Aston Villa registered a first win of the season after seeing off Bologna in a 1-0 victory in the opening game of our Europa League campaign on Thursday night.
John McGinn’s excellent strike in the 13th minute proved to be enough to secure three important points, as Villa began our European run with a crucial win that will hopefully also help us get past our difficult start to the season.
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Focus quickly switches to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday as we look to back this result up with another win, while it’s a trip to Feyenoord next week as Unai Emery will hope to see his side rack up early points in our bid to qualify directly through to the knockout stage of the competition.
Important to get winning feeling back, but improvement still needed
It’s been tough going for Villa so far this season, as we’ve struggled for positive performances, goals and wins across the league while also crashing out of the Carabao Cup earlier this month.
While it was an important moment to end our goal drought, it’s a similar feeling after getting that first win on the board as it’ll hopefully help the squad start to build confidence and momentum in the coming weeks.
Admittedly though, our performance dipped in the second half having shown glimpses of rediscovering our attacking spark in the opening 45 minutes, and with those struggles in our build-up play and individuals still desperately searching for form, we’re certainly not out of the woods yet.
Pau, Kamara influence crucial
Particularly in Europe, the composure, ability to dictate possession and control tempo will be pivotal to our progression, and both Pau Torres and Boubacar Kamara thrive in those areas.
Given the physicality and demands of the Premier League, Emery has often preferred Tyrone Mings in the left-sided centre-half position to win certain duels, but Pau still has a vital role to play for us, especially when we’re going through a difficult period, as his quality in that area of the pitch helps us build play and progress up the pitch.
As for Kamara, his influence in both defensive and attacking phases is key, as can secure a foothold in midfield for us, and that gives us the opportunity to not only nullify the opposition, but also have the foundation to go out and attack and win the game.
McGinn leads by example
It was a brilliant strike from the Villa captain, as he produced a controlled and accurate finish to find the corner and secure all three points for us.
McGinn hasn’t been at his best either through the first part of the season, but having struggled collectively, it’s hard to pick out anyone who has performed at their level thus far.
On Thursday night, he led by example by setting the tone and stamping his mark on the encounter with heavy challenges or marauding runs forward to try and spark the Villa faithful into life, and we’ll need much more of that from our leader in the coming weeks to get us fully out of this slump.
Rogers’ struggles continue
This is now a major test of the strength of Morgan Rogers’ character as he continues to desperately struggle to find any form.
It’s not just that he’s failing to provide a goal threat or create for others, but he looks entirely drained of confidence and is giving up possession almost every time he touches the ball.
Groans of frustration are fair game at the ground as we’ve paid our money to attend and should be able to express our feelings and opinion if we’re happy or frustrated with what we’re seeing on the pitch. The sarcastic cheers when Rogers completed a late pass were beyond the pale, but it’s hoped that he can rediscover that spark that makes him so important for us.
Perhaps asking him to simplify his decision making and move the ball quicker before he gets tangled up and dispossessed are taking away the key parts of what can make him so effective, but he has to find the answers if Emery persists with him as it could be argued that he might benefit from being taken out of the firing line and making an impact off the bench could take off the pressure and help him find his way again.
Bizot shows his class when called upon
For the sake of consistency and a settled backline, it’s never ideal to see Emiliano Martinez miss out due to injury or suspension. However, in Marco Bizot, we now have a reliable back-up option between the posts who can come in and make a decisive impact.
The Dutchman made a string of key saves throughout this game when Bologna did threaten, and he seemingly offers a calm and reassuring presence behind his defenders while showing the bravery and leadership to command his box when needed too.
Time will tell if he can displace Martinez and earn Emery’s trust on a more regular basis, but it’s crucial that we can make that change when needed and not see a significant drop off.
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