Unai Emery

[N'ZMAV]

there's a huge difference to the 3 sets of Villa fans

it's easier to lose the internet fans
Home fans like a moan, but are generally clued up and more patient
It takes a lot to lose the away fans - but once you do - you're gone.

There's loads of life left in Unai's support

[astonvilla82]

there's a huge difference to the 3 sets of Villa fans

it's easier to lose the internet fans
Home fans like a moan, but are generally clued up and more patient
It takes a lot to lose the away fans - but once you do - you're gone.

There's loads of life left in Unai's support

A good assessment

[Gareth]

there's a huge difference to the 3 sets of Villa fans

it's easier to lose the internet fans
Home fans like a moan, but are generally clued up and more patient
It takes a lot to lose the away fans - but once you do - you're gone.

There's loads of life left in Unai's support

I absolutely agree, however it won’t take too many home defeats for PSR issues of the summers to be conveniently forgotten by those that always crave change.

I’ve said for 18 months that the moment we get an iffy results period the focus will very quickly switch to the style of play because we have a lot of supporters who will never fully buy into the play out from the back way as it can be v frustrating particularly when the risk vs reward stops rewarding. 

[SaddVillan]

From The Telegraph  - John Percy

WHY ALARM BELLS ARE RINGING AT ASTON VILLA

Manager is frustrated, key players are unsettled and they cannot score goals – this is Unai Emery’s toughest test

Unai Emery has allowed Aston Villa to dream again in his three years in charge, but for the first time, alarm bells are ringing.

The standout, unavoidable statistic is that Villa are the only team in the 92-club pyramid not to score a league goal so far, taking two points from four Premier League games while also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

After a difficult summer with spending rules biting hard, plus some players affected by transfer sagas and a squad in need of refreshment, many Villa supporters are growing increasingly concerned about what may lie ahead.

The encouraging news for concerned supporters is that Emery – unquestionably the club’s biggest weapon in hard times – is up for the fight and determined to focus on the future while reiterating his policy of “no excuses”. Villa, for their part, insist there are mitigating circumstances for their slow start, and that this is a “reset moment” where patience will be required.

It is a situation that was fully expected, from when Damian Vidagany, their director of football operations, predicted a difficult summer at an awards evening in May.

Four days later, the club’s Champions League ambitions evaporated on an excruciating afternoon at Manchester United. Missing out on that competition was always going to be a crucial moment as it brought into sharper focus Villa’s issues with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and, perhaps more worryingly, Uefa’s squad-cost ratio regulations.

FEELING THE PINCH OF PSR
In an attempt to continue progressing under Emery, the club had spent heavily and, without top-level European football to balance the books, they are under restrictions as a result.

The first effect was that the loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio – two experienced, savvy game-changing players – ended, and Villa knew that trading would be needed to ensure compliance.

Over the summer, Villa were under siege from rival clubs hoping to take advantage. Many bids and enquiries were made for their players which never made the public domain, with the perception that Villa were vulnerable.

Morgan Rogers was on the radar of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, plus one other club from the traditional “big six”, but Villa were intent on keeping him.

Only a fee of more than £80m would have been considered, and that hardline stance remained. No official offers were received and Rogers did not push to leave.

Rogers’ performances at club level so far this season have been strangely underwhelming, so perhaps events over the summer have unsettled the England international.

Other players attracted interest, with Everton coming in for club captain John McGinn. Manchester United enquired about Ollie Watkins – who touched the ball in the Everton penalty area just once in last weekend’s goalless draw – and Emiliano Martínez.

The saga involving Martínez and United dragged into deadline day, with the move ultimately collapsing. Reintegrating him into the team has not been an easy or simple task.

Jacob Ramsey was the major sale of the summer, departing to Newcastle for £40m. The home-grown attacking midfielder was essentially a sacrifice to generate total profit, but his departure was not popular with team-mates. It has created a sense of uncertainty in the dressing room that is perhaps even being felt now in mid-September.

McGinn and Ezri Konsa are just two of the players who have recently criticised the rules which they feel are heavily loaded against clubs of Villa’s size. Villa, like Newcastle, have rich, ambitious ownership but spending has caught up with them just as they dared to disrupt the established elite. Yet when rules are so strict, recruitment has to be outstanding and, in recent times, Villa have struggled.

