Archive September 21, 2025

Unai Emery has produced some unforgettable moments for Aston Villa fans after three successive European campaigns, a top-four finish followed by a place in the top six.

Despite only five games remaining in the current season, it is already obvious something is wrong.

Villa, who won the Champions League last year while defeating both Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich, is still struggling for goals.

After Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson declared, “They look clunky, they don’t look fluid, and they are not the same team they were last year.

Simply put, Aston Villa is not clicking.

Robinson was present at Emery’s side’s game against newly promoted opponents at the Stadium of Light after Reinildo was dismissed for kicking out at Matty Cash. The game lasted for more than an hour with 10 men.

Through Cash’s 25-yard finish in the 67th minute, Villa took the lead, but even then, they were unable to hold onto the lead. Wilson Isidor equalized eight minutes later to give the Black Cats a respectable point.

Emery’s third full season in charge has started badly.

Why have Villa’s goals dried up after scoring 134 goals in their previous two campaigns to place fourth and sixth?

After failing to score in their first four league games, Cash’s venomous shot that swerved before hitting the net kept Sunderland up and running.

Only Crystal Palace and Newcastle United had to wait longer in 2017-18 and 2005-06 to get their first league goal before the campaign started, with the run ending in 427 minutes.

Robinson remarked, “They haven’t created much, but they have got the first league goal off their backs.” They also played in midfield a little slow, pedestrian.

Given that they played the majority of the game against ten players, Villa only managed two attempts on target at Sunderland.

No Premier League team has this season produced fewer shots on target than Villa (12-level with Everton and Leeds).

Ollie Watkins and Dutchman Donyell Malen both had excellent chances to win in the closing moments, but the England forward now has just one goal in ten league games.

Watkins scored 16 times in the top flight in the previous campaign on the same pitch.

Emery remarked, “We need to get our style, control our style, and play better. Then will come goals and assists, ” “says he.”

Villa will have to balance the demands of hosting matches on Thursday and Sunday before starting their Europa League campaign at home against Bologna.

Due to their inability to advance to the Champions League during the summer, restrictions were put in place to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The attacking department’s depth of quality has also been impacted by the signings of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford.

Evann Guessand, a striker from Nice, was acquired for £26 million plus £4.3 million in add-ons, but the Ivory Coast international has only attempted two times on target.

We were not playing with our identity, Emery said, “but it should be easier to dominate and take advantage after playing 11 against 10,” Emery said.

More so because we aren’t defining who we are and playing the football we’ve always been successful with, I’m disappointed and frustrated.

The next two Premier League games have a good chance of starting Emery’s season, in terms of positive aspects.

Fulham and Burnley host Villa in back-to-home games on September 28 and October 5th.

Goalkeeper Cash told Sky Sports, “We’re not happy.

We must improve as a team. We need to be better with our standards given our level of quality.

We’ve had a lot of highs at the club over the past few years, and right now it’s getting a little difficult.

No one will have to feel the panic as Emery’s overall performance at Villa is unquestionable.

However, the Premier League still lacks patience and time.

Unai Emery has produced some unforgettable moments for Aston Villa fans after three successive European campaigns, a top-four finish followed by a place in the top six.

Despite only five games remaining in the current season, it is already obvious something is wrong.

Villa, who won the Champions League last year while defeating both Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich, is still struggling for goals.

After Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson declared, “They look clunky, they don’t look fluid, and they are not the same team they were last year.

Simply put, Aston Villa is not clicking.

Robinson was present at Emery’s side’s game against newly promoted opponents at the Stadium of Light after Reinildo was dismissed for kicking out at Matty Cash. The game lasted for more than an hour with 10 men.

Through Cash’s 25-yard finish in the 67th minute, Villa took the lead, but even then, they were unable to hold onto the lead. Wilson Isidor equalized eight minutes later to give the Black Cats a respectable point.

Emery’s third full season in charge has started badly.

Why have Villa’s goals dried up after scoring 134 goals in their previous two campaigns to place fourth and sixth?

