Aston Villa Struggles Continue Despite Call for Patience
Aston Villa's start to the season has been disheartening, with four matches played, no wins, and no goals. However, the club's message remains one of trust.
Manager Unai Emery and his administration have earned some level of confidence, yet concerns linger over their troubling performance.
The team’s recent 0-0 draw against Everton, where they narrowly avoided defeat, left them goalless for the season. To find another team without a goal, one must look to the 11th tier of English football, where Norwich-based Acle United is also yet to score.
This marks the first time Villa has failed to score in five consecutive Premier League matches since a similar streak between December 2014 and February 2015. Currently, they sit second from the bottom, experiencing their worst start to a Premier League campaign since the 1997-98 season.
Despite the disappointing statistics, director of football operations Damian Vidagany expressed optimism, suggesting that the point earned at Hill Dickinson Stadium could serve as a foundation for improvement. He remarked on social media, "A point that doesn’t shine, yes, we need goals, of course they will come... but a point that strengthens us and our spirit. We’re working well and we’ll soon improve. The first stone of a magnificent construction never attracts the attention of spectators. But it’s very necessary."
While Villa possesses the talent to turn their fortunes around—evidenced by Emery's successful track record—the current season's data casts doubt on that potential.
Villa is now only the fifth team in Premier League history to go scoreless in their opening four matches, joining the ranks of Sheffield Wednesday (1993-94), Newcastle United (2005-06), Swansea City (2011-12), and Crystal Palace (2017-18).
With an expected goals (XG) tally of 3.07, they currently rank just above bottom-placed Wolves, who have an XG of 2.63. This statistic comes from 40 shots taken, with only 10 hitting the target, resulting in an XG of 0.08 from those attempts. In contrast, Wolves have managed one more shot on target despite taking five fewer shots, while Burnley has scored four goals from nine shots on target.
Although Villa has attempted more shots than Burnley, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Brentford, and Crystal Palace, they have yet to convert these opportunities into goals.
Some of the challenges may stem from financial constraints faced by the club during the summer transfer window. Emery previously called for changes to the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules in his program notes for the season opener against Newcastle. The club did manage to sign striker Evann Guessand from Nice for £30 million to support Ollie Watkins, but the 24-year-old has yet to make a significant impact, having played only 105 minutes across four games with an XG of 0.07 and just one shot on target.
Watkins himself has an XG of 1.1 from eight shots, while the next highest is Emi Buendia at 0.37, having played half the minutes. By this point last season, Villa had already scored seven goals and created 16 big chances, according to Opta.
Faith in Unai and the Team
Emery took over from Steven Gerrard in November 2022 when the club was positioned 14th in the Premier League. He subsequently led them to the Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2024 and the Champions League quarter-finals last season. However, this season has seen a lack of the intensity and urgency that characterized his previous teams, resulting in a laborious and uninspired performance.
Despite the struggles, Villa players have found the net during the international break, with Youri Tielemans scoring twice for Belgium, Matty Cash netting for Poland, and Ezri Konsa scoring his first goal for England in a 5-0 victory against Serbia.
The team has also faced setbacks as Marco Asensio, who scored eight goals on loan from PSG last season, did not return and has since joined Fenerbahce. Additionally, the club opted not to make Marcus Rashford's loan from Manchester United a permanent deal. They also sold midfielder Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle for £40 million, leaving them short on attacking options until the late-window loan signings of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott.
In their opening match against Newcastle, Villa recorded an XG of just 0.08 from open play and managed only 40 successful passes in the final third. Although their statistics improved slightly against Everton, with an XG of 0.24 and 0.75, significant improvement is still needed.
Villa will face Brentford in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, having already lost 1-0 to them in the league, before traveling to Sunderland on Saturday. Another two matches without goals could lead to a mini-crisis.
In response to a fan's concerns on social media, Vidagany urged patience, acknowledging that while the team has made rapid progress over the last three years, the heightened expectations come with it. He wrote, "My humble suggestion is to ask—understanding moods are not high—to help the boys with support and remembrance of what they accomplished in three amazing years, years much better than the previous 15 or 20. If you don’t want to give them credit, I respect it. If someone wants to push us with negativity, that is also acceptable, but it is ultimately unproductive. If you wish to help, remember that you, the fans, are the true owners of Villa and protectors of the club, and you deserve more. However, let me remind you that in football, there are good times and not-so-good times, and everyone can choose their response. I believe in Unai and my team."