PATCHY TRANSFER BUSINESS
Monchi is the club’s key figure on transfers and aside from Rogers – who was an Emery pick – Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, his signings have been patchy. At times, it has felt like Villa are building for the present with little regard for the medium or long term.

There were other disruptions over the transfer window, aside from the drama around Martínez. The exit of Emiliano Buendia appeared likely all summer, but a late U-turn from Emery ended with him staying. Despite Villa’s problems in front of goal, no player has created more chances than Buendia this season (five).

Villa could only move late for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on deadline day, arguably salvaging what had been a frustrating few weeks. There is optimism that their arrivals will re-energise a squad that, from the outside, looks stale and needs freshening up.

Evann Guessand, the £26m winger signed from Nice, will also need time to adapt after an inauspicious start.

STRUGGLES ON THE PITCH
Villa were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford on Tuesday night and it was another tepid performance to cause fear among some supporters. The return of influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara from injury was a welcome sight, while Amadou Onana should return soon. Tielemans is also expected to miss the next few games, and the importance of those players cannot be overestimated.

Their absence damages the creativity of McGinn and Rogers, especially against opponents who employ a low block. There also remains an assertion at other clubs that Villa do not have enough width and play too narrow. Villa will attempt to break their duck in the league this weekend at Sunderland, and there is no sense of panic behind the scenes.

Emery understands the limitations imposed on their transfer window and is striving for improvement. He will celebrate his third anniversary at Villa next month and he has allowed the club to dream again. It was only four months ago that they were desperately close to knocking out eventual Champions League winners Paris St-Germain in the quarter-final.

Emery has also experienced this before. At Sevilla in the 2015-16 season, he lost three and drew two of the first five league matches (scoring only twice) and ended up winning the Europa League, while finishing fifth in La Liga.

A repeat of that at Villa may appear unlikely right now, but with him around, anything remains possible.

[The Edge]

From The Telegraph  - John Percy

WHY ALARM BELLS ARE RINGING AT ASTON VILLA

Manager is frustrated, key players are unsettled and they cannot score goals – this is Unai Emery’s toughest test

Unai Emery has allowed Aston Villa to dream again in his three years in charge, but for the first time, alarm bells are ringing.

The standout, unavoidable statistic is that Villa are the only team in the 92-club pyramid not to score a league goal so far, taking two points from four Premier League games while also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

After a difficult summer with spending rules biting hard, plus some players affected by transfer sagas and a squad in need of refreshment, many Villa supporters are growing increasingly concerned about what may lie ahead.

The encouraging news for concerned supporters is that Emery – unquestionably the club’s biggest weapon in hard times – is up for the fight and determined to focus on the future while reiterating his policy of “no excuses”. Villa, for their part, insist there are mitigating circumstances for their slow start, and that this is a “reset moment” where patience will be required.

It is a situation that was fully expected, from when Damian Vidagany, their director of football operations, predicted a difficult summer at an awards evening in May.

Four days later, the club’s Champions League ambitions evaporated on an excruciating afternoon at Manchester United. Missing out on that competition was always going to be a crucial moment as it brought into sharper focus Villa’s issues with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and, perhaps more worryingly, Uefa’s squad-cost ratio regulations.

FEELING THE PINCH OF PSR
In an attempt to continue progressing under Emery, the club had spent heavily and, without top-level European football to balance the books, they are under restrictions as a result.

The first effect was that the loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio – two experienced, savvy game-changing players – ended, and Villa knew that trading would be needed to ensure compliance.

Over the summer, Villa were under siege from rival clubs hoping to take advantage. Many bids and enquiries were made for their players which never made the public domain, with the perception that Villa were vulnerable.

Morgan Rogers was on the radar of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, plus one other club from the traditional “big six”, but Villa were intent on keeping him.

Only a fee of more than £80m would have been considered, and that hardline stance remained. No official offers were received and Rogers did not push to leave.

Rogers’ performances at club level so far this season have been strangely underwhelming, so perhaps events over the summer have unsettled the England international.

Other players attracted interest, with Everton coming in for club captain John McGinn. Manchester United enquired about Ollie Watkins – who touched the ball in the Everton penalty area just once in last weekend’s goalless draw – and Emiliano Martínez.

