Aston Villa’s Early-Season Struggles Raise Questions Over Emery’s Approach

Unai Emery’s reign at Aston Villa has delivered memories to cherish: three straight European campaigns, a top-four finish, and a sixth-place standing last term. Yet just five games into the new season, the optimism that had grown under his leadership is showing signs of strain, Sport360NG reports.

Despite memorable victories over Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last season, Villa have yet to win a match this campaign. Goals have dried up, and confidence appears fragile.

“They look clunky, they don’t look fluid, and they’re not the same side we saw last year,” former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with newly promoted Sunderland.

At the Stadium of Light, Villa were handed an advantage when Sunderland defender Reinildo was sent off for lashing out at Matty Cash. Emery’s men eventually went ahead through Cash’s powerful strike from distance in the 67th minute, but their lead lasted only eight minutes before Wilson Isidor struck back for the home side.

Emery, frustrated after the game, labelled his side’s defending as “lazy” and admitted: “We are not dominating or playing with our style right now.”

A Stuttering Start

So far, Villa’s third full season under Emery has been defined by stumbles. Out of the Carabao Cup before the end of September, still winless in the Premier League, and with only one league goal to their name, the contrast with last year’s free-flowing attack is stark.

Matty Cash’s goal on Sunday ended a barren run of 427 minutes without finding the net, one of the longest goalless starts to a Premier League season in recent years. Even so, Villa’s lack of threat remains glaring. They managed only two shots on target against 10-man Sunderland and rank joint-bottom in the division for attempts on goal.

Ollie Watkins, who hit 16 league goals last season, has just one in his last 10 league appearances. Emery remains adamant the solution lies in rediscovering Villa’s identity: “We need to play better, control better, dominate better. Then the goals and assists will come.”

Missing Pieces and Growing Pressure

The summer offered more challenges than solutions. Financial restrictions under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules limited recruitment, while loan stars Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio departed, weakening Villa’s attacking depth.

Ivory Coast forward Evann Guessand arrived from Nice for £26m, but has yet to make a significant impact. Meanwhile, Emery has often been forced to use midfielders John McGinn, Morgan Rodgers and Emi Buendia in wide roles, leaving Villa short of natural width.

Cash acknowledged the squad’s frustration after Sunday’s result: “We’re not happy. With the quality we have, we should be higher in the league. Over the last few years we’ve had a lot of highs, but right now we’re in a tough period.”

The coming weeks could be crucial. Villa open their Europa League campaign against Bologna on Thursday before back-to-back home league fixtures against Fulham and Burnley, games that may help reset their campaign.

Tactical Concerns

Much of Villa’s trouble stems from predictability. Their build-up patterns, largely unchanged from last season, have been easier to nullify as rival sides improve their pressing. Without a ball-playing defender like Pau Torres in the XI, Emery’s side struggle to progress the ball effectively.

Opponents are also sitting deeper, limiting the space Ollie Watkins thrives on. Sunderland, even with 10 men, clogged the central areas, forcing Villa to rely on full-backs Cash and Lucas Digne for width, an area where natural wingers might have made the difference.

Emery’s pragmatic streak, once a strength, now risks holding the team back. His reluctance to consistently use players like Harvey Elliott or Ian Maatsen in wider roles has left Villa one-dimensional in attack.

After branding his players “lazy” following the draw, Emery faces the challenge of reigniting both belief and tactical sharpness. While his track record in Birmingham buys him time, the unforgiving nature of the Premier League means patience could run thin if results do not improve quickly.