As we head into the international break, the Aston Villa squad will get a chance to reset and hopefully kick-start our season again later this month after a difficult run of results.
Four consecutive defeats across all competitions has taken some of the shine off our impressive start to the campaign, as we crashed out of the Carabao Cup, saw our perfect record in the Champions League end in disappointing fashion and suffered back-to-back Premier League losses for the first time in 18 months.
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Naturally, our inability to keep clean sheets and stay resolute defensively consistently over 90 minutes is a problem, as we’ve conceded nine goals in those four games, but we’ve also scored just two goals as our form in the attacking third hasn’t been good enough either.
That is a by-product to an extent of our struggles to control games and play with rhythm and fluidity, as we’ve played nothing like our usual selves in most of that poor run, barring some positive signs against Liverpool this weekend where we should have come away with something to show for our efforts.
However, what is clear is that we need a big improvement in our attacking play in the final third, as we’re simply not playing to our level and lacking a clinical edge and ruthlessness in front of goal, and at this level, that is always going to be punished by top sides.
While it’s on the entire squad to come back rejuvenated after the break, there are four players in particular who must step up, with Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey and either Jacob Ramsey or John McGinn not playing to their best ability in recent weeks, with the former potentially now set for a stint on the sidelines due to injury.
Watkins has five goals and three assists in 15 appearances so far this season, but he’s without a goal involvement in his last six outings across the Premier League and Champions League.
Despite being a brilliant-to-watch driving force in our attack, Rogers only has one goal and one assist in those same six games, and he has been guilty of lacking an end product to his play which has included some big misses.
Ramsey has no goal contributions in those six clashes, while Bailey has one assist and McGinn has one goal to his name as we’ve simply not been clinical enough or played with enough quality in attacking areas to pose a sustained threat against the opposition.
It’s important to note that we’ve seen positive things from all those named above and so it’s not to say that they’ve been entirely anonymous, but those numbers and statistics don’t lie, and we must see a more polished and fluid attack return to start scoring goals consistently again and punish teams when we do create chances. Emery isn’t shy in publicly calling for more from McGinn in particular, but it’s on everyone to deliver.
As fun as it was seeing Jhon Duran come off the bench and score important, late and winning goals, it was never going to be a sustainable strategy. That said, our bench must continue to come on and make the difference when called upon as it’s a fundamental strength we have this year.
Nevertheless, Emery has his preferred options in the attacking third when available, and so while the defence must become more resilient and robust, the midfield pivot has to become more influential and have a stronger control of games, our attacking players must rediscover a ruthless touch and start scoring goals consistently again as we eye a return to form heading into the festive period.