Unai Emery failed to get the best out of Evann Guessand at Aston Villa – this may just be why
Evann Guessand failed to impress at Aston Villa but is certainly showing what he is capable of at Crystal Palace..
The Ivorian joined the club from French outfit Nice last summer, before he failed to score in the league for the Villans.
Guessand left Villa Park on loan at the end of the January transfer window, joining Crystal Palace, where he now looks a completely different player.
After signing for £28million, Aston Villa failed to get the best out of the versatile attacker, but Crystal Palace may just be the best fit for him.
- Read more: Evann Guessand edges closer to permanent Aston Villa exit as Crystal Palace agreement revealed
Evann Guessand fits Crystal Palace perfectly
Capable of playing in multiple roles across the frontline, Guessand works well in a side looking to play on the break.
Fellow West Midlanders Wolves carried interest in him last summer, looking to make him the replacement for Matheus Cunha, and it is clear to see why when watching him under Oliver Glasner at Palace.
As a player, Guessand is not someone who looks to hold the width, which often restricted his best attributes at Villa, when required to play out wide to accommodate for Morgan Rogers, who operates in much more central zones.
At Crystal Palace, Guessand fits perfectly into the versatile three-pronged attack deployed by Glasner, where pace can be used on the counter, while the two wide players often operate directly alongside the striker.
If he were to play through the middle, he has support to the left and right of him, while he looks much more comfortable in one of the wide roles than he did at Villa Park.
Unai Emery was unable to get the best out of Guessand
As mentioned, there were systematic reasons as to why it just did not quite work for Guessand in the Midlands.
A powerful forward and great striker of the ball, he operates much more comfortably closer to goal, rather than out on the touchline.
This has been demonstrated at Palace already, with him growing in confidence with two goal contributions since making his move, while Eagles fans are keen to get a deal over the line to sign him permanently.
With Villa now a recognised European-level side in the Premier League, they are also one of the most feared in the division, causing a completely different opposition approach when playing against Unai Emery’s side, when compared with Crystal Palace.
Villa are a side that will dominate the ball in a lot of outings, and the slower tempo completely strips Guessand of his standout abilities, with the attacker shining in transitional moments – his Sofascore stats below below showcase the difference between his time at the respective clubs.
During his final season with Nice, Guessand completed 1.71 successful dribbles per 90 at a rate of 50.5 per cent, while he was simply all action, with 2.24 fouls won, 2.20 shots and 5.28 touches in the opposition box per 90.
Given a free role to roam, Guessand thrived, compared to the much more rigid system deployed by Emery.
Having been given a second chance in England with Palace, it is not quite over for the Ivorian in the Premier League.
He now has the chance to keep on impressing before a return to Villa, or potential permanent move from the club this summer.
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