Emery - Torreira is ready to start now

Lucas Torreira is ready to start against Chelsea.

The Uruguay midfielder was one of the last players to begin his pre-season preparations after helping his country reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

 

He came off the bench against Manchester City last weekend and since then has continued to build up his sharpness in training.

 

“Yes, he is okay every day and is training good,” said Unai Emery. “He is now with the team and knowing and learning English conversation with us and can understand all the things we want to do tactically on the pitch.

 

“He is okay, the first match against City he played 15 to 20 minutes and I think this is good, I want to continue with him improving and to be okay to play.”

So how does the new head coach envisage Torreira’s role in our team?

“We can speak about the No 6, the No 8 and the No 10 [roles],” said Emery. “Torreira today is a six, eight. Normally every player has two positions – Torreira is six, eight. Maybe also Elneny is six and eight. Xhaka maybe also six, eight. Matteo [Guendouzi] maybe six, eight or eight, six.

 

“Maybe another player, a more attacking player like Aaron Ramsey, he is more of an eight, 10 – but this possibility to play with two or three midfielders, it depends on each match whether to change or not and the demand in each match. Whether we can do one midfielder more either more attacking or more defensive, it depends.”