Unai Emery has had a month to assess his new-look Aston Villa side, and before they play another competitive game in mid-October, he will also get the benefit of a mini training camp to further evaluate the squad at his disposal.
It may take some time for him to find his best team, and some positions remain up for grabs, but it is already clear that some players have made an impression on the Villa boss.
Starting from the back, Suzuki is the undisputed number one and when fit, Pau Torres will be one of the first names on the team sheet. Other than that, it is not quite as settled.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has arrived to compete with Matty Cash at right-back, has started four games and certainly provides some qualities Cash lacks, but he also has weaknesses of his own and has not looked totally sure of himself so far.
Cash only lost his place in the starting lineup due to injury, and at present, he is probably still the top choice. Elsewhere in defence, Emery will eventually have to choose between Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Victor Lindelof at centre-back, as well as Ian Maatsen or Matteo Ruggeri at left-back.
Harwood-Bellis will have opportunities to play, but he may have to wait for Lindelof – who has rarely put a foot wrong since signing last summer – to slip up if he wants to overtake him as the preferred starter.
The decision on Maatsen and Ruggeri has been delayed by the fact the former is currently out injured. That has given the Italian a chance to steal a march on the left-back spot, and he has acquitted himself well so far, but Maatsen is likely still the preferred option when fit.
Despite his experience and pedigree, it is hard to imagine Leon Goretzka walking straight into the starting 11 at the moment as he is yet to play a single minute for Villa since joining the club after picking up a knee injury.
He should be back after the break and at that point can begin vying for playing time, with Joao Gomes having the shirt for now.
The most interesting discussion is in the attacking areas behind Nicolas Jackson. Emery must pick three of John McGinn, Johan Manzambi, Emi Buendia, Ibrahim Mbaye, George Hemmings, Alysson and Alejandro Garnacho. Finding a perfect combination is tricky.
If Emery wants his three best players on paper in the team, that would probably be McGinn, Manzambi and Mbaye, but one of them would need to play out of position on the left-wing, as McGinn and Mbaye both usually play off the right and Manzambi started as a number 10 versus Spurs.
Mbaye is right-footed, so playing on the left and cutting inside could suit him in theory, but he has traditionally played on the right, which is also the side Emery has usually looked to deploy his paciest attacker, rather than the left.
McGinn would not make much sense on the left as he is left-footed but does not have the pace to go down the wing and utilise it. He is going to start most of Villa’s games though. Could the solution be Manzambi on the left, McGinn centrally and Mbaye on the right?
Buendia will continue to make a case he should start, and is arguably Villa’s most natural option from the left, while George Hemmings has also put in some strong performances on that side. There is also Garnacho and the question of whether he can force his way into Emery’s thinking.
Coming out of the international break, Villa’s best team is probably something like Suzuki in goal, a back four of Cash, Lindelof, Torres and Maatsen (or Ruggeri until he is fit), Kamara and Gomes in central midfield and some combination of Mbaye, McGinn and Manzambi behind Jackson.
If everyone is fit, they should also have a strong bench with options to change the game. The hope will be that after some challenges in getting their new signings onto the pitch, Villa’s squad could have enviable quality and depth in a few weeks’ time.
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