After failing to score in their first four league games, Cash’s venomous shot that swerved before hitting the net kept Sunderland up and running.

Only Crystal Palace and Newcastle United had to wait longer in 2017-18 and 2005-06 to get their first league goal before the campaign started, with the run ending in 427 minutes.

Robinson remarked, “They haven’t created much, but they have got the first league goal off their backs.” They also played in midfield a little slow, pedestrian.

Given that they played the majority of the game against ten players, Villa only managed two attempts on target at Sunderland.

No Premier League team has this season produced fewer shots on target than Villa (12-level with Everton and Leeds).

Ollie Watkins and Dutchman Donyell Malen both had excellent chances to win in the closing moments, but the England forward now has just one goal in ten league games.

Watkins scored 16 times in the top flight in the previous campaign on the same pitch.

Emery remarked, “We need to get our style, control our style, and play better. Then will come goals and assists, ” “says he.”

Villa will have to balance the demands of hosting matches on Thursday and Sunday before starting their Europa League campaign at home against Bologna.

Due to their inability to advance to the Champions League during the summer, restrictions were put in place to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The attacking department’s depth of quality has also been impacted by the signings of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford.

Evann Guessand, a striker from Nice, was acquired for £26 million plus £4.3 million in add-ons, but the Ivory Coast international has only attempted two times on target.

We were not playing with our identity, Emery said, “but it should be easier to dominate and take advantage after playing 11 against 10,” Emery said.

More so because we aren’t defining who we are and playing the football we’ve always been successful with, I’m disappointed and frustrated.

The next two Premier League games have a good chance of starting Emery’s season, in terms of positive aspects.

Fulham and Burnley host Villa in back-to-home games on September 28 and October 5th.

Goalkeeper Cash told Sky Sports, “We’re not happy.

We must improve as a team. We need to be better with our standards given our level of quality.

We’ve had a lot of highs at the club over the past few years, and right now it’s getting a little difficult.

No one will have to feel the panic as Emery’s overall performance at Villa is unquestionable.

However, the Premier League still lacks patience and time.

It sounded more like a mental test than a physical one.

How would Newcastle United handle the trip to Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium after losing to Barcelona 2-1?

Newcastle’s previous Champions League appearance in 2023 was undoubtedly a strain due to the difficulty of navigating such challenges.

Indeed, a drained, injury-hitting side was defeated by Bournemouth a few days after losing to Borussia Dortmund.

After a few years, Newcastle had a point and left the south coast.

However, this goalless draw created an unusual quandary.

On the one hand, the tenacious Newcastle have now kept three clean sheets on the road this year in the Premier League.

The blunt black-and-whites, however, haven’t scored in any of those games against Bournemouth, Leeds United, or Aston Villa.

It’s reasonable to say that.

Alexander Isak missed the opening two weeks of the campaign, but he did not complete his record-keeping move to Liverpool until the deadline, and Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade will need time to step in to fill the void.

Although Wissa has a proven Premier League career, the former Brentford forward won’t be out until after the next international break in October, while Woltemade, who signed for $69 million from Stuttgart, is adapting to the physicality of the top flight.

Woltemade hit the jackpot on his debut against Wolves, but it was soon apparent behind the scenes that the German would need to adjust accordingly.

Woltemade’s neat link-up play against Bournemouth was briefly caught on camera, and at one point Marcos Senesi wriggled away from the left to see Petrovic easily claim his cross.

After Bafode Diakite pulled his shirt, Woltemade also received a waved penalty appeal in the second half.

However, Newcastle struggled to fire as an attacking force this afternoon.

Even though Newcastle had more touches inside the opposition box than Bournemouth (16), Djordje Petrovic only managed one save in the closing stages when he prevented Jacob Murphy’s close-range shot.

When both teams made double substitutions in the second half, including Howe and Harvey Barnes, the game was finely poised, but Bournemouth were late on pressing for a winner.

When Howe reflected on how his team didn’t have a shot in the second half, he was the first to realize Newcastle “didn’t get our attacking game going.”

