Five Reasons to be Cheerful Despite Poor Emery Week
Hello darkness, my old friend… Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration; we haven’t yet slipped back into the mire of the previous decade. However, this week has served as a reminder that success should never be taken for granted. With a poor return from the last three encounters and a challenging trip to Anfield coming up, here are the latest Five Reasons to Be Cheerful as Villans…
Recovery
When viewed from a distance, the opening two years of Unai Emery’s reign have seen Villa’s fortunes rise in a steady, forty-five-degree climb. However, zooming in on that trajectory reveals a few hiccups and bumps along the way. In his first half-season, Villa endured a tough February with three defeats to Leicester, Manchester City, and Arsenal. Yet the team’s response was exemplary, as Villa embarked on a ten-game unbeaten run, winning eight of those matches. Last season, form between January and February was shaky, but despite being stretched to the limit, the team still managed to secure a top-four finish. It can’t always be smooth sailing, and performances won’t always be easy on the eye, but it’s more likely than not that this team will bounce back—if not against Liverpool, then in the following league fixture against Crystal Palace.
Break Time
Since the last international break, Aston Villa delivered strong performances against Fulham and Bologna but subsequently faltered with four subpar displays across three competitions. With only the Liverpool match remaining before the next international break, this pause could provide the team with a necessary reset. Following this, Villa faces several league fixtures that manager Unai Emery will be aiming to win.
Kamara
One positive from the defeat to Bruges was the positive display from Boubacar Kamara. Some attribute Villa’s drop in form in 2024 to his absence and despite the result, the Frenchman showed that he is on his way back to full fitness. Injuries have plagued his time in Birmingham and hopefully he can stay fit long enough to stamp his authority into this new look Villa midfield.
The Ruthless One
Emery will not tolerate poor performances for long and the players will know this. This campaign has seen some of Villa’s prominent players from last year underperforming with Leon Bailey, Ollie Watkins, John McGinn, and even Emi Martinez, failing to reach the same high levels. Some of this could be down to switches in the system (McGinn) and lack of fitness (Bailey), but regardless, it won’t be allowed to go on for too much longer. Jhon Duran is chomping at the bit to replace Waktkns, Boubacar Kamara is ready to fight for his spot in the centre of midfield, and Bailey will have to improve if he has hopes of keeping his spot in the first XI with Jaden Philogene, Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers all able to play in attacking roles. The squad offers options and Emery has shown that he is only loyal to good form.
Big Picture
Fourteen matches into the Premier League and Champions League campaigns, Aston Villa sits just one point away from third in the domestic league and three points off the top of their Champions League group. Not bad for a team that hasn’t yet played with consistent fluency or cohesion. There are still gremlins to address, but as we’ve seen in the past two campaigns under this manager, the season is a marathon. Emery is certainly not one to throw in the towel.
UTV
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