The saga involving Martínez and United dragged into deadline day, with the move ultimately collapsing. Reintegrating him into the team has not been an easy or simple task.

Jacob Ramsey was the major sale of the summer, departing to Newcastle for £40m. The home-grown attacking midfielder was essentially a sacrifice to generate total profit, but his departure was not popular with team-mates. It has created a sense of uncertainty in the dressing room that is perhaps even being felt now in mid-September.

McGinn and Ezri Konsa are just two of the players who have recently criticised the rules which they feel are heavily loaded against clubs of Villa’s size. Villa, like Newcastle, have rich, ambitious ownership but spending has caught up with them just as they dared to disrupt the established elite. Yet when rules are so strict, recruitment has to be outstanding and, in recent times, Villa have struggled.

PATCHY TRANSFER BUSINESS
Monchi is the club’s key figure on transfers and aside from Rogers – who was an Emery pick – Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, his signings have been patchy. At times, it has felt like Villa are building for the present with little regard for the medium or long term.

There were other disruptions over the transfer window, aside from the drama around Martínez. The exit of Emiliano Buendia appeared likely all summer, but a late U-turn from Emery ended with him staying. Despite Villa’s problems in front of goal, no player has created more chances than Buendia this season (five).

Villa could only move late for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on deadline day, arguably salvaging what had been a frustrating few weeks. There is optimism that their arrivals will re-energise a squad that, from the outside, looks stale and needs freshening up.

Evann Guessand, the £26m winger signed from Nice, will also need time to adapt after an inauspicious start.

STRUGGLES ON THE PITCH
Villa were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford on Tuesday night and it was another tepid performance to cause fear among some supporters. The return of influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara from injury was a welcome sight, while Amadou Onana should return soon. Tielemans is also expected to miss the next few games, and the importance of those players cannot be overestimated.

Their absence damages the creativity of McGinn and Rogers, especially against opponents who employ a low block. There also remains an assertion at other clubs that Villa do not have enough width and play too narrow. Villa will attempt to break their duck in the league this weekend at Sunderland, and there is no sense of panic behind the scenes.

Emery understands the limitations imposed on their transfer window and is striving for improvement. He will celebrate his third anniversary at Villa next month and he has allowed the club to dream again. It was only four months ago that they were desperately close to knocking out eventual Champions League winners Paris St-Germain in the quarter-final.

Emery has also experienced this before. At Sevilla in the 2015-16 season, he lost three and drew two of the first five league matches (scoring only twice) and ended up winning the Europa League, while finishing fifth in La Liga.

A repeat of that at Villa may appear unlikely right now, but with him around, anything remains possible.

Excellent article. The bit about Ramsey's departure is interesting. A couple of players posted their disappointment at that decision and Ramsey himself did not want to leave. Steve Froggatt on WM made the point that he knows the family and he knows that Jacob was not happy about it. That may have caused more of an issue among the players than we realised.

[andyh]

What a waste of time that article is.

It’s just a general summary of stuff that has been in the public domain for months and what we all already know.

[eamonn]

There's no need to quote the article, just add your comment with Percy's (our Percy, not the Telegraph's) patented rabbits ears ^^ if a reference point is necessary. Sorry, but with no Bad English, someone's got to reinforce etiquette. We all doom-scroll enough in our daily lives.

That aside, I agree with your content.

[Chris Smith]

What a waste of time that article is.

It’s just a general summary of stuff that has been in the public domain for months and what we all already know.

It’s an article for a national newspaper summarising the current position rather than something aimed at a few arsey Villa fans on a forum.

[Drummond]

What a waste of time that article is.

It’s just a general summary of stuff that has been in the public domain for months and what we all already know.

It’s an article for a national newspaper summarising the current position rather than something aimed at a few arsey Villa fans on a forum.

Yeah but andyh wants to know more.

[tomd2103]

From The Telegraph  - John Percy

WHY ALARM BELLS ARE RINGING AT ASTON VILLA

Manager is frustrated, key players are unsettled and they cannot score goals – this is Unai Emery’s toughest test

Unai Emery has allowed Aston Villa to dream again in his three years in charge, but for the first time, alarm bells are ringing.