Yet Howe will at least find encouragement in keeping a Premier League clean sheet.

No other top-flight team has allowed more shutouts this year than Newcastle (4).

In fact, only Liverpool’s inaugural league goals against Newcastle came in the first few weeks of the campaign.

In the process, Newcastle have given Bournemouth the lead in the top-flight in 2025-26, limiting them to a few shots on target on Sunday.

Only center-back Dan Burn, who made 11 clearances, could measure the visitors’ defensive effort.

The towering defender told Sky Sports, “It’s something we have worked very hard on.” We have a strong team there because the majority of our players have played together for a while. On that something should be built.”

In the opening and closing minutes of the game, Nick Pope was present when Newcastle lacked a goalkeeper in order to step up.

In stoppage time, Pope parried Justin Kluivert’s well-hit free-kick in stoppage time and kept out Tyler Adams’ effort with his foot.

Howe made seven changes in Newcastle’s midweek defeat to Barcelona, making Pope one of the few survivors.

Given the intensity and relentlessness of Bournemouth play with, Howe has historically not cut and changed much. However, the Newcastle head coach recognized he needed to freshen up his side.

Although Fabian Schar was sidelined after receiving a head blow, and Anthony Gordon was banned, a few of those adjustments were made, Howe took the unusual step of rotating key players, such as captain Bruno Guimaraes, as well.

Malick Thiaw made his full debut. Joe Willock and Sven Botman rejoined the team. Lewis Miley and Lewis Hall both made their first league starts since February.

From the beginning, Woltemade and Jacob Murphy lined up, who connected for what turned out to be a crucial goal against Wolves last week.

It sounded like a sign of the future.

Before the Champions League season’s final game in January, pre-European fixtures include matches against Liverpool, Fulham, Brentford, Everton, bitter rivals Sunderland, Aston Villa, and Liverpool.

And Burn is going to need the entire squad, which he already knows very well.

It sounded more like a mental test than a physical one.

How would Newcastle United handle the trip to Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium after losing to Barcelona 2-1?

Newcastle’s previous Champions League appearance in 2023 was undoubtedly a strain due to the difficulty of navigating such challenges.

Indeed, a drained, injury-hitting side was defeated by Bournemouth a few days after losing to Borussia Dortmund.

After a few years, Newcastle had a point and left the south coast.

However, this goalless draw created an unusual quandary.

On the one hand, the tenacious Newcastle have now kept three clean sheets on the road this year in the Premier League.

The blunt black-and-whites, however, haven’t scored in any of those games against Bournemouth, Leeds United, or Aston Villa.

It’s reasonable to say that.

Alexander Isak missed the opening two weeks of the campaign, but he did not complete his record-keeping move to Liverpool until the deadline, and Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade will need time to step in to fill the void.

Although Wissa has a proven Premier League career, the former Brentford forward won’t be out until after the next international break in October, while Woltemade, who signed for $69 million from Stuttgart, is adapting to the physicality of the top flight.

Woltemade hit the jackpot on his debut against Wolves, but it was soon apparent behind the scenes that the German would need to adjust accordingly.

Woltemade’s neat link-up play against Bournemouth was briefly caught on camera, and at one point Marcos Senesi wriggled away from the left to see Petrovic easily claim his cross.

After Bafode Diakite pulled his shirt, Woltemade also received a waved penalty appeal in the second half.

However, Newcastle struggled to fire as an attacking force this afternoon.

Even though Newcastle had more touches inside the opposition box than Bournemouth (16), Djordje Petrovic only managed one save in the closing stages when he prevented Jacob Murphy’s close-range shot.

When both teams made double substitutions in the second half, including Howe and Harvey Barnes, the game was finely poised, but Bournemouth were late on pressing for a winner.

When Howe reflected on how his team didn’t have a shot in the second half, he was the first to realize Newcastle “didn’t get our attacking game going.”

Yet Howe will at least find encouragement in keeping a Premier League clean sheet.

No other top-flight team has allowed more shutouts this year than Newcastle (4).

