With the exception of Tottenham, no team has had a better season overall as the Premier League approaches the ten-game mark than Unai Emery’s explosive Aston Villa, who are currently in fifth place and only four points behind the leaders.
How much higher can they go now, and will they be able to make it into the Champions League? The Villans have accumulated 22 points from their first ten games, which is their best start since the era of Martin O’Neill, when the team last had a chance to compete in Europe’s top competition.
Given that they suffered devastating losses in two of their first four games—5-1 to Newcastle on the first day and 3-0 to Liverpool on the second—this total is all the more remarkable. Both of those were away from Villa Park, where Emery’s team has won their last 12 games.
Despite Villa’s crushing defeat at St. James’ Park, Sir Alex Ferguson expressed his admiration for the team and forecasted a successful season for them—yet another indication that he is undoubtedly the greatest manager and managerial brain of all time. He has been proven correct in a most impressive way.
Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia suffered season-ending ACL injuries, and Villa lost to Legia Warsaw on the road in the Europa Conference League to start the season poorly.
But the way they have recovered is evidence of what a fantastic job Emery has done since taking over as manager from Steven Gerrard.
In actuality, Gerrard was never suited for the position; his primary goal at the team was to use it as a springboard to become Liverpool’s manager after Jurgen Klopp. At least he is now employed by Jordan Henderson, with whom he sells their souls at some Saudi Arabian games to crowds of less than seven hundred. From Villa Park, to an Al-Ettifaq villa.
So, let’s get back to Emery and his magnificent creations in the second city. Only Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool have accrued more points since the date of his debut game, when Villa were ranked seventeenth; in terms of 2023, only the winners are ahead of them.
With a smaller sample size than others, he already has the highest win percentage in club history, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
With significant investment, astute acquisitions by Christian Purslow and associates (some made possible by Jack Grealish’s windfall, naturally), and building on the work Dean Smith started after his promotion in 2019, Emery has assembled a team and squad that are brimming with talent and performing at the highest level.
Ollie Watkins’s all-around game has significantly improved, and he can’t stop scoring. One of the best midfield combinations of the year has been John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, and Douglas Luiz. The latter broke the Premier League era club record for the most consecutive home games scored in (six).
Moussa Diaby has performed admirably, and the addition of Nicolo Zaniolo and Youri Tielemans—the former on loan and the latter on a free transfer—is evidence of that astute hiring. They have given the club options and depth that it has probably never had before. After Emi Martinez won the Ballon d’Or, Villa can claim to have the “official” best keeper in the world. Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, and Pau Torres are also capable defensive options.
The Spaniard’s approach to football is what has made it even more impressive; it’s a far cry from the gloomy dross he oversaw during his miserable time at the Emirates and the winning but defensive-minded play at Sevilla and Villarreal.
Watkins’s forward play serves as an excellent example of how thrilling and thrilling Villa is to watch. They are now tied with Newcastle as the league’s top scorers thus far, having scored 26 goals in their first ten games. After that early Conference League loss, they bounced back nicely with a win at AZ Alkmaar on the road, where four more were hit.
Despite the fact that eight of their 14 goals against have come from those crushing away losses, they have given up the most goals of any team in the top six of the Premier League. It does add to the excitement this season around them as a must-watch.
Can they therefore qualify for the Champions League and play in a competition again the following season, something they haven’t done since winning the 1981–1982 European Cup? For now, the answer is unquestionably yes.
First off, the Premier League will probably have five spots when the Swiss Model is implemented the following season (oh joy), which will boost the confidence of teams like Villa and Spurs. Another reason to be optimistic is the strongholds that both teams have established so far this season.
Though the league is top-heavy and the top half is already one of the most competitive in recent memory, other supposedly bigger clubs—most notably Manchester United and Chelsea—are struggling.
The fact that Brighton has lost all five of their recent home games indicates that the extra strain of playing in Europe is starting to catch up. Perhaps Newcastle’s situation is similar.
Could Villa be in the Conference League with the same problem? Without a doubt, Emery wants to maintain his incredible record in Europe, but will it wear them out? There may be mitigating factors due to their larger squad and the clear inferiority in the tertiary competition on the continent. They ought to qualify in the next game or two and won’t be afraid of any opposition.
Also, it is still too early to determine the true calibre of Spurs, as Emery’s 35 league games played thus far pale in comparison to Ange Postecoglou’s undoubtedly incredible start.
In less than four weeks, Villa will travel to north London to take on the current “title challengers.” Prior to that, they will play Fulham at home and Nottingham Forest away.
Supporters will only too well recall how both O’Neill and John Gregory, who came before him, had outstanding starts before fading away in the final moments and losing out on a chance to play with the best players in Europe. Can Emery finish one of the more notable upswings in a club’s fortunes in recent years and become the third lucky man?
