Perhaps Donyell Miss was the only Aston Villa player who came against Wolves with some credit in their 2-0 defeat. The signing of January, as a second half replacement, was refused an equalizer after a controversial VAR call against Morgan Rogers.
Malen also forced two good saves from the goalkeeper in a lively achievement in advance. The effective replacement of Jhon Duran, the top scorer of Villa this season who left for Saudi Aarabia, is a discouraging task for everyone. But grinding is a different kind of player.
That is what Unai Emery wanted, since then strengthened its forward line with a different wing player-cum triker in Marcus Rashford. Marco Asensio, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, offers more competition. But this is the new start where Malen was looking.
Speaking with Nederlands International on the Villa training field, the softly spoken 26-year-old reflects in the club after his early weeks. “The training, the games,” he says Sky Sports. “I enjoyed it.” But why Aston Villa? “The club's plans,” he explains.
“It's a very big club in England, in the Premier League.” Malen had a memorable taste of watching from the stands while Villa progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League against Celtic. “The stadium was full, it was rocking, so that was nice to see.”
Malen did not know at the time of our interview that his Champions League role with Aston Villa would be limited for the rest of this season to this looking short. He is not registered because Villa can only add three new names to their team.
One can only speculate how he thinks about the call, especially in view of the fact that in this conversation he talks about unfinished things in the Champions League, who played in Borussia Dortmund's last defeat against Real Madrid in June. It is an uncomfortable start for life at Villa.
But this signing was made with more than just this season in mind. The hope is that after three and a half years at Dortmund. His 39 goals for, for example, they often come from the bank and work in wider areas, show that he can be effective.
Yet there is always a feeling of getting more with grinding. His last season in Eindhoven hinted with PSV when he scored 27 goals in all competitions. Since then he has been a time player who offers a glimpse instead of unlocking everything.
The talent was identified early. Ajax was disappointed to lose him to Arsenal when he was a teenager. He laughs at those memories of England. “I was very young,” he says. “I was only 16 when I came and trained with the first team. I was so skinny [kid]. “
Malen was close to the breakthrough, with during the preseason. “Maybe I wasn't really 100 percent ready,” he acknowledges. “Looking back, I learned a lot in those two and a half years. But I took my steps in a different way. I played a lot of football.”
A father now he returns to England as another person, another player after more than 300 career performances. And yet Emery may be able to persuade more from him. They just missed each other in Arsenal. “We didn't spend time together, but we can do that now.”
Working with Emery was part of Malen's thinking. “He is very detailed and has ideas to really help me. He gives a lot about it. He is very supportive.” Those famous long video sessions will now be part of his life. “It's okay when it's about football. It improves me.”
Does Malen believe that Emery is the person to bring out his full potential as a player? “Yes, certainly. Especially the way he works with his attackers. All the entire team, but with his attackers he is very detailed and very individual. I think that can be a big help.”
Talk about this, he talks about Malen used in a number of positions, especially as a right wing, as he was when he came to West Ham, but also in a more central role, as was the case when he was introduced for Ollie Watkins In Molineux.
What conversations had with Emery about how he sees his specific role in the team? “About positioning,” he explains. “Where my strengths are and where I have to improve weaknesses. We have already spoken to many of these things.”
He seems to be relaxed about his best position and insists that he has no preference. “I have already played the positions at this stage, so it doesn't really matter to me. I just want to be close to the goal.” It is a recurring theme. He wants to make a difference.
“I think I am very directly in the direction of the goal, very directly against my opponents. I am behind and try to create space for midfielders. I think that is my strength.” Last season he was one of the top 10 players in the Bundesliga for goals per 90 minutes.
Will there be more? Seven and a half years after we walked away from the Premier League to make progress elsewhere, we will soon find out if he is ready to restore it on his return. He knows that it is not about promise now, it is about delivering.
“I think I'm just looking forward to being here, improving and playing in the Premier League and to show myself here. That is a big goal for me. I just want to play and enjoy my football. What I do with that Must do that scores and be important for the team. “
And his motivation? “That is just something that has been in me since I was very young. I did a lot to be here. It was never anything I didn't want to do. I just woke up and I feel that this is what it is What it is meant to win prizes to play big games.
The feeling is that Aston Villa is now a place where those things can happen. “You see the club forward in the Champions League, top eight, which is a very big thing. We just have to keep watching.” Where can best come? “I really hope so.”
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