In fact, only Liverpool’s inaugural league goals against Newcastle came in the first few weeks of the campaign.

In the process, Newcastle have given Bournemouth the lead in the top-flight in 2025-26, limiting them to a few shots on target on Sunday.

Only center-back Dan Burn, who made 11 clearances, could measure the visitors’ defensive effort.

The towering defender told Sky Sports, “It’s something we have worked very hard on.” We have a strong team there because the majority of our players have played together for a while. On that something should be built.”

In the opening and closing minutes of the game, Nick Pope was present when Newcastle lacked a goalkeeper in order to step up.

In stoppage time, Pope parried Justin Kluivert’s well-hit free-kick in stoppage time and kept out Tyler Adams’ effort with his foot.

Howe made seven changes in Newcastle’s midweek defeat to Barcelona, making Pope one of the few survivors.

Given the intensity and relentlessness of Bournemouth play with, Howe has historically not cut and changed much. However, the Newcastle head coach recognized he needed to freshen up his side.

Although Fabian Schar was sidelined after receiving a head blow, and Anthony Gordon was banned, a few of those adjustments were made, Howe took the unusual step of rotating key players, such as captain Bruno Guimaraes, as well.

Malick Thiaw made his full debut. Joe Willock and Sven Botman rejoined the team. Lewis Miley and Lewis Hall both made their first league starts since February.

From the beginning, Woltemade and Jacob Murphy lined up, who connected for what turned out to be a crucial goal against Wolves last week.

It sounded like a sign of the future.

Before the Champions League season’s final game in January, pre-European fixtures include matches against Liverpool, Fulham, Brentford, Everton, bitter rivals Sunderland, Aston Villa, and Liverpool.

And Burn is going to need the entire squad, which he already knows very well.

Utilita Bowl and Metro Bank Women’s One-Day Cup final

Hampshire 288-6 (50 overs): Adams 77, Bouchier 66, Kemp 41, Potts 3-47

Lancashire 289-4 (48.3 overs): Lewis 141*, Smale 72, Davies 1-38

By six wickets, Lancashire wins.

Gaby Lewis’ sensational 141 not out of 143 balls helped her team win the One-Day Cup final against Hampshire, winning by six wickets.

With nine balls left, Lancashire fought back to get their target of 289 with Ireland captain Lewis all the way through the innings.

She scored 144 with Seren Smale, who scored 72, before making wise partnerships of 61 with Ellie Threlkeld, the captain, and unbroken 46 with Ailsa Lister to finish the job.

Georgia Adams and Maia Bouchier scored 77 runs in Hampshire’s 66 innings, but the team that advanced to the top of the group stages fell short.

Hampshire had won nine of their previous 14 games to advance to the final, which was held on their home turf, and the eight-team group had won it. Adams had a sparkling 107 not out, which had allowed them to beat Surrey.

When Bouchier and Southby were asked to bat first, the wicketkeeper fell for 35 before making a fine 70 for the first wicket.

When Bouchier tamely holed herself in the middle of Mahika Gaur, she hit the accelerator and had 66 balls to go.

Freya Kemp’s run-a-ball 41 incident caused a brief extra-cover story for her slashed slow left-armer Hannah Jones.

Lancashire was only able to get away with 20 on the board because they were almost six an over in the chase, and a mistake between Lewis and fellow opener Alice Clarke caused Clarke to run out with only 20.

However, Lewis and Smale managed to survive a few close run-out calls before falling to Smale for a good diving catch off Mary Taylor at short mid-wicket.

Lancashire were 183-3 with the required rate at more than seven and a half when Fi Morris was tipped for nine.

Ellie Threlkeld, the captain, gave real life with 32 off 30 balls in a 60-ball partnership with Lewis before falling to Freya Davies.

Lancashire remained favorites as long as Lewis was playing. Before going on the run, she recorded her highest List-A score, completing her century with 121 balls.

With the T20 County Cup victory in May, they also won the unbroken 46 that was scored on just 28 balls for Lancashire.