The standout, unavoidable statistic is that Villa are the only team in the 92-club pyramid not to score a league goal so far, taking two points from four Premier League games while also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

After a difficult summer with spending rules biting hard, plus some players affected by transfer sagas and a squad in need of refreshment, many Villa supporters are growing increasingly concerned about what may lie ahead.

The encouraging news for concerned supporters is that Emery – unquestionably the club’s biggest weapon in hard times – is up for the fight and determined to focus on the future while reiterating his policy of “no excuses”. Villa, for their part, insist there are mitigating circumstances for their slow start, and that this is a “reset moment” where patience will be required.

It is a situation that was fully expected, from when Damian Vidagany, their director of football operations, predicted a difficult summer at an awards evening in May.

Four days later, the club’s Champions League ambitions evaporated on an excruciating afternoon at Manchester United. Missing out on that competition was always going to be a crucial moment as it brought into sharper focus Villa’s issues with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and, perhaps more worryingly, Uefa’s squad-cost ratio regulations.

FEELING THE PINCH OF PSR
In an attempt to continue progressing under Emery, the club had spent heavily and, without top-level European football to balance the books, they are under restrictions as a result.

The first effect was that the loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio – two experienced, savvy game-changing players – ended, and Villa knew that trading would be needed to ensure compliance.

Over the summer, Villa were under siege from rival clubs hoping to take advantage. Many bids and enquiries were made for their players which never made the public domain, with the perception that Villa were vulnerable.

Morgan Rogers was on the radar of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, plus one other club from the traditional “big six”, but Villa were intent on keeping him.

Only a fee of more than £80m would have been considered, and that hardline stance remained. No official offers were received and Rogers did not push to leave.

Rogers’ performances at club level so far this season have been strangely underwhelming, so perhaps events over the summer have unsettled the England international.

Other players attracted interest, with Everton coming in for club captain John McGinn. Manchester United enquired about Ollie Watkins – who touched the ball in the Everton penalty area just once in last weekend’s goalless draw – and Emiliano Martínez.

The saga involving Martínez and United dragged into deadline day, with the move ultimately collapsing. Reintegrating him into the team has not been an easy or simple task.

Jacob Ramsey was the major sale of the summer, departing to Newcastle for £40m. The home-grown attacking midfielder was essentially a sacrifice to generate total profit, but his departure was not popular with team-mates. It has created a sense of uncertainty in the dressing room that is perhaps even being felt now in mid-September.

McGinn and Ezri Konsa are just two of the players who have recently criticised the rules which they feel are heavily loaded against clubs of Villa’s size. Villa, like Newcastle, have rich, ambitious ownership but spending has caught up with them just as they dared to disrupt the established elite. Yet when rules are so strict, recruitment has to be outstanding and, in recent times, Villa have struggled.

PATCHY TRANSFER BUSINESS
Monchi is the club’s key figure on transfers and aside from Rogers – who was an Emery pick – Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, his signings have been patchy. At times, it has felt like Villa are building for the present with little regard for the medium or long term.

There were other disruptions over the transfer window, aside from the drama around Martínez. The exit of Emiliano Buendia appeared likely all summer, but a late U-turn from Emery ended with him staying. Despite Villa’s problems in front of goal, no player has created more chances than Buendia this season (five).

Villa could only move late for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on deadline day, arguably salvaging what had been a frustrating few weeks. There is optimism that their arrivals will re-energise a squad that, from the outside, looks stale and needs freshening up.

Evann Guessand, the £26m winger signed from Nice, will also need time to adapt after an inauspicious start.

STRUGGLES ON THE PITCH
Villa were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford on Tuesday night and it was another tepid performance to cause fear among some supporters. The return of influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara from injury was a welcome sight, while Amadou Onana should return soon. Tielemans is also expected to miss the next few games, and the importance of those players cannot be overestimated.

Their absence damages the creativity of McGinn and Rogers, especially against opponents who employ a low block. There also remains an assertion at other clubs that Villa do not have enough width and play too narrow. Villa will attempt to break their duck in the league this weekend at Sunderland, and there is no sense of panic behind the scenes.

Emery understands the limitations imposed on their transfer window and is striving for improvement. He will celebrate his third anniversary at Villa next month and he has allowed the club to dream again. It was only four months ago that they were desperately close to knocking out eventual Champions League winners Paris St-Germain in the quarter-final.

