The U.S. tour has been a success for Aston Villa. While the results have not quite been where they would have liked them to be, all other aspects of the trip abroad have allowed for Unai Emery to try new things out while also working on aspects that the regular starters will need to be able to execute once the actual season itself begins.
As shared on the Villa website, Ezri Konsa believes that the journey and training in the United States will prove to be incredibly helpful. Part of his comments were on how the younger players have used this opportunity to spend time in the first-team environment and learn from the more seasoned professionals.
More immediately relevant, the Villa players also know that the Premier League season is right around the corner. The preseason is a tool to get ready for the competitive matches. According to Konsa, the focus of the next matches all serve one purpose: to be in the best possible form for when Villa host Newcastle United for their opening EPL fixture.
Final push for Aston Villa before start
That is ultimately what any preseason camp or travel is for. Getting ready for the long season ahead is the main task and focus. It would, of course, be a welcome bonus to win these friendlies. That is not something, however, that is a necessity. Giving different players run time on the pitch and being able to watch how certain situations play out is incredibly valuable during this stage of the summer months.
There have been some miscues during the U.S. tour. That is to be expected and will continue to be the case among the best teams in Europe well into the season. With some of the scheduled friendlies, expect to see more of these mistakes go away as Villa looks to be game-ready for that opening Villa Park match against Newcastle.