho will have to meet those standards.

In certain cases, though, Emery and his staff will take a hands-on approach, wanting to help instil focus when there is a player they believe in but whom he feels may have lost their way.

Marcus Rashford’s acquisition in January 2025 served as an illustrative example. As did Marco Asensio that same window or, to a lesser extent, Sancho. Even the relentless pursuit of Joao Felix across at least three windows underlines his willingness to sign players who have question marks against them.

“If there is a coach in European or even world football who is characterised by recovering players and getting the most out of them, it’s Unai Emery,” Monchi, Villa’s former sporting director, once told El Partidazo de COPE.

Emery believed Rashford at his best was one of the most threatening attackers in the world and backed himself and his support network to rejuvenate the player. In their quest for Champions League qualification back then, Villa took a bet on Rashford providing an immediate impact, with senior figures stating that his salary — Villa covered 80 per cent of it — was double that of their next highest earner.

With Garnacho, who was pictured wearing a home Villa shirt with ‘Rashford 9′ on the back last summer (the pair played together at Manchester United), Emery feels he can refine the raw materials that made him one of the most exciting young talents in Europe a few years ago.

Pertinently, one of Garnacho’s best games at Chelsea came in their impressive 4-1 victory at Villa Park in February. He set up Joao Pedro for the Brazilian’s hat-trick goal and created more chances and had more touches in the opposition box than anyone else.

For all the silliness and petulance that has plagued Garnacho’s career, he can look, at times, drained of confidence. This has affected his performances, causing him to become hesitant to take players on and utilise his best characteristics, which are his pace and one-versus-one trickery.

Emery typically operates with one wide player and will demand Garnacho becomes serious in his defensive diligence. In the many one-on-one scenarios he will be presented with, he must be more intelligent and varied in his decision-making. Emery specialises in bringing consistency to players’ games, instilling good habits on and off the field to help them fulfil their potential. It is why he tends to have no hesitation when tasked with rejuvenating a player’s career.

Emery wanted Garnacho last summer when Villa ended up with Sancho, another unwanted United winger. Having convinced the wide player that coming under his tutelage is the right next step, following talks with Chelsea post-Rogers’ sale, Garnacho is set for a critical, arguably career-defining, 12 months.

[brontebilly]

Who has Emery saved from the football wilderness?, serious question I’m trying to recall a lost cause being turned around.

Rashford?

Have a read how people were talking about McGinn when Emery took over.

McGinn was fat and finished. Bad attitude in the piss in Dublin all the time of you believed everything you read. A better professional while under Emery you’ll be hard pushed to find.

Didn't one poster, and a reasonably solid one at that, call him a "fat knacker who likes a pint" or words to that affect/effect?

McGinn is a legend, we were absolutely useless without him last season. Tielemans and whoever else can piss out, they aren't taking McGinn.

[kippaxvilla2]

Anyone noticed how our transfers take twice as long as others to complete.

Based on what?

Based on the biggest transfer in UK history completing in three days and Gomez and Manzambi taking a week.

[Clampy]

Anyone noticed how our transfers take twice as long as others to complete.

Based on what?

Based on the biggest transfer in UK history completing in three days and Gomez and Manzambi taking a week.

How do you know it took three days? They've probably been in talks for a while.

[kippaxvilla2]

Okay from it breaking then.  Happy now? :-)

[Toronto Villa]

Anyone noticed how our transfers take twice as long as others to complete.

Based on what?

Based on the biggest transfer in UK history completing in three days and Gomez and Manzambi taking a week.

I’m sure Chelsea were part of the conversations. But it might be that this was allegedly done at an executive level between the two clubs. No back and forth fucking around. Proper Football Manager style. Villa wanted £117M, Chelsea said yes. If this was Arsenal we’d still be talking about it late August.

[kippaxvilla2]

True that TV.

[frank black]

Who has Emery saved from the football wilderness?, serious question I’m trying to recall a lost cause being turned around.

Rashford?

Tielemans star was on the slide big time when we signed him

I’d say Cash, who everyone was shouting “upgrade”, Mings to a lesser extent, Digne, back to his best form and now with PSG, Ollie reinvigorated, and Rogers who was very raw to being the most expensive British player. That’s off the top of my head.

Lindelof, too?

He’s definitely improved all these players, I was thinking about those with ‘attitude’ problems. Rashford seemed to have fallen out with the manager and many in Manchester had suggested he had a bad attitude (well that’s my recollection). Sancho came with a reputation of not being particularly motivated, he did improve a smidge I guess. Duran in retrospect is probably the best example, as he has since moved on to cause mayhem everywhere else it seems. So maybe he can work wonders with Garnacho.

[Brazilian Villain]

Anyone noticed how our transfers take twice as long as others to complete.

It's the extra background checks we do to ensure that they're a 'good egg', and enjoy both parilla and paella.

[Toronto Villa]

Does Garnacho have a massive attitude issue or does just come across as very annoying and a bit of a cock? Football wise is that really his reputation? Mainly off the pitch stuff isn’t it?

[villadelph]

Who has Emery saved from the football wilderness?, serious question I’m trying to recall a lost cause being turned around.

Rashford?

Tielemans star was on the slide big time when we signed him

I’d say Cash, who everyone was shouting “upgrade”, Mings to a lesser extent, Digne, back to his best form and now with PSG, Ollie reinvigorated, and Rogers who was very raw to being the most expensive British player. That’s off the top of my head.

Lindelof, too?

He’s definitely improved all these players, I was thinking about those with ‘attitude’ problems. Rashford seemed to have fallen out with the manager and many in Manchester had suggested he had a bad attitude (well that’s my recollection). Sancho came with a reputation of not being particularly motivated, he did improve a smidge I guess. Duran in retrospect is probably the best example, as he has since moved on to cause mayhem everywhere else it seems. So maybe he can work wonders with Garnacho.

Rashford bagged 30 goals in all comps for Ten Hag in 22/23 and then a year later the relationship soured. ETH totally fumbled the Cristiano situation.. so maybe Garnacho was a bit frustrated with how he was handling the players, his idol no less. I believe Ten Hag had issues with Varane and Sancho as well. Amorim quit on United from the jump and had no idea what he was doing in English football. Couldn't find a way to win, couldn't level with the players.

Fast forward to Chelsea, you've got two colossal frauds in Maresca and Rosenior. Garnacho was decent under Maresca and totally unconvincing under Rosenior, but that whole team was.

Garnacho isn't perfect, but he's better than what we have. I'm still yet to see a disqualifier as these character questions keep arising. Jonathan Rowe just whacked a guy in a friendly a few days ago and got a straight red card.. same fee as Garnacho but way less reservation from the fans.

He just has to come in and be better than Bailey/Guessand. If we can get his valuation to 45 million in two years, than its a success.

Am I sold on it? Not really.. but it's not nearly as bad as Gabby and Rory Jennings lay out. Gabby going on the radio and talking about a player's lack of professionalism and petty antics is hilarious.

[Toronto Villa]

Gabby, not for the first time as it relates to Aston Villa, has made a complete twat of himself talking about Garnacho.