Aston Villa got off to a very strong start this season, following up on last year’s breakthrough campaign, but they’re in a rough patch now. Maybe they’ll revert back to better form after the international break? Perhaps the time off will do them good? Let’s take a look at their walking wounded, which now consists of five players- Matty Cash, Ross Barkley, Jacob Ramsey, Boubacar Kamara and Pau Torres.
Here are the latest updates, including quotes from manager Unai Emery.
Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara
Said Emery, in reference to Ramsey and Kamara: “Felt something [while running]. Of course, we are playing a lot of matches. They are injured now Ramsey, hopefully not Kamara.’
Kamara just completed his recovery, and then made his return, from a long-term knee injury, so you got to be cautious with him. You definitely want to avoid any potential for some kind of relapse.
The boss added the following on Ramsey: ‘Hamstring. He was feeling something.’ He’ll be out a few weeks, as for Kamara, we’re still in wait and see mode.
Matty Cash (calf) and Ross Barkley (unspecified muscle problem)
Said Emery “They aren’t here with us. Matty and Ross (Barkley). Those two players have small injuries. They are not available.”
He added the following, in regards to Barkley: ‘We have only one injured player. Ross has a small injury and won’t be available for the next two weeks.'”
Pau Torres
Got sent home from Spain duty on Wednesday, with the football federacion stating: “The international defender arrived with muscular discomfort and, after the tests carried out by the Medical Services, he leaves the group to avoid any risk of injury.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.