'Deliberately breaking him down' - Alejandro Garnacho’s Aston Villa cameo vs Viking sparks eye-catching Unai Emery theory
A fan has put forward a theory about why Alejandro Garnacho has struggled for playing time at Aston Villa.
Garnacho has been a peripheral figure since joining Villa on loan from Chelsea in the summer, making just three Premier League appearances in which he has accrued a mere 31 minutes of action.
However, an impressive cameo in Villa’s 3-1 UEFA Champions League win over Viking has prompted one fan to suggest the Argentinian is benefiting from Unai Emery’s tough management style.
Emery ‘stripping away’ Garnacho’s ‘bad habits’
It has been suggested that Emery is “deliberately breaking Garnacho down” to rebuild him from his “raw talent”.
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Emery praised Garnacho after Villa’s win over Viking, saying he felt "positive" after the Argentina international produced his “best minutes” in a Villa shirt.
Responding to those comments, X user ‘fruggy888’ wrote: “My theory is that Emery is deliberately breaking Garnacho down, stripping away the bad habits and rebuilding him from that raw talent.
“It’s not a [Harvey] Elliott situation, I don’t think. It’s Emery saying, ‘Do what I say, get your head down, and I’ll make you great.’”
The theory is consistent with how Emery has handled previous signings.
Youri Tielemans, for example, did not start a Premier League game for Villa until November 2023, despite joining that summer, but went on to become an integral part of Emery’s side.
Meanwhile, of Villa’s 10 summer signings, only Joao Gomes started their opening Premier League game, while Zion Suzuki and Nicolas Jackson were the only new arrivals to start the second.
Garnacho made his name as a teenager at Manchester United, earning a place in Argentina’s Copa America-winning squad in 2024 and winning the Premier League Goal of the Season award for an overhead kick against Everton.
But things soon went sour at United, while his £40m move to Chelsea last summer yielded a goal and four assists in 24 Premier League games.
Shadow of Elliott hangs over Garnacho
Garnacho’s difficult start at Villa has naturally drawn comparisons with Harvey Elliott’s ill-fated loan spell last season.
Elliott would have triggered a £35m move had he made just 10 Premier League appearances for Villa.
Instead, the Liverpool loanee featured just four times in the top flight, with Emery seemingly making up his mind on the 23-year-old within months of his arrival at Villa Park.
Garnacho will be hoping his experience follows that of other wingers who enjoyed resurgences under Emery, such as Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford in January 2025.
Emery, for his part, urged “patience” when asked about the 22-year-old in September.
"First is positive - his attitude,” Emery said. “His attitude is very important, he is getting the commitment we need to achieve it.
"Now he needs time. Time, hard work every day, and he is showing it with his attitude. Then, everything he is progressing.
"Every training session we are doing, he is showing he can play matches. He played a few minutes, but it was not enough, firstly due to the minutes he played and the things he showed.
"Progressively, I am seeing him better. The most important thing is being consistent and demanding through the attitude he has. Then, I believe and I trust that he will achieve his best performance."
READ NEXT: Why Chelsea exile Alejandro Garnacho isn't the next Harvey Elliott despite tough Aston Villa start
Topics: Aston Villa, Premier League, Alejandro Garnacho, Unai Emery
Chris Byfield