It is something that Unai Emery has wanted to do at Aston Villa for a while now. Playing a 4-4-2 system with Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins up top has been a stated desire of the Spaniard previously. Certainly there would be a needed adjustment from the side and the two strikers in question, but getting both on the field in that role could pose a lot of problems for the Premier League.
During his interview with Canal Sur Radio, Monchi discussed what he has liked about Rashford since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United. The executive noted how well the attacked adjusted to life under Emery. As the post shared by Aston Villa Español Fans on X noted, the relationship between the England international and the manager, in particular, is quite strong.
A lot can happen this summer. Reporters have even suggested that an additional loan spell from Manchester United to Villa could take place. It would not be in the hopes of Rashford's parent club hoping to see him at Old Trafford long-term. Instead, it would be a temporary solution to allow for his parent club to find a more suitable deal that they like.
In either case, Emery's long-stated vision of playing him and Watkins up top is far from dead. If this were to come to fruition, the shape of the midfield would become of interest. If Emery were to go with a diamond, for example, Youri Tielemans playing deeper with Morgan Rodgers in the more advanced role would be a sight that would please a lot of Villa fans.
Possibilities that would excite Aston Villa fans
If Emery were to go with a flat central midfield, the two could still play in that central role. If Marco Asensio is retained as well, having the Spanish player come off the bench and replace whichever option needs a substitution during the given match would at least allow Rogers to remain in a more natural area on the pitch for him.
It is fun to think about the possibilities that could potentially exist once all of the summer dust settles. Villa fans who would like to see the more traditional 4-4-2 should not necessarily buy more of that stock, but holding on to it would not be the worst idea either.