Unai Emery promises to be 'intelligent' over fitness of key Aston Villa man
Unai Emery says Villa must be smart in managing Amadou Onana’s workload as the midfielder tries to shake-off his chronic injury niggles.
Onana has been among Villa’s top performers when fit during his second season since joining in a club-record £50million move from Everton.
But injuries have continued to disrupt his progress. The 24-year-old has already missed two spells this term with muscle problems and was an unused substitute in last weekend’s defeat to Brentford after Emery declared he was not 100 per cent fit.
Emery says Onana is working hard to put the injury issues behind him but conceded he and his medical staff must be “intelligent” by not putting him at unnecessary risk.
“The challenge we have, and the challenge he has, is to be consistent,” said Emery.
“Last year and this year, he has sometimes had small injuries - two, three, or four weeks.
“He was not being consistent and available to play matches, but of course, he is very important.
“His potential is still there, and when he is playing, being ready and 100 per cent, his performances are fantastic. He has progressed a lot since being here for a year and a half.
“As well, I must be intelligent with him, trying to identify with the doctor when he might be at risk and when he can play matches in a row."
Onana’s importance to Villa has never been greater after Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans were forced out with injury.
Villa signed Douglas Luiz on loan to ease the midfield burden, while Ross Barkley has also returned to fitness. The latter, however, has once again been omitted from Villa’s squad for the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Emery declared himself happy with the balance of his squad following the closure of the transfer window.
The boss admitted the last month, just like the summer window, had been a “little bit disturbing” for his players, with Donyell Malen and Evann Guessand departing, while Luiz and Tammy Abraham arrived.
Emery described the past few days at Bodymoor Heath as “busy” as he tried to get his players fully focused on the final months of the campaign.
Villa head to Bournemouth on Saturday looking to bounce back from their defeat to Brentford.
Emery said: “Here it is not stopping, the Premier League.
“The consistency in 38 matches is our objective. Of course, we were bad at the beginning, we were fantastic during the process in November, December, even in Christmas.
“But again, with those two results we had at home, of course, during the matches playing at home, we played in Istanbul and we played in Newcastle, performing fantastic both matches.
“We must react. We must get again our mentality. Of course, now, (the) transfer window always is disturbing us a little bit. In August, disturbed us. Now as well.
“Again, more or less, the squad is now closed, and we are focusing now (on) the match tomorrow, of course, with the difficulties we are facing in each match.”
