Just as we welcome back the thrills of club football, Aston Villa have entered the most hated of international breaks with six points on the board and the Champions League schedule announced. While the club’s commercial team continues to terrorise the club’s fanbase, looking at matters on the pitch, here are the latest Five Reasons to be Cheerful…
Duran-go
I have no doubt that one day the Duran story ends in anger and/ or tears. However, what the journey holds for us all until that fateful day is rather intriguing. We’re seeing more and more evidence that he is a special talent – his confidence, strength and finishing have already led to some hugely important goals in a Villa shirt despite a lack of meaningful minutes.
In both away games so far this season his involvement has been near instant and devastating. The next test for Durán is to start influencing games from the beginning, something that has been missing in the few opportunities he’s been given in the starting XI. If he is give a starting spot at Young Boys in our first Champions League tie, then he needs to take it with both arms. The signs are promising.
Up, Up and Away
During the first half of last season, it was Villa’s home form that kept the team pushing at the very top. This season, however, has kicked off with two impressive away wins at West Ham and newly-promoted Leicester. Villa created the lion’s share of chances in both away games (as well as the home defeat to Arsenal), all of which bodes very well for the campaign ahead. West Ham has traditionally been somewhat of a bogey venue, while early season defeats against newly promoted sides have haunted Villa since promotion in 2019. By winning both games, the team has shown enough to give fans belief that another impressive season could lie ahead.
Solid Ground
One of Martin O’Neill’s pitfalls, other than the month of March, was his inability to break down teams that Villa were expected to beat. His counter-attacking style produced some memorable seasons but there was a tendency to struggle against sides that ‘parked the bus’, especially at home.
Unai Emery’s Villa team doesn’t seem to share that problem as the club boasts an impressive record against newly promoted sides since his arrival. His team have now ruthlessly beaten nine out of ten promoted sides with one draw (the infamous refereeing shambles of a draw against Sheffield United). This statistic demonstrates that Emery’s Villa are playing with a ruthless mentality and style that can carve open any side, rather than relying on countering the opposition.
Rivals
On top of the pleasing away win at Leicester City, some of Villa’s most likely rivals also dropped points. Arsenal, Manchester United, Brighton, Tottenham and Chelsea all failed to win at the weekend. After only three games, including a defeat against last year’s runners-up, Villa sits in 7th only a point off third place.
European Draw
The draw was long and filled with terrible and clumsy attempts at humour, but when the dust settled Villa’s group stage fixtures were unveiled. Villa welcomes Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bologna and Celtic for a glamorous set of home fixtures (and incredibly expensive), while the away games give some potential opportunities for points away at Monaco, Brugge, Young Boys and a trickier tie at Leipzig. All in all, the draw offers some elite level entertainment against two juggernauts, but also gives Emery’s men a genuine chance to compete for qualification for the knock-out stages.
With such excitement for these games, it just a shame that the club’s commercial team have soured supporter’s expectation with their greed.
UTV
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