Forty one thousand gathered at Villa Park, keen to take in a rare Saturday 3pm kick off and off the back of an away win at Everton last time out. This was a difficult afternoon’s “entertainment”, against a dysfunctional opposition side, with Villa finding themselves suffering the footballing equivalent of writer’s block for most of the game. However, a win is a win, and this is certainly the kind of game that Villa would somehow have conspired to lose in the recent past. Embed from Getty Images Villa barely got out of second gear across the 90 minutes, which whilst giving the impression of som ..read more

Villa’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been named FIFA goalkeeper of the year at a prestigious FIFA ceremony in Paris. Dibu, who courts controversy with both his on-field taunts of opponents, celebratory antics with trophies and infamous time-wasting, fought off competition from Thibaut Courtois and Yassine Bounou. Embed from Getty ImagesWORLD NUMBER 1 Martinez continues to turn heads for a variety of reasons, but achieving continental and global success in winning both the World Cup and Copa America, is nothing short of remarkable. Despite not hitting the highs of his firs ..read more

It might not go down in the history books as a memorable feast for the eyes, but strikes from Ollie Watkins and Emi Buendia were enough to see off Everton at Goodison Park. The result also brings to a welcome end a barren spell of form, getting Villa back to winning ways. RESULT: EVERTON 0-2 ASTON VILLA Emery will be pleased by the outcome against a battling Dyche side, unbeaten at home since his arrival. An away win against a dogged opposition illustrates just what has been missing of late, with the Spaniard at pains to emphasise an adjustment in ‘mentality’ following last weekends defeat to ..read more

A month or so ago, we might have rubbed our hands together at a trip to Goodison. However, with the arrival of Sean Dyche for the hosts and the dissipation of Villa’s form more recently, this is now a less than appealing trip. Emery, visibly disappointed at the defeat against Arsenal last weekend, now seeks to arrest a sudden downturn in fortunes. The cliched ‘honeymoon period’ is over, as the season enters a crucial period. Will Villa rebound and threaten to break into the top half of the division? Or might the season simply fizzle out into mid-table obscurity? Worse yet, might we unnecessari ..read more

Unai Emery’s post-match interview was the thoughtful and measured assessment we are now coming to expect after victory over Brighton. The Spaniard will be delighted to have overcome both Manchester United and The Seagulls, improving Villa’s league position, and also the outlook for the campaign going into the World Cup break. We competed very well today but I think we didn’t play brilliant. But we played how we needed to after they scored so quickly – our reaction was amazing. Its very important to win away. But the most important thing is how we compete and be demanding of ourselves and disc ..read more

Villa travel to the Amex Stadium for what looks set to be an intriguing encounter before the enforced World Cup break. Unai Emery will no doubt be looking to distil the positives from more recent displays and set Villa on the right path until the arrival of Liverpool on Boxing Day. A first away win of the season would be nice too. Jekyll and Hyde Embed from Getty Images Villa’s recent form and performances are difficult to read. Under then-caretaker manager Aaron Danks, Brentford (4-0) were comfortably blown away, before the same side was totally dominated against Newcastle (4-0) just days lat ..read more

A much-changed Villa side led twice against Manchester United, but a number of costly mistakes saw the hosts run out comfortable 4-2 victors in the EFL Cup at Old Trafford. Embed from Getty Images If the second half was a breathless affair, which for many passages you daren’t take your eyes off, the 1st was the polar opposite. You would have been forgiven for doing something else entirely with your evening, as the two sides initially competed in a game of who could appear the most disinterested. What was lacking in the first half was countered by a second in which Villa will reflect on leading ..read more

In an interesting insight into Gareth Southgate’s thinking ahead of the controversial World Cup in Qatar, it was revealed that Ashley Young made the provisional England squad. Young, who has excelled during his second spell at Villa Park, is one of few amongst the squad who could escape criticism as the Steven Gerrard reign collapsed. Embed from Getty Images The 37-year-old has appeared as an able deputy whilst Lucas Digne was injured, producing a number of composed performances in a wing-back role. Young has not only stood out for his consistency, but also emerged as a much-needed leader in a ..read more

Brazil have unveiled their World Cup 2022 squad and it’s not without a number of notable absentees. High-profile players to miss out include Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, Atletico’s Matheus Cunha and Arsenal defender Gabriel. Closer to home, few would have expected Diego Carlos to have featured given that the former Sevilla defender is still recuperating from an Achilles injury sustained in the home win over Everton. Carlos was part of the gold medal-winning side that included Douglas Luiz at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Embed from Getty Images Luiz, who has seen a surge in consistency for Villa an ..read more

Whilst the news of Unai Emery’s arrival and his immediate impact in defeating Manchester United is a real positive, there’s less promising news from the physio room for Philippe Coutinho. The former Liverpool and Barcelona star has been ruled out for up to 10 weeks after picking up a quadricep injury in training. This is not an injury that can be rushed, and even the most optimistic of outlooks indicate a recovery time of at least 7 weeks. Embed from Getty Images Whilst Coutinho impressed after joining Villa in an audacious loan move last season, the 30 year old has struggled for form during t ..read more