Emery has also experienced this before. At Sevilla in the 2015-16 season, he lost three and drew two of the first five league matches (scoring only twice) and ended up winning the Europa League, while finishing fifth in La Liga.

A repeat of that at Villa may appear unlikely right now, but with him around, anything remains possible.

Excellent article. The bit about Ramsey's departure is interesting. A couple of players posted their disappointment at that decision and Ramsey himself did not want to leave. Steve Froggatt on WM made the point that he knows the family and he knows that Jacob was not happy about it. That may have caused more of an issue among the players than we realised.

I was talking to someone recently who also knows the family and said the same.  Said it was sprung on everyone (including the player and the manager) very suddenly and there were a lot of people at the club unhappy about it. 

[Tayls_7]

From The Telegraph  - John Percy

WHY ALARM BELLS ARE RINGING AT ASTON VILLA

Manager is frustrated, key players are unsettled and they cannot score goals – this is Unai Emery’s toughest test

Unai Emery has allowed Aston Villa to dream again in his three years in charge, but for the first time, alarm bells are ringing.

The standout, unavoidable statistic is that Villa are the only team in the 92-club pyramid not to score a league goal so far, taking two points from four Premier League games while also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

After a difficult summer with spending rules biting hard, plus some players affected by transfer sagas and a squad in need of refreshment, many Villa supporters are growing increasingly concerned about what may lie ahead.

The encouraging news for concerned supporters is that Emery – unquestionably the club’s biggest weapon in hard times – is up for the fight and determined to focus on the future while reiterating his policy of “no excuses”. Villa, for their part, insist there are mitigating circumstances for their slow start, and that this is a “reset moment” where patience will be required.

It is a situation that was fully expected, from when Damian Vidagany, their director of football operations, predicted a difficult summer at an awards evening in May.

Four days later, the club’s Champions League ambitions evaporated on an excruciating afternoon at Manchester United. Missing out on that competition was always going to be a crucial moment as it brought into sharper focus Villa’s issues with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and, perhaps more worryingly, Uefa’s squad-cost ratio regulations.

FEELING THE PINCH OF PSR
In an attempt to continue progressing under Emery, the club had spent heavily and, without top-level European football to balance the books, they are under restrictions as a result.

The first effect was that the loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio – two experienced, savvy game-changing players – ended, and Villa knew that trading would be needed to ensure compliance.

Over the summer, Villa were under siege from rival clubs hoping to take advantage. Many bids and enquiries were made for their players which never made the public domain, with the perception that Villa were vulnerable.

Morgan Rogers was on the radar of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, plus one other club from the traditional “big six”, but Villa were intent on keeping him.

Only a fee of more than £80m would have been considered, and that hardline stance remained. No official offers were received and Rogers did not push to leave.

Rogers’ performances at club level so far this season have been strangely underwhelming, so perhaps events over the summer have unsettled the England international.

Other players attracted interest, with Everton coming in for club captain John McGinn. Manchester United enquired about Ollie Watkins – who touched the ball in the Everton penalty area just once in last weekend’s goalless draw – and Emiliano Martínez.

The saga involving Martínez and United dragged into deadline day, with the move ultimately collapsing. Reintegrating him into the team has not been an easy or simple task.

Jacob Ramsey was the major sale of the summer, departing to Newcastle for £40m. The home-grown attacking midfielder was essentially a sacrifice to generate total profit, but his departure was not popular with team-mates. It has created a sense of uncertainty in the dressing room that is perhaps even being felt now in mid-September.

McGinn and Ezri Konsa are just two of the players who have recently criticised the rules which they feel are heavily loaded against clubs of Villa’s size. Villa, like Newcastle, have rich, ambitious ownership but spending has caught up with them just as they dared to disrupt the established elite. Yet when rules are so strict, recruitment has to be outstanding and, in recent times, Villa have struggled.

PATCHY TRANSFER BUSINESS
Monchi is the club’s key figure on transfers and aside from Rogers – who was an Emery pick – Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, his signings have been patchy. At times, it has felt like Villa are building for the present with little regard for the medium or long term.

There were other disruptions over the transfer window, aside from the drama around Martínez. The exit of Emiliano Buendia appeared likely all summer, but a late U-turn from Emery ended with him staying. Despite Villa’s problems in front of goal, no player has created more chances than Buendia this season (five).

