FourFourTwo's Aston Villa Season Preview is here: Can Unai Emery's side make a return to the big leagues of European football this term?
FourFourTwo's Aston Villa Season Preview
FFT's view
The Plan
With the nickname ‘the Lions’, it’s hardly surprising that Aston Villa go into hiding when it comes to Big Game hunting. Villa have now blown two semi-finals under Unai Emery, as well as last season’s final-day capitulation at Old Trafford, which did for Champions League football.
PREMIER LEAGUE 6th
FA CUP Semi-final
LEAGUE CUP Fourth Round
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Quarter-final
TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Ollie Watkins (17)
A serial winner Emery may be, but for all of his masterful counsel, that top-tier mentality eludes his team: against Olympiacos in 2024 and against Crystal Palace and Manchester United in 2025, Villa shrank when it mattered most. Their away record must also improve – while the home form was admirable, nine defeats on the road put Villa 11th in the away table.
The Coach
“So here’s to you, Unai Emery, the Villa loves you more than you will know.” The chant sums up the esteem in which fans hold Emery, but having raised standards and expectations, the Basque’s next step is to eclipse his own achievements with some – any – silverware.
Key Player
Youri Tielemans is an anagram of ‘a limousine tyre’, which is an apt (if contrived) way of saying that Villa’s Player of the Season treads carefully under pressure on big occasions. The Belgian’s 15 goal involvements and all-round consistency make him Emery’s best-oiled cog.
Lesson From Last Year
Suggesting that only Birmingham’s bin workers have more off days than Villa’s defence is rubbish, but all the same, there have been too many goal-sized holes in the claret-and-blue backline. The Villans agonisingly missed out on the Champions League due to goal difference, having conceded 51 times, and they are unlikely to have Emi Martinez as a backstop this year.
This preview originally appeared in FourFourTwo's Season Preview issue which went on sale in July, available here with free delivery
At centre-half, summer signing Yasin Ozcan is one for the future, so Pau Torres and/or Tyrone Mings must step up alongside the excellent Ezri Konsa. No top-half side scored fewer than Villa, either, so they could learn a thing or two about striking from the picketing refuse collectors as well. Sorry.
The Mood
The one thing fans are desperate to see as part of the long-awaited North Stand redevelopment is a new trophy room with something silver to put in it. Forget AVFC – it feels like Envy FC after Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Spurs all ended long waits to get their coloured ribbons on a prized pot in 2024-25.
The One To Watch
One pundit compared Morgan Rogers to Jonah Lomu, such is the speed, strength and skill he packs into forward bursts. Like the sadly departed All Blacks rugby legend, Rogers guarantees a big try, direct running and devastating end product, with last term bringing a career-best 29 goal involvements for the 23-year-old.
Most Likely To...
Shill Adidas.
TITLE ODDS 40/1
Expect three-stripe trackies, claret-and-blue Sambas and classic Trefoil logos aplenty on the Holte End, now Adidas has made Villa one of its elite clubs.
Least Likely To...
Give Thomas Bramall a warm welcome. The rookie referee blew early to deny Rogers a perfectly good goal on final day, costing Villa a Champions League spot.
FFT Verdict
6TH Villa do have top-four quality, but a shot at lifting the Europa League – Emery’s fifth – may steal focus.
The Number Cruncher
The Fan View
After missing out on Champions League football last season by the narrowest of margins, we tasked Phil Gennoy to give us his verdict on the season ahead...
Last season was more progress, with amazing Champions League wins on the way, especially Bayern Munich at home.
The big talking point is who we keep by August, given the pressure to comply with PSR.
Our key player will be Donyell Malen. Hopes are high for him this season.
Look out for full-back Andres Garcia, who deserves a chance. We’ve also got an all-conquering U18s side – many would like to see one or two of those break through.
The opposition player I’d love here is William Saliba, or any other world-class centre-half.
The active player I’d love to have back is Douglas Luiz.
The opposition player who grinds my gears is Bruno Fernandes, because he’s Bruno Fernandes.
I’m most looking forward to visiting Everton’s new ground, plus trips to Sunderland and Leeds.
Fans think our owners are hugely respected. Thank you, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
The one change I’d make would be to sort out engagement with loyal fans, and ticketing, which have been increasingly poor in recent years. We hope that ex-Juventus, Barcelona and Roma director Francesco Calvo will restore that link.
Fans think our gaffer is fantastic – to win a trophy would cement his legend status. The picky among us feel he sets up a bit too cautiously in big matches.
We’ll finish back in the Champions League, with a trophy in the cabinet.
This preview originally appeared in FourFourTwo's Season Preview issue which went on sale in July, available here with free delivery.
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