Midfielder could save Aston Villa and Unai Emery millions as Matty Cash targets opportunity

Aston Villa came back from a goal behind to draw with Walsall at the Bescot Stadium in what was the club’s first pre-season friendly of the summer.

Ollie Watkins converted a spot kick on the stroke of half-time to level the match after Danny Johnson opened the scoring for the League Two side. Emery made a host of changes on the hour mark, and introduced eight academy players, while Filip Marschall, Jaden Philogene, Tim Iroegbunam, Josh Feeney and Aaron Ramsey all started the match.

Watkins, Diego Carlos, Matty Cash, Lucas Digne, Emi Buendia and Douglas Luiz were the senior names in the starting XI, while a number of first-team regulars were missing due to either extended summer breaks or injury. Emery’s squad will regroup next week ahead of flying to the USA for three Premier League Summer Series matches against Newcastle, Fulham and Brentford.

Here are the talking points from Villa’s first pre-season match…

Matty Cash is currently the only recognised right-back in Villa’s first-team squad, and this summer provides the 25-year-old with a huge opportunity to send a message to Emery. Cash only started 20 matches last season, mostly due to injury niggles, but showed across the whole of the 2020/21 campaign what he is capable of.

That season, compared with all Premier League players, Cash recorded the sixth-most tackles and won the sixth-most ground duels. He also made 54 blocks across 38 league games, which was the seventh-most in the division. Going forward, only six players supplied more crosses into the penalty box than Cash in 2021/22.

Against Walsall, Cash didn’t let anything go down his side. He’s clearly kept himself in shape in the off-season as he played for an hour at a high intensity.

Josh Feeney came to the attention of most Villa fans last summer, when he was included in Steven Gerrard’s squad to tour Australia. Villa snapped him up from Fleetwood Town in June 2021 for a six-figure sum, a year before he penned his first professional contract.

He was included from the off against Walsall as he partnered Diego Carlos in a back four, with Cash and Lucas Digne playing at full-back. It’s a compliment to Feeney that he was asked to play on the left-side of defence despite being right-footed. In the second half, when he was replaced by Ezri Konsa, Carlos then moved across to the left-side to allow Konsa to play on the right.

Feeney wasn’t fazed by Walsall talisman Danny Johnson in the first half, but the teenager couldn’t quite sort his feet out after a corner was sent into the box, which allowed the Saddlers forward to open the scoring. Villa youngster Feeney was composed in possession and gave a good account of himself at the Bescot.

It might not come as a great surprise, but Luiz was a class above for Villa. He wore the captain’s armband and even took selfies during the second half. He’ll play a key role in any success Villa enjoys next season, as he did last term.

A classy showing from Luiz, who didn’t get out of first gear to help control the game for Villa against Walsall.

Luiz partnered Tim Iroegbunam in the first half, and the 20-year-old impressed at the heart of midfield. You can see the progression in his game after a loan spell away at QPR last season when he glided past players and got stuck in with strong tackles and blocks.

While Villa are open to selling Leander Dendoncker this summer, surely there’s a role for Iroegbunam next season given the amount of games which Emery’s side could end up playing. Iroegbunam would also save money in this area of the pitch, which is important for Villa as they will have to balance the books later in the window.

Midfielder Tommi O’Reilly also caught the eye following his introduction in the second period. He played in a more advanced role, and linked the play well with Omari Kellyman in the final third.