At the beginning of the season, we failed to win our first five league games, ending with just 3 points on the board, with only one goal scored in that spell. Now, 32 goals and 39 points out of 45 later, we find ourselves 3rd in the league, just 6 points off the leaders Arsenal.
We are also joint top of the Europa League in the first stage, with just 2 matches to go and we are looking good to secure a top 8 finish and an automatic place in the last 16. We take a look at reasons to be hopeful for the rest of the season plus some risks we need to prepare for, as we go for a first major trophy in 30 years.
Reasons To Be Cheerful
1) Home Form Still Strong
Last season saw one of our strongest home performances in years, only losing twice with just the opening 2-0 home game defeat to Arsenal the only blip. This time after failing to win our first two home games, which included a 3-0 loss to our bogey team Crystal Palace, we have won all our home matches since, which includes 3 straight wins in Europa League.
The Football has not always been pretty but we’ve been finding a way to win and never accept being beaten – we play until the very last minute as Marty Cash demonstrated in December. The fans have also been magnificent and kept positive, which in the past has sometimes has been missing.
2) Strength Of The Squad
At the start of the season, we were all berating issues around PSR and wondering whether the squad was strong enough. Although PSR issues have not completely gone away, the depth of the squad has been strongest I have seen for a very long time.
Some of the signings have stepped up and done well when called on. Marco Bizot has been called to deputise for Emi Martinez on a number of occasions and although crosses have sometimes been an issue, he has proved to be a great shot stopper, helping us to victories after our troublesome start.
Victor Lindelof has impressed at the back with Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres missing whilst Jadon Sancho is starting to improve from the bench. Special mention also to Emi Buendia, who after recovering from an ACL injury in the season before last, and then spent time on loan at Bayer Leverkusen last season, has come back in the team and been like a new signing with some vital goals.
3) Fighting Back
After falling behind in the 6th Premier League game of the season to an early Fulham goal at Villa Park, we came back to win 3-1 for our first game of the season. This has proved to be turning point of the season so far.
In five of our seven games away from home, we have come from behind to win with the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool and 4-1 defeat at Arsenal the only exceptions. Unai Emery has certainly been changing tactics and personnel at crucial stages of matches, to turn the game our way, picking up valuable points for our pursuit of a Champions League place and perhaps the Premier League title.
Reasons To Be Wary
1) Starting Poorly
Although we have been fighting back to win points, we would of course prefer not to be put in that position in the first place. At times we have struggled to come out the blocks to teams who have the crowd and their style of play coming at us. Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion have been classic examples although in each case we came back and fought our way to victories.
Keeping clean sheets would be the way forward and cutting out unforced errors leading to goals especially from our goalkeepers although generally the unforced errors have been fewer than in the previous season.
2) Injuries In Vital Positions
The overall injury rate in the squad has been much improved by Emery in the last two full seasons and the squad has been well rotated especially during the league stages of the games in Europe.
Recently our injuries have been more of a nuisance rather than a problem but they have been coming in vital positions. Pau Torres had been putting together a useful partnership with Ezri Konsa but his injury in the 2-1 win against Arsenal last month has seen him on the sidelines along with the only other left sided centre back Tyrone Mings. Both are close to return and will be much welcomed in the months ahead.
Another player who deserves a lot of praise is Amadou Onana. He has slotted in perfectly in the defensive midfielder with Boubacar Kamara and they are becoming one of the best defensive midfielder partnerships in the league. Onana’s injury problems have returned, meaning Youri Tielemans has had to drop back and although he is an outstanding professional and has been superb again this season, he is better used in the more offensive midfielder areas along with captain John McGinn and Morgan Rogers.
Will we strengthen further in the January Transfer window?
3) Lack Of Experience
We find ourselves in a great position to have a shot at the Premier League title although we have been here before. Our last top division title win was 1981 and since then we have only been in contention at the closing stages of the title races twice, and that was back in the Nineties.
We missed out in 1990, which turned out to be Liverpool’s last title for 30 years, and in the first ever Premier League in 1993, losing out to Manchester United, their first title in 26 years.
Since that, we have rarely been in contention at this stage of the season. Once under John Gregory before a dreadful second half of the1998/99 season. Twice under Martin O’Neill (2008-10) and of course two years ago, where we found ourselves at the same stage as we do now- 42 points after 20 games.
In the 23/24 season, we picked up 26 points from 18 games and got the vital 4th place to get into the Champions League.
This time around, I feel we have more experience and the squad is better, plus we have picked up 15 out of 21 points against six of the other big clubs of the Premier League.
Can we keep the momentum going, to at least better our points haul of 74 in 1992/93 season?
Before I wrap up, I asked the other Lions a few questions to get their feedback on how they feel the season has gone so far?
Name: Tony Nash
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Arsenal at home, even though I was in a pub watching as away on weekend break
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Kamara
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
Right side of attack
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Would be happy with champions league
Name: Terry Williams
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Villa 2 Arsenal 1, what an amazing last kick
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Youri, Bouba and Morgan deserve mention but I’m going Matty Cash
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
Maybe centre forward cover, but a direct get at them winger would really help
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Of course we can, but top 4 would still be fantastic
Name: Jamie Stewart
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Morgan Rogers
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
Defensive Midfield – think we need an Onana-type player for when he’s injured to steel up the midfield.
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Yes, but only if Arsenal drop off in form. If they carry on like this then probably not.
Name: eeyckma@gmail.com
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Brighton
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Tielemans
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
Centre back
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
No
Name: Adam Parsons
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Tough choice between the two late wins against Arsenal and Chelsea!
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Kamara
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
A Wide Forward
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
No I don’t think so. 5th place and the Europa League will do nicely
Name: Lynne
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Villa Arsenal at Villa park last minute winner
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Morgan Rogers
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
Defence
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Do you wanna bet against us
Name: Darren Sturman
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Spurs away, the Matty cash pass
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Kamara
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
We need more goals up top and to strengthen at the back, leak To many goals
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Yes
Name: Luke Perkins
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Arsenal at home
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
John McGinn
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
Striker
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Do you wanna bet against us
Name: George Procter
What has been your favourite Aston Villa match so far this season?
Beating the Arsenal in the last minute
Who has been the best Aston Villa Player so far this season?
Rogers
What area of the pitch do you feel we need to strengthen in the January Transfer Window?
CB and Striker
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
Yes
I generally did not know what kind of season we were going to have after failing to win our first five games of the season. Now we have one hell of a chance of achieving some silverware, maybe in multiple competitions.
The Premier League is up for grabs although this will be tough with Arsenal out in front with a very strong squad and I wouldn’t rule Manchester City out yet especially with Pep’s record in the Premier League.
At very least, we don’t want to have another sticky patch and let the others catch us up to suffer more Champions League chasing disappointments.
As for the Europa League, Unai Emery has an incredible record in this competition and we have certainly showed why we are favourites. However I feel keeping the squad fresh will be right thing to do to give ourselves the best chance in both competitions as we got tired two seasons ago chasing a Champions League place and trying to win a European trophy, as we fell to Olympiakos in the Conference League.
So let’s get behind the team and try to make that difference both home, away and in Europe too, preferably ending with the Europa League title in Istanbul on 20th May and concluding with the Premier League title at Manchester City on 24th May, my 41st Birthday!
We can only dream – and as Ron Saunders once said ‘Do You Wanna Bet Against Us?’
Up The Villa!