Villa could only move late for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on deadline day, arguably salvaging what had been a frustrating few weeks. There is optimism that their arrivals will re-energise a squad that, from the outside, looks stale and needs freshening up.

Evann Guessand, the £26m winger signed from Nice, will also need time to adapt after an inauspicious start.

STRUGGLES ON THE PITCH
Villa were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford on Tuesday night and it was another tepid performance to cause fear among some supporters. The return of influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara from injury was a welcome sight, while Amadou Onana should return soon. Tielemans is also expected to miss the next few games, and the importance of those players cannot be overestimated.

Their absence damages the creativity of McGinn and Rogers, especially against opponents who employ a low block. There also remains an assertion at other clubs that Villa do not have enough width and play too narrow. Villa will attempt to break their duck in the league this weekend at Sunderland, and there is no sense of panic behind the scenes.

Emery understands the limitations imposed on their transfer window and is striving for improvement. He will celebrate his third anniversary at Villa next month and he has allowed the club to dream again. It was only four months ago that they were desperately close to knocking out eventual Champions League winners Paris St-Germain in the quarter-final.

Emery has also experienced this before. At Sevilla in the 2015-16 season, he lost three and drew two of the first five league matches (scoring only twice) and ended up winning the Europa League, while finishing fifth in La Liga.

A repeat of that at Villa may appear unlikely right now, but with him around, anything remains possible.

Excellent article. The bit about Ramsey's departure is interesting. A couple of players posted their disappointment at that decision and Ramsey himself did not want to leave. Steve Froggatt on WM made the point that he knows the family and he knows that Jacob was not happy about it. That may have caused more of an issue among the players than we realised.

I was talking to someone recently who also knows the family and said the same.  Said it was sprung on everyone (including the player and the manager) very suddenly and there were a lot of people at the club unhappy about it.

Eamonn. Would you like to further comment on what's occurring here please.

[kippaxvilla2]

From The Telegraph  - John Percy

WHY ALARM BELLS ARE RINGING AT ASTON VILLA

Manager is frustrated, key players are unsettled and they cannot score goals – this is Unai Emery’s toughest test

Unai Emery has allowed Aston Villa to dream again in his three years in charge, but for the first time, alarm bells are ringing.

The standout, unavoidable statistic is that Villa are the only team in the 92-club pyramid not to score a league goal so far, taking two points from four Premier League games while also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

After a difficult summer with spending rules biting hard, plus some players affected by transfer sagas and a squad in need of refreshment, many Villa supporters are growing increasingly concerned about what may lie ahead.

The encouraging news for concerned supporters is that Emery – unquestionably the club’s biggest weapon in hard times – is up for the fight and determined to focus on the future while reiterating his policy of “no excuses”. Villa, for their part, insist there are mitigating circumstances for their slow start, and that this is a “reset moment” where patience will be required.

It is a situation that was fully expected, from when Damian Vidagany, their director of football operations, predicted a difficult summer at an awards evening in May.

Four days later, the club’s Champions League ambitions evaporated on an excruciating afternoon at Manchester United. Missing out on that competition was always going to be a crucial moment as it brought into sharper focus Villa’s issues with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and, perhaps more worryingly, Uefa’s squad-cost ratio regulations.

FEELING THE PINCH OF PSR
In an attempt to continue progressing under Emery, the club had spent heavily and, without top-level European football to balance the books, they are under restrictions as a result.

The first effect was that the loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio – two experienced, savvy game-changing players – ended, and Villa knew that trading would be needed to ensure compliance.

Over the summer, Villa were under siege from rival clubs hoping to take advantage. Many bids and enquiries were made for their players which never made the public domain, with the perception that Villa were vulnerable.

Morgan Rogers was on the radar of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, plus one other club from the traditional “big six”, but Villa were intent on keeping him.

Only a fee of more than £80m would have been considered, and that hardline stance remained. No official offers were received and Rogers did not push to leave.

Rogers’ performances at club level so far this season have been strangely underwhelming, so perhaps events over the summer have unsettled the England international.

Other players attracted interest, with Everton coming in for club captain John McGinn. Manchester United enquired about Ollie Watkins – who touched the ball in the Everton penalty area just once in last weekend’s goalless draw – and Emiliano Martínez.

