Premier League: Aston Villa boss Emery can be a big success

• Emery a huge coup for Villa
  
• Squad suits his transition-focused football
  
• New signings needed for top-seven finish
  

Unai Emery is undoubtedly a coup for Aston Villa although the mixed reaction to his appointment might suggest otherwise. Emery's reputation is unfairly tarnished by an ill-fated 18 months spent at Arsenal, but Villa supporters ought to focus on his superb achievements in Spain.

There will be question marks over his suitability to the Premier League following his disappointment in his only previous job in the country, and clearly there is something about his demeanour - or at least the collective memory of that Arsenal era - that makes Emery seem underwhelming to many.

But Villa should not lose sight of the fact they have managed to appoint someone who was once the first choice to succeed Arsene Wenger, and who since then has continued to lead a decorated career that saw his Villarreal team reach the semi-final of the Champions League just last season. This is definitely an appointment to get excited about.

Emery's track record is exceptional

Emery made his name taking a cash-strapped Valencia and turning them into Champions League regulars, attaining three consecutive third-place finishes in La Liga, before winning the Europa League with Sevilla three times in a row. By the end of his time in Seville, that meant automatic Champions League qualification.

He then moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where he struggled badly and only won the league title at the second time of asking. Then, after his Arsenal spell, he won the Europa League in 2021 and reached the Champions League semi-final in 2022 - although he has consistently finished seventh in La Liga with Villarreal, and once with Sevilla.

Perhaps most importantly, his time at Arsenal needs re-evaluating. Emery's side finished just one point outside the top four in his debut season having inherited an almighty mess from Arsene Wenger, whose team were 12 points off the Champions League places the year before. Things unravelled badly the following year, but right until the end it had looked as though things might be about to click any minute.

Like Arteta, the complexity of Emery's tactics mean they often look clueless right up until the moment things come together. But unlike Arteta, Emery was never given the time to ride out those difficult patches.

Emery's tactical outlook suits Villa's stature

Villa will be a more forgiving environment than the pressure cooker of Arsenal after Wenger, and what's more Emery's tactics are better suited to the under-dog. In broad terms, he is a counter-pressing manager who expects his players to work tirelessly to enact complex pressing traps for sharp, vertical, transition-heavy football that is more in the German mould than the Spanish.

He does not expect his teams to play with a very high line or to confront often in the final third, but rather looks to lure the other team forward before springing in behind. This often involves deliberately dangerous passing around the back to encourage an opposition press that can then be evaded - hence all those infuriating errors at Arsenal - but it can also mean incisive traditional counters.

Crucially, this is done with elite and meticulous coaching. The Villa players will be shown precisely how and when to move, with pre-set vertical attacking moves practiced for precision cutting through the opponent. It works particularly well at teams not expected to dominate the ball, and of course for cagier one-off cup games - hence Emery's remarkable Europa League record.

Not coincidentally, the closest team to what an Emery Villa might look like is Eddie Howe's Newcastle United, who press in an organised structure in the middle third before moving at breakneck speed through the gears. Emery turned Newcastle down before Howe eventually took charge.

Villa's squad will need reinforcements

Emery will be happy with a lot of the Villa players. In midfield, John McGinn is the kind of tenacious midfielder Emery loves; Douglas Luiz has the intelligence to begin the counters; and Jacob Ramsey is a direct dribbler who can weave through the middle in the patented Emery style. These three in particular are a smart trio who will listen closely to Emery's tactical ideas.

Further up the pitch, Leon Bailey is an eccentric attacker who can ensure Villa get in behind at every opportunity, which can also be said of both Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins, while in the full-back positions there is a lot of potential in the attacking quality of Matty Cash and Lucas Digne.

With time it should work at Villa, then, but there are obviously big flaws. Tyrone Mings is an error-prone defender at the best of times and he could be a Mustafi-like liability in an Emery team. Philippe Coutinho lacks the pace, or the work rate, to operate as one of the attacking players and is likely to be moved on at the earliest opportunity.

The priority will be signing a centre-back, a midfielder, and another tricky winger; Emery needs speed and directness to engage fully in the transition, and beyond Bailey Villa don't have the required quality to push into the top half.

Villa's long-term expectations require new signings

Only once in his career has Emery lasted longer than two full seasons at a club. Perhaps that is just the nature of modern football, and it is helpful that Emery will essentially be given a free hit this season (as long as the club avoid relegation) and will enjoy a mini pre-season during the World Cup.

However, it means next year has to be big - and there is very little room at the top. Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens are reportedly set to give Emery plenty of money to spend in January, backing up their continual bold claim that Villa will be challenging for Champions League football in the near future. More realistically, a push for the top seven will be demanded in 2023/24.

For that to happen, Emery needs to buy four or five players. It wouldn't be a surprise if Emery tried to sign centre-back Pau Torres forward Arnaut Danjuma from his old club Villarreal, given that Villa have tried to buy both in the last year. He may also look at Kieran Tierney, signed by Emery at Arsenal and now third choice left-back under Arteta.

Whomever Emery signs, and whatever lies ahead in 2022/23, Emery's managerial record and his complex tactical ideas virtually guarantee that he is a major upgrade on Steven Gerrard.