Villa’s goalless and rocky start to the season couldn’t feel more distant after a triumphant home thumping of high-flying Bournemouth. With the season now well underway, the top half of the table is wide open with Villa sitting pretty in 6th place. Here are the latest five reasons to be cheerful heading into the last international break of the year.
Perfect Form
Reminiscent of Villa’s change of form during 2023, this recent change in fortunes now sees Unai Emery’s men sit in third place in the Premier League form charts with 15 points from a possible 18. Only Arsenal have managed more with 16 (Manchester City also have 15 points, but a +11 goal difference). The run has propelled Villa into 6th in the Premier League, only out of the Champions League conversation on goal difference.
Back on Track
Following a disappointing surrender to Go Ahead Eagles in Europe, akin to the frustrating performances at Monaco and Club Brugge in last season’s Champions League, Villa bounced back to win their third match of the Europa League campaign against Maccabi Haifa at Villa Park. The win restores Villa’s place in the top eight, with the aim to finish there to bypass the play-off knockout round. As important as the win is, the chance to move on from the politics, the grifters, and attention-seeking TikTokers that shrouded the fixture is equally as refreshing.
Upcoming Fixtures
Having made a mess of the traditionally more ‘winnable’ games at the start of the campaign and recovering by beating three of the four teams that were in the top five, Villa once again head into a period of games where the players need to find their killer instinct. Leeds at Elland Road, followed by a home tie against mange-ridden Wolves, and finally a trip to Brighton, provides Villa with a chance to break back into the top four. Between those games is a home tie against last season’s Champions League opponents Young Boys, which again must end as a home win to ensure that Villa are well-placed heading into two tricky away ties at Basel and Fenerbahçe.
Resurgence
The previous month has seen four players that had been under pressure to help drag the club back into form. Matty Cash, Amadou Onana, Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendía have all had their share of issues on the pitch from poor form, to injuries and lack of game time, but all four have been instrumental in the recent change of fortune. There remains one man that could prove the difference between a good and excellent season, and that’s the goal-shy Ollie Watkins. If he manages to recapture even a glimmer of his form during one of his beloved streaky goal-scoring runs, then this team could really take off.
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Devils Defeat
The Villa Women’s team did what the men’s team rarely manages by beating Manchester United away to reach seventh place with a game in hand on the sides above. After an indifferent campaign last season, the ladies’ team has only tasted defeat once this season. However, to start challenging the top half, they must start turning draws into wins, having drawn four matches so far this season while winning two. Next week’s match against London Lionesses is a six-pointer that could ignite a surge up the table.
UTV
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