Unai Emery is building something exciting at Aston Villa, which is clear in his rise to success in the Midlands in such a short space of time.
The Spaniard took over when Villa were suffering in the Premier League, looking towards relegation early in the season, however, all worry was expelled when the 51-year-old made the switch from Villareal to Villa Park.
It feels to some like the four-time Europa League winner has been in the Midlands for years with the way he has reconnected the players and fans to the club, sketching a bigger picture for further success way past this tremendous opening six months.
With fast success comes a lot of ‘what ifs’ both present and past, with a lot of talent previously departed from Villa, in hindsight, Emery could’ve changed the fortunes of the careers of many in claret and blue had his time come sooner.
Why did Idrissa Gueye leave Aston Villa?
After joining the club in 2015 for £9m when Tim Sherwood was in charge, Gueye quickly became a trusted member of the squad at Villa Park.
Described by the aforementioned Sherwood as "one of the best" in his position at the time, the Senegalese midfielder made a name for himself in the Premier League in his short stay in the Midlands.
Villa’s relegation that year triggered Gueye’s release clause, which saw him move to Everton where his form continued.
The story grew for the Dakar-born player, who was snatched by European giants Paris Saint-Germain, in a move that the French champions “fought a lot” for, as per former boss Thomas Tuchel.
What could Idrissa Gueye have offered in Emery’s system?
It began and ended too swiftly for the midfielder at Villa Park, and considering Emery’s track record with managing players and nurturing their development, it sparks talk of what could’ve been for Gueye had his time crossed the Spaniard’s.
In his first season at PSG, the midfield "monster" as acclaimed by Tuchel, averaged a whopping 3.3 tackles per game, as well as winning over half of his ground duels (57%).
He epitomises what the current Villa boss craves in a box-to-box player, maintaining a passing accuracy rate of 93% in his first Ligue 1 season whilst being defensively solid – as per Sofascore.
When you revise the way the Spaniard unleashed the potential of former Arsenal holding midfielder Lucas Torreira, who "exploded" under his tutelage – as per Amy Lawrence – it’s clear to see how Emery aims to utilise his players in that position.
The 51-year-old has done the same with Douglas Luiz since arriving in the Midlands, stating last month of the importance that the Brazilian plays in the "idea" he wishes “to create” in his team.
As per FBref, Luiz averages 2.30 tackles per 90 in Emery’s side, as well as ranking in the top 25% of interceptors in the Premier League this season.
Previously called a "disgrace" by Villa fans prior to the Spaniard’s arrival, the Brazilian has relished working under Emery, transforming his game in a way typical of the coach’s demands.
Had Gueye’s time come later or lasted longer at Villa Park, the Senegal international could’ve taken Villa to the next level and undoubtedly thrived in the four-time Europa League winner’s progressive system.