Aston Villa's attacking football does not begin with their forwards. It begins with Pau Torres. The Spanish centre-back, signed from Villarreal, has become Unai Emery's most important defensive asset — not just because of what he does without the ball, but because of what he enables with it. Torres carries from deep with confidence and precision. He picks out progressive passes that bypass the first line of the press and immediately put Villa in forward positions. His ability to dribble past pressing forwards in tight spaces has become one of Villa's most reliable ways of escaping defensive pressure and transitioning quickly into attack. For opponents who press high against Villa — as Forest might attempt at The City Ground on Sunday — Torres is the most dangerous player to allow time on the ball. When he finds space and drives forward, Villa's entire attacking structure flows from that moment. Emery's tactical sophistication means Torres knows exactly when to carry and when to play simply. That intelligence, combined with the technical quality, makes him genuinely irreplaceable in this system. 📅 Sun 12 Apr, 05:00 UTC | The City Ground 🏆 GW30 | The Defender Who Builds Everything