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Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran dynamic scrutinised as Unai Emery makes 'no doubts' admission
Unai Emery admits Aston Villa's striker dynamic has changed this season, but believes the pressure Jhon Duran is applying on Ollie Watkins is a positive for the team.
Watkins has been Villa's undisputed starting striker since Emery's arrival at the club two years ago and he scored 19 goals in the league last term, while also registering more assists than any other player in the top-flight. The England international has bagged five times in the first 11 matches of the campaign, but after a slow start, it was Duran's goals which ensured Villa enjoyed a strong start to the campaign.
The 20-year-old scored the winning goals in the club's first three victories of the season against West Ham, Leicester City and Everton, before he also rounded off the win against Wolves. Goals in Champions League wins over Bayern Munich and Bologna also increased calls for Emery to find room for Duran in the starting XI, who also bagged in both Carabao Cup matches against Wycombe Wanderers and Crystal Palace.
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Watkins' place in the XI isn't under threat because of his importance in the side, but perhaps knowing he may only have 60 minutes before Duran is introduced could impact his performances.
"We have to get the best performances collectively through individual performances, but each player has to understand the process we have and Watkins is very important for us," Emery explained when asked how the striker is coping with competition from Duran. "Some circumstances can change because usually we are building the team with two players for each position to be competitive and to be able to play performing in the demands we have.
"Maybe, the process we had last year or two years ago with Watkins and with Jhon Duran was a little bit different. But they proved that they are very important and they have increased our level. I want players being able to play performing in the demands we have.
"Of course, it is changing something in our individual moment they can have, playing more or less. They have to accept it. I want to have two players competing for one position and performing in the high level. I think it is positive. With Watkins, [I have] no doubts. He has to accept that he has to adapt quickly to his new position being the same player like was last year for us and for the team. He must play always focusing on his quality and his capacity.
"The confidence is overall. It is not individual. I don’t want only one player feeling confident, getting minutes and scoring goals. I want every player in the same form, in the same mentality, helping the team, being ready to play."
Emery added: "In the pre-season we needed Watkins, but after the summer he wasn’t doing all the pre-season and he needed time to get fit and confidence again like last year. We needed Duran helping him in the last 30 minutes to score goals. They were doing their work and if we didn’t have in that moment Duran helping like he did, maybe we weren’t getting points like we have now.
"This is the most important, the team, the squad, the players, the teammates, always the commitment to help. Sometimes we have to manage it, but the players have to accept new circumstances we have. I try to always get the best situation with the players and the squad and try to support every player in the same way.
"We are playing now more matches than two years ago. We have to be ready to play at the level we have. We are very demanding ourself how we can keep the same level and the players are in the same way with the message I send. We are trying to get another level, higher than two years ago, than last year.
"If we want to keep it then we need players with the mentality we have. We have to accept playing more minutes, but always supporting the team and always trying to get our performances playing 90 minutes, 60 minutes or 30 minutes."
