Aston Villa's Slow Starts Expose Critical Challenge for Unai Emery
Unai Emery faces a pressing dilemma at Aston Villa as the team's remarkable ability to recover from deficits highlights a significant flaw in their performances. With Champions League qualification as the target in the final stretch of the Premier League season, Villa must address their tendency to begin matches sluggishly to regain consistent form.
Inconsistent Form Threatens Top-Five Position
After a shaky start to the campaign, winning none of their first five league games, Aston Villa have struggled recently, securing only two victories in their last seven matches. This dip in form includes disappointing home defeats to Everton and Brentford at Villa Park, though late goals against Brighton and Leeds provided some relief. However, the team's overall performances require urgent improvement, not just their results.
From early November to late December, Villa were among Europe's form teams, stringing together eight consecutive wins, with losses to Liverpool and Arsenal bookending that impressive run. This streak initially gave them a comfortable buffer in the top five, but their lead over sixth place has now shrunk to just six points following Liverpool's late victory at Nottingham Forest.
Resilience Masks Recurring Issues
During Villa's eight-match winning run, half of those triumphs came from losing positions. In fact, their first five away league wins—against Tottenham, Leeds, Brighton, West Ham, and Chelsea—all demonstrated the squad's fighting spirit, turning potential defeats into valuable three-point hauls. This season, Villa have amassed 19 points from losing positions in the Premier League, more than any other side, and only in the 1993–94 campaign have they achieved more in a top-flight season.
While this character is admirable, it underscores a persistent problem: Villa often fail to start matches on the front foot. For instance, in the first half against Leeds, they appeared more like the away team, struggling to impose themselves. This issue has contributed to winning just one of their last four Premier League home games, a stark contrast to their previous record of only two losses in 15 matches at Villa Park.
Statistical Evidence of Slow Beginnings
Only six Premier League teams have scored fewer first-half goals than Villa's 14 this season. At halftime, they have trailed more often than they have led, with seven wins, 12 draws, and eight defeats recorded at the break. Among teams currently in the top half of the table, only Fulham have a worse first-half record than Villa this term.
In contrast, Villa's second-half performances tell a different story. Only Arsenal have won more second halves than Emery's side, although Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham, and Manchester United have all scored more goals after the interval. This disparity highlights the need for Villa to improve their early-game intensity to sustain their Champions League push.
