Unai Emery’s Villarreal: In-Depth Tactical Analysis
After a brief tenure at Arsenal that left many questioning his legacy, Unai Emery has revitalized his managerial reputation at Villarreal. Back in his homeland, he has guided the Yellow Submarine into a commanding position near the summit of La Liga, praised for their organized structure and dynamic play. Known for his previous Europa League triumphs with Sevilla and a solid, if underappreciated, record at Arsenal, Emery is crafting a side that blends defensive solidity with attacking ingenuity. This article delves into Emery’s tactical blueprint for Villarreal during their impressive 2020/21 campaign.
Preferred Formation and Key Personnel
Emery’s time at Villarreal has involved experimentation with several shapes, but the 4-1-4-1 has consistently delivered the most stability and success, keeping the team unbeaten in La Liga when deployed. Though he has occasionally moved to a 4-3-3, 4-4-1-1, and even a classic 4-4-2, the 4-1-4-1 provides a balanced blend of attack and defense.
Between the posts, Sergio Asenjo continues as the dependable first choice. Mario Gaspar remains a mainstay at right back and team captain, while the heart of the defense features the experience and composure of Raul Albiol paired with the talented young Pau Torres, tipped by many as a future Spanish international star. Alfonso Pedraza, after various loan spells, has nailed down the left-back slot, with Pervis Estupiñán serving as a strong backup.
The midfield pivot is occupied by Vicente Iborra, whose tactical intelligence and familiarity with Emery from their days together at Sevilla make him indispensable. Dani Parejo, a creative force acquired from Valencia, and Manu Trigueros, a long-serving squad member, handle the central roles ahead of Iborra. In attack, Emery’s key tactical adaptation has seen Gerard Moreno shift to the right wing to allow Paco Alcácer to take the central striker position. Moi Gómez, known for his adaptability and technical ability, completes the attack on the left side, adjusting from his previous No. 10 role at other clubs.
Building Attacks from Deep
A feature of Emery’s Villarreal is their determination to build play from their own defensive third. During build-up and attacking phases, the 4-1-4-1 morphs into a hybrid resembling a 2-1-4-3 or alternatively a 3-4-3, with Iborra dropping deeper to aid the center-backs. This tactical fluidity pushes both fullbacks higher up the pitch, enabling wingers like Moi Gómez and Gerard Moreno to drift into central spaces—areas where they are most dangerous and influential.
The backline often constructs a diamond shape that offers multiple passing options and ensures numerical advantages, especially when opponents press high. Wide triangles, formed between the fullback, central midfielder, and inverted winger, allow seamless ball progression and help Villarreal bypass opposition pressure without resorting to risky sideways passes in their own half.
However, Villarreal’s shape remains adaptable. Both central midfielders, particularly Parejo, might drop deeper to facilitate build-up, with conventional patterns tailored to the moment’s demands. Parejo, with his proficiency for receiving the ball on the half-turn and distributing long passes, is integral to this strategy. On the right, Mario Gaspar sometimes drops deep to pick up possession, while Pedraza on the left typically remains advanced, creating different layers of support on each side.
Despite the use of advanced left-sided players, Villarreal often direct their attacks down the right, leveraging the connection between Gaspar, Trigueros, and Moreno. This strategic balance enables them to dominate possession (with an average of 57%) and maintain control across all thirds of the pitch.
Defensive Approach: Midfield Superiority
Defensive solidity under Emery has been a cornerstone of Villarreal’s resurgence. Operating mainly in a 4-1-4-1, the side defends using a structured mid-block rather than an aggressive high press. This approach relies on the trio of central midfielders to outnumber most opposition sides in this zone, forcing adversaries to either attempt risky long balls or funnel play outward to the flanks.
Statistics highlight this improvement: Villarreal conceded just 9 goals in their first 9 league matches—a marginal improvement over previous seasons. The system is at its most robust when the midfield triangle is intact. For example, when facing a 4-4-2 (such as against Valencia), Villarreal’s midfield outnumbers the opposition, cutting off passing options and frustrating rival build-up play. Conversely, changing to shapes like 4-4-2, as seen in the heavy loss to Barcelona, sacrifices this central dominance and often leads to defensive vulnerabilities, particularly against teams adept at switching play and exploiting wide spaces.
Ball-winning responsibilities are mainly handled by Parejo and Trigueros, though Francis Coquelin provides an aggressive alternative when needed. Even when opponents move past the midfield line, Iborra offers critical cover, shielding the back four and breaking up attacks.
Attacking Challenges: Offside Traps and Verticality
While Villarreal’s structured play has yielded positive results, chance creation and goal frequency have occasionally lagged behind expectations considering their forward talent. Emery’s side leads the league in offside occurrences—a consequence of their vertical, central attacking approach. With both Moreno and Gómez moving inside and combining in tight spaces, Villarreal frequently attempt through balls instead of crosses, increasing the risk of being caught offside.
Several factors contribute to this trend:
– Both starting wide attackers naturally gravitate inside, resulting in fewer traditional wing plays and more centrally threaded passes.
– The forwards, notably Moreno and Alcácer, sometimes stray offside due to a combination of aggressive runs and split-second delays in releasing the decisive ball from midfield.
– Nearly every player is comfortable taking on defenders, which can occasionally delay the timing of forward passes and create missed opportunities.
Additionally, Moreno’s deployment on the right has reduced his impact in aerial situations. Previously a regular target for crosses in more central positions, he now has to arrive late, work harder for his opportunities, and sometimes struggles to showcase his best attributes. Moi Gómez, despite being one of the team’s primary creators, has yet to register an assist this season, highlighting a lack of a traditional playmaker akin to those at other top clubs.
Most goals have come from the dynamic duo of Alcácer and Moreno—together responsible for 9 of Villarreal’s 13 league goals at this stage. However, the team lacks diverse assist sources; only Alcácer and Gaspar have provided more than one assist each. Central midfielders, while solid in possession and defense, rarely feature among the main chance creators, requiring the forwards to carry much of the scoring burden.
Summary: Tactical Cohesion Driving Villarreal’s Surge
Under Unai Emery’s leadership, Villarreal have become a disciplined, tactically flexible side capable of adapting to different challenges. Their favored 4-1-4-1 formation emphasizes control, structure, and defensive solidity, ensuring that the team remains difficult to break down while still retaining the ability to inject verticality and incisiveness in attack.
If Emery finds an optimal way to reintegrate Gerard Moreno into the center occasionally or makes slight adjustments to improve chance creation and reduce offsides, Villarreal could become even more formidable in both domestic and European competitions. For now, their well-drilled shape and midfield dominance set them apart as one of La Liga’s most organized teams, with room for further evolution as the season progresses.
