Why Villa are still relying on old guard - and can it last?

"Aston Villa's old guard have taken the club to new heights - but how long can it last? Seven of the XI which finished the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth last weekend were players signed under Dean Smith, while seven of the starters in the team which beat Brighton on Wednesday were given their debuts by the now Charlotte manager. Villa can almost name a Smith XI of players who were signed by the former manager, who left over four years ago."

"After the January return of Douglas Luiz - signed from Manchester City in 2019 - Villa are just one away, a left-back, from being able to field a team of Smith players. Add Lucas Digne, who joined under Steven Gerrard, and it will be a side without the initial input of Unai Emery, even if the Spaniard has re-signed Luiz and Ross Barkley."

Aston Villa depend heavily on players signed under Dean Smith, with seven of the XI at Bournemouth and seven starters against Brighton having Smith-era debuts. The squad can almost field a Smith XI after Douglas Luiz's return; adding Lucas Digne would produce a side without Unai Emery's initial signings despite Emery re-signing Luiz and Ross Barkley. Dean Smith signed players including Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Emi Martinez, Ollie Watkins and others, forming a long-serving spine. Unai Emery has improved results while operating with fewer financial resources than Champions League rivals, raising questions about refreshing an ageing squad under profit and sustainability constraints.

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