Alejandro Garnacho faces criticism for disinterested Villa

Alejandro Garnacho's difficult start to life at Aston Villa hit a new low on Saturday, September 5. The on-loan Chelsea winger was labelled "completely disinterested" by a pundit after a 15-minute cameo in a 0-0 draw at Hull City.

Why is Garnacho struggling for minutes at Villa?

Unai Emery, the Aston Villa manager, has provided a direct answer. He is currently favouring academy graduate George Hemmings over the higher-profile loanee. After the Hull match, Emery explained that Hemmings earned his place through consistent work last season and is already performing at a Premier League level. "He is a player now, clearly, to be in the Premier League," Emery said.

What happened during his Hull City appearance?

Introduced in the 75th minute for Emiliano Buendia, Garnacho failed to make any impact. Former Liverpool and Villa defender Stephen Warnock was scathing in his co-commentary. "You may as well take off Alejandro Garnacho and Tammy Abraham. They have done nothing since they have come on the pitch," Warnock said. "Garnacho going down. He looks completely disinterested. Unai Emery will be furious with his changes." The statistics backed up the criticism. In his time on the pitch, the 22-year-old had no shots, created no chances, completed no crosses, and made only nine passes.

What is the context of his recent career moves?

This loan spell follows a turbulent couple of years for the Argentine. He left Manchester United last summer after 144 first-team appearances, joining Chelsea for a reported £40million. His single season at Stamford Bridge was widely considered a disappointment, prompting the Blues to sanction his exit. Villa moved for him in July, securing a loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy. The early signs suggest he faces a significant challenge to rediscover the form that once made him a promising talent at Old Trafford.

• Garnacho was criticised for a "disinterested" 15-minute substitute appearance for Aston Villa against Hull City on September 5.
• Manager Unai Emery says the winger needs time to adapt, preferring academy product George Hemmings who is "clearly" a Premier League player.
• The loan from Chelsea follows a tough year in London and his prior exit from Manchester United.