Aston Villa’s competition in central defence has crossed into a cultural footballing debate. Subject of choice: Tyrone Mings or Pau Torres?
The talking point represents two factions of sound logic among fans. The battle between a defence-first central defender — suitably capable in possession but bases his game on leadership, duels and dutifully manning his box — and the more languid, highly progressive quarterback; good but occasionally fragile defensively.
Combining Mings and Torres would make for one of the world’s most complete players. In an era when building from the back seems a prerequisite, Torres fits the mould. To those who prefer their defender to mainly focus on solidifying the back line, Mings gets the nod.
In turn, a clash in ideology is provoked. Data has long shown Torres to be among Europe’s best in possession, ranking in the top eight per cent of defenders from Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and top seven per cent for carries into the final third.
Even before Torres joined, Unai Emery’s staff would use clips of him as an example to Villa defenders to show what they wanted. But, as Emery has admitted, Torres is still prone to “difficulties in defensive duels”.
Emery has insisted he wanted to pair the two together, designing a structure that incorporated two left-footed central defenders into the same team. Initial plans date as far back as the 2023 pre-season:
Both, however, were ships in the night when it came to maintaining fitness. Villa’s congested schedule and little time between matches meant opportunities to develop Torres and Mings into the same side were scant.
This has led to a straight shootout. Often, Emery will carry out shape work the day before a game, suggesting which players would be starting. At times, it has been evident Torres would be, having been drilled in a first-choice back four a day earlier. On other occasions, there has been doubt going into matchday.
Mings is a solid passer, though not as adept as Torres. He ranks in the 50th percentile for progressive carries, meaning he is, precisely, in the middle of the pack of defenders from Europe’s top five leagues. He does fare better for passes made into the final third, rating in the top 33 per cent of centre-backs.
Mings has alternative strengths that the Spain international cannot match. He is Villa’s best in-box defender, has an aerial presence and relishes the more abrasive parts of the job.
“It’s really amazing to have two players for the position,” Emery said this month. “The problem was when we didn’t have Mings and Pau available and I really had problems. Now they are both available. They are performing well at different moments. After PSG, Pau played a fantastic match. Against Man City, a good match. Against Crystal Palace, he was the same level as the team, which was under our normal performances.”
Torres is an Emery favourite. Close observers have long remarked on him being the closest to the manager, while players have discussed this publicly. Having worked together at Villarreal, Emery was the driving factor in the 28-year-old joining in 2023. Torres’ ball progression, when at his sharpest, provides additional layers to Villa’s build-up play.
Torres’ best form coincided with Mings’ enduring toils following a second anterior cruciate ligament injury. The road back to fitness was fraught, but the England international has come back close to his top levels.
Internally, there is a feeling that Mings has not lost his pace or physicality following his return. At the start of May, Mings had ranked in the top seven per cent of Europe’s defenders for one-v-one defending win percentage.
Mings has assumed a role on the board of directors for Euro 2028, which will be hosted in the United Kingdom. The job will entail board meetings and the defender offering feedback from a player’s perspective. Mings is an enterprising character and has business interests, so this role attracts him in view of a career after football. As well as his coaching badges, Mings has enrolled on a sporting director course.
It should be said, however, that the 32-year-old is not moving towards retirement any time soon. He is fully focused on playing and intends to stay at Villa, with discussions over his future expected to take place this summer as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.
This season, Mings has played through the pain barrier, defying expectations from doctors that he would miss more than two months following another knee injury sustained against West Ham United in January.
Mings refused this prognosis. Considering Torres was injured and Villa were short in central defence, he endeavoured to come back sooner. He returned inside four weeks, risking his own health in the resulting matches.
Recent statistics favoured Mings, winning six of the previous eight games he had started and keeping four clean sheets. This, along with his “fantastic” form, convinced Emery to pick Mings instead of Torres for the 1-0 win away to Bournemouth.
Within an increasing group of Villa’s supporters, this was an overdue decision. Mings watched on from the Wembley steps as an unused substitute during the wretched FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace, many fans believing his skill set was better suited to deal with Palace’s counter-attacking threat. The contrast had been shown in the three meetings between the sides this season.
Torres struggled in the semi-final defeat to Palace, but was not alone in Villa’s team (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Torres was not solely to blame for the 3-0 loss, but his inclusion appeared to be an error. Villa lacked leadership and Torres’ botched clearance led to Eberechi Eze’s opener.
Yet Torres has been part of a consolidated defensive structure of late. Since the start of March, Villa have conceded the fewest league goals of any team (four), keeping five clean sheets in eight matches. Torres started three of them, having worked his way back from a broken metatarsal, with two clean sheets. He came on for the final 20 minutes at Bournemouth in place of Mings.
Such metrics can belie the eye test, which highlights Torres’ discernible discomfort when against strikers who enjoy physical tussles — such as Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta — or those, such as Jamie Vardy, who run behind.
Mings’ substitution at Bournemouth was due to cramp. Still, in the minutes before the change, with Torres waiting on the sidelines, Emery entrusted a debilitated Mings to defend a spate of set plays for his aerial prowess. He had an unflustered match, tracking Evanilson’s movement and helping restrict Bournemouth, before going off, to a measly expected goals (xG) rate of 0.11.
The only bone of contention centred on a clash with Alex Scott. Shielding the ball, Mings’ right elbow struck the midfielder’s face. Scott received lengthy treatment and was substituted at half-time. It was later learned he had suffered a fractured jaw, with his head coach Andoni Iraola insisting Mings’ elbow “was very violent”.
Partnering Ezri Konsa in central defence, the return to the club he spent four mostly injury-ridden years at was Mings’ 14th Premier League appearance of the season. Villa are yet to lose in any.
Going further back to the 2021-22 campaign, the Mings-Konsa axis provided the foundation in Emery transforming Villa from relegation candidates to qualifying for the Conference League. In the final 12 matches of that season, they conceded seven times.
Bournemouth had been preparing for Torres to start and knowing the Spain defender’s proficiency in possession, Iraola allowed Konsa to have the first pass before pressing. Midfielder Lewis Cook played as a pressing No 10 and would jump onto Konsa.
Iraola then changed midway through the first half, with Scott pushing onto Konsa and Cook on Amadou Onana.
This reduced the number of touches Mings had and limited Villa on the ball, averaging 34.5 per cent possession. This was their lowest in a victorious league fixture since April 2023 against Chelsea (31.1 per cent).
Consequently, Emery was vindicated in picking Mings and perhaps set a precedent with a horses-for-courses approach. Torres and Mings offer beneficial attributes to Villa and the debate between who should start is nuanced and, quite simply, on a game-by-game basis.
(Top photo: Getty Images)