Youri Tielemans is in a sticky position at Aston Villa right now, and some of his recent statements in an interview with the Belgian site DHNET hint that he may not be completely happy with his situation under manager Unai Emery. It’s clear that Tielemans’ lack of success with Aston Villa since joining for free in the summer has left him feeling discouraged.
As far as we can tell, Tielemans’ biggest complaint is that he does not get enough starting opportunities. The poor start to the season for Aston Villa may have forced other teams to make management changes. However, Emery has stuck with his favoured lineup, particularly in the centre of the field, despite much criticism. As a result of Emery’s preference for the pairing of Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz, Tielemans has spent most of his time on the bench. Against Hibernian, the only time the Belgian midfielder had started a game was in a Europa Conference League qualifying match.
“This scenario is not comfortable,” Tielemans said bluntly about his displeasure with the current state of affairs. “That’s why I came to Villa and I told the manager (Unai Emery) that,” he added. Even as he thanked Emery for being sympathetic to his predicament, Tielemans made it clear that he hoped to see more playing time in the near future. Throughout the course of the season, Emery promised Tielemans, that chances would come for him to make substantial contributions to the team’s efforts.
Youri Tielemans is in a sticky position at Aston Villa right now
Given the length and difficulty of Aston Villa’s upcoming season, Emery’s promises have some weight. Emery still relies heavily on Tielemans as a key player in their long-term ambitions. And there’s a good reason why Emery has been reluctant to juggle the midfield pairing of Kamara and Luiz, which has been performing well since the second half of last season.
This season, Aston Villa set out with lofty goals of finishing in the Premier League’s top six and furthering their pursuit of other trophies. In light of these ambitious objectives, Tielemans is slated to get significant playing time for the team. However, venting frustrations in public so early in the season might damage relationships and morale by creating an environment of instability and pressure.
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Youri Tielemans’s transfer to Aston Villa was eagerly awaited by fans, particularly those who followed him throughout his time at Leicester City. Several elite clubs expressed interest in him before he ultimately decided to join Emery’s initiative at the club. Time will tell whether Tielemans’ “unpleasant situation” leads to a more rewarding role with the squad and if his patience is rewarded with more playing time as the season progresses.
