Shaka Hislop believes one Aston Villa player is underappreciated after watching the team beat Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Hislop was speaking to ESPN after goals from Pau Torres and Olly Watkins propelled Villa into the top four and within striking distance of the Premier League title.
Aston Villa rode their luck against Tottenham at times. However, Unai Emery’s men were clinical when necessary. They also made a strong statement.
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After Aston Villa’s victory, Unai Emery deserves more credit.
It’s hard to believe Emery has only been at the club for a little over a year. When Aston Villa appointed the Spaniard, the club appeared to be on the verge of relegation.
Since then, the Villans have been on the rise. And if they beat Bournemouth next Sunday, they could go top of the table.
Some will argue that Emery has been the best manager this season. Shaka Hislop, however, believes that his achievements are going unnoticed as he reacted to Villa’s hard-fought win over Tottenham on Sunday.
“Very, very impressive, especially when you consider the resources, or lack thereof, when comparing what Villa are willing to spend in comparison to the other top four.” And not just in terms of results; while, yes, ultimately, you’re judged by points on the board, Villa’s football is truly outstanding,” he told ESPN.
“I think you can attribute Ollie Watkins’ progress as a striker to the coach.” And, to answer your question, I believe he is underappreciated. And perhaps it has something to do with his time at Arsenal, where I believe people still reflect on how things could have been better. That being said, if you’re a Villa fan or Unai Emery, that’s a long, long way behind you.”
Villains have yet to discover their limit.
The Villa hierarchy has been building to this point almost since their arrival at the club in the Championship. There have been some hiccups along the way, and one last day escape is required.
Villa, on the other hand, is absolutely flying. And it’s remarkable how far they’ve come since Emery was appointed.
What will be especially exciting for Aston Villa fans is that their ceiling has yet to be determined.
Emery will see no reason why they cannot win some silverware during his tenure as manager, given his track record of success.
