Emery’s ‘lab’

In the training complex Bodymoor Heathoutside of Birminghamintensity describes the players’ movements of astonville. In a fun and stimulating environment, Unai Emery (Hondarribia, 1971) ordered the implementation of technical and tactical exercises that he repeated over and over again. Convinced that nothing should be left to chance, and that you play while you train, this is the ‘laboratory’ of emery in Birmingham.

This is his methodical way of working, obsessive about perfection, to control all the details. With these concepts, in a few months it has achieved a positive trajectory of results that put the country in seventh place in Premierjust six points from the third place they share Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester Utd.

The quiet, hardworking and not at all pointless demeanor emery continues to win the approval of the most passionate fans of countrywith which he already had a certain complicity when he always greeted them while looking at the stands of holte end. There, to the south where the historic stadium of Birminghamcan be found the loudest and most radical sector of ‘villian’ fans, who have no mercy on Steven Gerrard, when the team makes mistakes and falls to the last places. The arrival of Unai Emery has been a success for the club’s owners, the Egyptian nassef sawris and the american Wesley Edensalthough they had to convince him of an irresistible contract: almost six million euros per season.

The energy that transmits the personality of emery has been an amazing help astonville. In addition to being a great strategist, if there is one thing the Basque coach is a great motivator, who knows how to get the most out of the players. emery He did not talk about his arrival to save the team, but about winning a trophy and returning the club to European competitions. The immediate change of inertia and mentality, along with the good results, means that the ‘villain’ fans are now turning to the new phase. Dreams to play Europe they are no longer impossible.

Watkins work in particular

The connection emery-entertainment is the hardest Birmingham, unique as a commercial and economic focus, and also for its passion for football. It is the second English city after London, with more than one million inhabitants in the urban area and nearly four in the metropolitan area. He astonville is his reference, but he is anchored in that memorable victory in European Cup 1982. The club now breathes an ideal environment to grow and for a coach like that emeryloves challenges, but is hurt by his lack of success in his first English experience at Arsenal. There he lasted only 18 months and his method did not connect as it did Birmingham.

His second experience in English football was a personal challenge, and he was determined to bring the astonville in the European elite, starting next season. In the radical transformation of the team there were many outstanding players, such as the Argentine international goalkeeper emi martinezor the central, Tyrone Mings and Ezra Consa, or the Catalan signature Alex Moreno who is already a permanent starter, as an explosive left side. But perhaps the real key to success and good results is the English striker Ollie Watkins and the leader in midfield, the Brazilian douglas louiswho now has freedom of action and established himself for his vision of the game.

The relationship between the auctions of Watkins and the passes of douglas louis is a success of emerywith a deadly counterattack game, one of the best in Premier. And this is not the result of chance, but of specific individual work. Once you get to the Birmingham, emery talked to Watkins and entrusted him with a specific job of unmarking movements. The English attacker received advice on all his moves on the field and also on his physical preparation. The effect is immediate. He scored just two goals in 14 games then emery will be replaced Gerrard. Since November he has achieved 9 and the country is the third team to add more points, after Arsenal and the City of Manchester.

It’s no coincidence either douglas louis scored two direct goals from a corner, which could be thought of as a result of luck, but nothing could be further from the truth. At the end of each session in the training area of Bodymoor Heath you will see the former Brazilian player of Girona working on pitches with Austin McPhee, assistant of emery, the corner kicked repeatedly. Many are well targeted, and some end up online. Instructions and exercises always include long video sessions. SA emery He likes to review the games of astonville with his team of collaborators and highlight the strengths and weaknesses in each performance of his soccer players.

Hard and specific work behind the scenes, individual dedication, motivating tactical analysis and a lot of insistence on set pieces put a astonville as one of the best teams in the second round of Premier.