Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has publicly backed his head coach Unai Emery after the Spaniard labeled his players “lazy,” insisting that the harsh remark was justified given the team’s lacklustre performance in recent matches.
In doing so, Konsa has sought to channel the criticism into motivation for improvement, while stressing that the squad is not in crisis.
The controversy stems from Villa’s 1–1 draw with ten-man Sunderland in the Premier League, where, despite having a numerical advantage for over an hour, Villa failed to break down their depleted opposition.
In the post-match press conference, Emery did not mince words. “We were lazy sometimes in defence,” he declared. “When we conceded we were lazy.” The manager went on to speak of a lost identity, a lack of confidence and a need to rediscover the intensity that had marked Villa’s play in recent seasons.
That blunt assessment quickly raised eyebrows, with questions over whether such public criticism would sow dissent in the dressing room. But Konsa, an established voice in the squad, has since stepped forward to defend his manager’s decision.
Speaking ahead of Villa’s Europa League opener, he said: “Yeah, it’s a fair comment. I think everyone has seen the picture, seen the goal.” He acknowledged that Villa pride themselves on playing a high defensive line, something Emery has ingrained in the club’s defensive philosophy. “We didn’t quite get it right,” Konsa added.
While conceding that performances have fallen short, the England international was quick to downplay speculation of internal crisis meetings. “I don’t think we are at the stage where we need to have meetings,” he said. “People will talk about crisis meetings and things like that, but we have got a great captain in John McGinn, who really takes the lead in stuff like that.”
He also hinted at the motivational effect of criticism: “When your manager doesn’t speak too well of you, it is not a good thing for you. It does bring a bit of fuel into you … you just want to play the next game as soon as possible, to prove everyone wrong.”
Ezri Konsa on Emery’s “lazy” comment: “It’s a fair comment. Everyone’s seen the picture and goal. We know it’s not good enough. Here, we try and pride ourselves on playing a high line is something the boss is trying to install. We didn’t get it right.” #AVFC
— Jacob Tanswell (@J_Tanswell) September 24, 2025
Villa’s pre-season ambitions had set a high bar. Having qualified for the Europa League and enjoyed a strong prior campaign in the Premier League and European competition, expectations were that Emery would guide the team to consistent performances.
But the reality has been more turbulent. In the league, Villa had yet to secure their first win and had only scored once in their opening five games, leaving them languishing in 18th place.
The club has also been navigating a challenging summer behind the scenes. Stringent UEFA and Premier League financial regulations limited Villa’s spending and forced the sale of homegrown talent Jacob Ramsey, with Konsa publicly describing the rules as having “killed” the club’s transfer window.
Konsa’s own journey at Villa deepens the significance of his support. He joined the club in 2019 from Brentford and, especially following the arrival of Emery in 2022, has become a mainstay in the back line.
Under Emery, he has pledged to adapt to higher defensive lines, greater tactical demand, and increased accountability. He has also been lauded for his work ethic — reportedly spending additional hours in conditioning and analysis beyond regular training.