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Tyrone Mings is proud of Aston Villa’s start to the season after a summer of change, saying “there is freshness around the training ground.”
Villa lost more than half of the starting XI that played against SC Freiburg in the Europa League final in May and recruited 10 new players for Unai Emery’s new squad.
The club has made a conscious effort to reduce the wage bill and reduce the average age of the squad, with Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes, Nicolas Jackson, Zion Susuzki, Ibrahim Mbaye, Matteo Ruggeri and Alejandro Garnacho all under 25.
It has been a predictably slow start to the season for Villa, who have lost three of their first four league games. However, after Saturday night’s 1-0 win over Newcastle, they have lost just once in their last eight games across all competitions.
Villa also secured their first home win of the season against Fenerbahce before traveling to Tyneside where they thrashed the Turkish giants 6-0 – a club-record win in European competition.
Speaking after the win over Newcastle at St James’ Park, Mings expressed his pride at seeing the new look team show character to secure their second league win of the campaign.
“I am ready to repeat that the players of last year had remained, maybe we would have fought to come after a European success. There is no formula, is there, except hard work, the new players embrace, embrace the new regime,” explained Mings.
“The manager is excited. Players who were here before are excited and also want to stop talking about new players and old players. We are now a group, and the more experiences we have like today, like midweek, even Brighton in a way, the more experiences we have together, the more it feels like a group and a team and everyone understands what the manager wants.
“I’m super proud. Not just today’s performance, but just everyone’s application. No matter when you came to the football club, the manager is a man who doesn’t allow excuses, and everyone is really looking forward to what’s to come.
“Of course we could have collected a few more points, but this league is so difficult, and everything we have done so far, we can be very proud of. If you saw the work on the training field, the application, you would understand.
“Everyone thought it would come together at some point. We’re definitely showing signs of that. But I’m super proud of everyone to get here and get a result like this is no easy task. Well done.”
Asked about the summer window, Mings said: “I don’t know if it was necessary, if it wasn’t, if the manager felt it was needed, if it wasn’t, if maybe he wanted to make some changes that ended up doing more. I don’t know what was meant to happen.
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“All I know is that it definitely feels like freshness around the training ground. It feels like the group is getting oxygen. Everyone is excited now and wondering what we can do with this group.
“Everyone who was here before, and it’s kind of like a bridge between old and new, has to set the standard, drive training, show what the culture has always been, what the commitment looks like every day.
“Credit to the players who came in. They were absolutely fantastic. The manager is keen to emphasize that you have to be mature, you have to be responsible. He’s not going to polish the dressing room.
“You have to be able to motivate yourself. You have to be able to understand what the manager wants and deliver. Of course, that takes time.
“I know he talked earlier in the season about adapting, but I’m just super proud of the work we’re doing day in and day out. It’s a big challenge, but it’s a challenge we asked for. It’s a challenge we’re excited about, and it’s a challenge we want.
