Aston Villa fans have seen their club play incredible football under their new manager Unai Emery. The former Arsenal manager got a new lease on life at Villarreal after his disastrous North London spell and he carried on the magic at Villa Park. Emery transformed Aston Villa from relegation candidates to a Champions League playing side, but in recent times, he seemed to have come across a stumbling block.
Aston Villa are now winless in their last eight games across all competitions. What has led to their recent struggles? We took a closer look at the challengese the West Midlands outfit has faced this season so far.
Why Aston Villa Is Struggling?
Defensive Mistakes
Aston Villa’s defensive struggles this season mirror a worrying downward trend. Over their last 18 league matches, dating back to April, Villa have managed just one clean sheet while conceding 34 goals — an average of 1.88 per game. Prior to Sunday, they had underperformed their expected goals against (xGA) by 4.4 goals
Aston Villa have committed five errors leading to goals this season, the second-highest total in the league after Southampton. By comparison, they made six such errors throughout the entirety of last season, highlighting the sharp decline in the Villa backline.
Surprisingly, Emiliano Martinez, Villa’s ever-dependable number one, has been uncharasteristically error prone this season. He has made three errors that led to goal in the current campaign and has regestired a save percentage of 63.3%, which is the second-lowest in the league.
Villa under Emery has not been the most proactive defensively. Instead, they leaned on smart positioning as their most effective defensive strategy last season. That’s why they ranked poorly in key defensive metrics like in interceptions, tackles, and ball recovery.
This trend has continued into the current season. Villa are bottom of the league for ball recoveries and made the second least number of interceptions.
No Douglas Luiz Replacement In Midfield
Villa have struggled to maintain their usual composure and control since Douglas Luiz’s departure to Juventus in the summer transfer window. His absence in midfield has been keenly felt, with the team unable to replicate the balance and authority they displayed last season.
A closer look at the statistics reveals the extent of the decline. Villa’s average Premier League possession over the first quarter of this season has dropped from 52.8% in 2023/24 to 50.5% in 2024/25.
Additionally, their passing game has taken a noticeable hit. The team is completing an average of 370.3 passes per 90 minutes this season, down from 402.7 per 90 last season. Their progressive passing—a key indicator of forward momentum—has also fallen, with Villa averaging just 33.5 progressive passes per 90 minutes compared to 38.2 last term.
Wasteful Watkins & Reduced Wing Threat
Ollie Watkins was pivotal to Villa’s success last season, contributing 32 goals across all competitions. However, the England international has struggled to rediscover that prolific form this season. Watkins has missed 13 big chances so far, more than any other player in the league.
Villa’s goal threat from the wings have reduced significantly as well. After racking up 19 goal contributions in 2023/24, Leon Bailey has just two in the Premier League this season. The £50m transfer of Moussa Diaby, who tallied 14 goal contributions last season, has further reduced Villa’s creative edge.
