Alejandro Garnacho has endured a difficult start to life at Aston Villa, with the Argentina winger still waiting for his first start under Unai Emery.
Two months after joining Villa on loan from Chelsea, Garnacho has made just three substitute appearances, accumulating only 31 minutes on the pitch.
His longest outing so far came against Hull, when he played 15 minutes in a single match. The situation became even more challenging as Garnacho was left unused in Aston Villa’s last four games.
He was once again on the bench during Villa’s 3-2 victory over Tottenham on Saturday, highlighting the challenge he currently faces to establish himself in Emery’s squad.
Now, the Aston Villa manager has urged the 22-year-old to remain patient, continue working and use every opportunity to show that he deserves more playing time.
Garnacho Still Waiting for His Opportunity
Garnacho arrived at Aston Villa after a difficult spell with Chelsea.
During his previous Premier League campaign, the winger recorded one goal and four assists in 24 appearances after Chelsea signed him from Manchester United for £40 million.
A move to Aston Villa was expected to provide a fresh opportunity, but his start under Emery has been far from straightforward.
Among Villa’s 10 summer arrivals, only Joao Gomes started in the opening Premier League match. Garnacho, meanwhile, was still waiting for his first chance to be included in the starting XI.
His lack of minutes has continued despite opportunities for Emery to rotate his squad.
One notable example came in the Carabao Cup victory over Coventry. Emery made seven changes to his starting lineup, but Garnacho still did not feature.
That suggests the competition for places remains intense, with Garnacho needing to convince the coaching staff that he is ready to take on a more regular role.
Pre-Season Injury Complicated His Progress
Garnacho’s preparation for the new season was also affected by an injury.
The winger suffered a facial injury in early August, which forced him to miss the Super Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain.
That setback interrupted his preparation and made it more difficult for him to build the fitness and rhythm required before the competitive campaign began.
For a player joining a new club, preparation can be particularly important.
Garnacho not only needs to regain his physical condition but also has to understand a new tactical system, new teammates and the demands of a different coaching approach.
Those factors have contributed to his slow introduction at Villa.
Emery Wants Garnacho to Understand His System
Emery’s message to Garnacho has been straightforward: keep working and remain patient.
The Aston Villa manager believes the winger still needs to understand his role within the team’s playing style before becoming a regular option.
“Keep working. Work, work, train, work. When he gets his opportunity to play, try to play well. He is progressing, but at the moment there are other players ahead of him in his position,” Emery said.
The comment reflects the current situation at Villa.
Garnacho is not necessarily being ruled out of Emery’s plans. Instead, he has to compete with players who are currently ahead of him in the pecking order.
That means every training session becomes important for the Argentine winger.
Emery Admits Garnacho Is Slightly Behind
Emery also acknowledged that Garnacho has fallen slightly behind because of circumstances during pre-season.
The Villa manager explained that new players need time to understand the demands of the team before becoming important members of the squad.
“We want a competitive team and players who can compete in our style of play. Garnacho is a little bit behind because of certain circumstances that happened during pre-season. Now is the time to be patient and give him the time he needs,” Emery added.
The comments provide some context for Garnacho’s limited involvement.
Rather than suggesting that his current situation is permanent, Emery’s words indicate that the coaching staff wants the player to continue developing before giving him greater responsibility.
What Garnacho Needs to Do Next
With Villa’s season already underway, Garnacho’s immediate objective is to make the most of any opportunity that comes his way.
His situation could change quickly if he can demonstrate his readiness in training and during substitute appearances.
Several areas could be particularly important:
- Understanding Emery’s tactical requirements
- Improving his physical readiness after the pre-season setback
- Taking advantage of limited opportunities
- Competing effectively with players in his position
- Maintaining consistency in training
- Showing that he can contribute within Villa’s overall system
For Garnacho, patience does not mean simply waiting for a starting position.
It means using the time available to close the gap between himself and the players currently ahead of him.
Aston Villa Competition Could Define Garnacho’s Season
The biggest challenge facing Garnacho is not simply earning minutes. He needs to convince Emery that he can fit into the manager’s preferred style.
That can take time, particularly for a player arriving from another club after a disrupted pre-season.
His current numbers are limited to three substitute appearances and 31 minutes, meaning there has not yet been enough playing time to draw major conclusions about his long-term role at Villa.
The winger therefore has an opportunity to change the situation through his work.
Emery has already made his expectations clear: Garnacho needs to continue training, understand the system and be ready when his chance arrives.
The Next Step Is in Garnacho’s Hands
Alejandro Garnacho’s Aston Villa spell has certainly not started in the way the Argentina international would have wanted.
He has yet to start a match, has played only 31 minutes and has been left out of Villa’s last four games.
However, Emery’s comments also leave the door open.
The manager has acknowledged that Garnacho is making progress while pointing to the importance of patience. His limited involvement is currently linked to competition for places and the winger’s disrupted preparation during pre-season.
For Garnacho, the message is clear.
Keep working, adapt to Emery’s system and be ready when the opportunity arrives.
If he can do that, his difficult opening period at Aston Villa could eventually become the foundation for a more significant role later in the season.
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