The saga involving Martínez and United dragged into deadline day, with the move ultimately collapsing. Reintegrating him into the team has not been an easy or simple task.

Jacob Ramsey was the major sale of the summer, departing to Newcastle for £40m. The home-grown attacking midfielder was essentially a sacrifice to generate total profit, but his departure was not popular with team-mates. It has created a sense of uncertainty in the dressing room that is perhaps even being felt now in mid-September.

McGinn and Ezri Konsa are just two of the players who have recently criticised the rules which they feel are heavily loaded against clubs of Villa’s size. Villa, like Newcastle, have rich, ambitious ownership but spending has caught up with them just as they dared to disrupt the established elite. Yet when rules are so strict, recruitment has to be outstanding and, in recent times, Villa have struggled.

PATCHY TRANSFER BUSINESS
Monchi is the club’s key figure on transfers and aside from Rogers – who was an Emery pick – Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, his signings have been patchy. At times, it has felt like Villa are building for the present with little regard for the medium or long term.

There were other disruptions over the transfer window, aside from the drama around Martínez. The exit of Emiliano Buendia appeared likely all summer, but a late U-turn from Emery ended with him staying. Despite Villa’s problems in front of goal, no player has created more chances than Buendia this season (five).

Villa could only move late for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on deadline day, arguably salvaging what had been a frustrating few weeks. There is optimism that their arrivals will re-energise a squad that, from the outside, looks stale and needs freshening up.

Evann Guessand, the £26m winger signed from Nice, will also need time to adapt after an inauspicious start.

STRUGGLES ON THE PITCH
Villa were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford on Tuesday night and it was another tepid performance to cause fear among some supporters. The return of influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara from injury was a welcome sight, while Amadou Onana should return soon. Tielemans is also expected to miss the next few games, and the importance of those players cannot be overestimated.

Their absence damages the creativity of McGinn and Rogers, especially against opponents who employ a low block. There also remains an assertion at other clubs that Villa do not have enough width and play too narrow. Villa will attempt to break their duck in the league this weekend at Sunderland, and there is no sense of panic behind the scenes.

Emery understands the limitations imposed on their transfer window and is striving for improvement. He will celebrate his third anniversary at Villa next month and he has allowed the club to dream again. It was only four months ago that they were desperately close to knocking out eventual Champions League winners Paris St-Germain in the quarter-final.

Emery has also experienced this before. At Sevilla in the 2015-16 season, he lost three and drew two of the first five league matches (scoring only twice) and ended up winning the Europa League, while finishing fifth in La Liga.

A repeat of that at Villa may appear unlikely right now, but with him around, anything remains possible.

Excellent article. The bit about Ramsey's departure is interesting. A couple of players posted their disappointment at that decision and Ramsey himself did not want to leave. Steve Froggatt on WM made the point that he knows the family and he knows that Jacob was not happy about it. That may have caused more of an issue among the players than we realised.

I was talking to someone recently who also knows the family and said the same.  Said it was sprung on everyone (including the player and the manager) very suddenly and there were a lot of people at the club unhappy about it.

Eamonn. Would you like to further comment on what's occurring here please.

I would be interested in further comments as well.

[kippaxvilla2]

I don't know whether it will come back or not if we start winning but for some reason I cannot get a sense of apathy/flatness about Villa and Premier League football out of my being at the moment. 

It started on the last day of last season and I have not got over it yet.  I cannot bring myself to feel excited about it any more moreso than ever.  I even stayed interested during the dark days of Lambert.

I think it is to do with the whole perceived unfairness of it all and how the fuck we are supposed to compete anymore that leads me to an almost 'what is the point' mentality.  For years we have craved a Manager like Emery who has got us knocking on the door of greatness only to see it all taken away in an instant, a back to 'knowing our place'.  I just cannot bring myself to be interested in it right now.  I had much more enjoyment watching a League 1 game during the International break where I had no emotional attachment save for it is where I live. 

[darren woolley]

I have no doubt he will turn us around.

[Olneythelonely]

I have no doubt he will turn us around.

That’s good enough for me Daz.

I had my creeping doubts but now I think we’ll smash Sunderland and go on a 5-game winning streak.