Villa’s Euro coast, Now Back to It
Nine unanswered against Everton and Hibernian. But. That’s how Villa should be handling inferior opposition instead of sweating out cup ties against League Two teams.
Nine unanswered against Everton and Hibernian. But. That’s how Villa should be handling inferior opposition instead of sweating out cup ties against League Two teams.
Staring down the threat of a relegation battle, the owners took decisive action in October and replaced Steven Gerrard with Unai Emery. He rewarded them with a top-half finish—and maybe more.
This is the sort of fixture that can say a lot or not much. Bottom line, it’s about whether looking up and digging in to keep pace or move higher mean more to Villa than do perilous straits to Leicester.
Emery is viewed by almost everyone as a statement signing, as it’s hard to disagree. Probably the most experienced and successful manager Villa could’ve brought in at this point in time. And you probably couldn’t pick two managers more different than Gerrard and Emery. One inexperienced and arrogant, the other very experienced, tactically astute, and an actual coach on the training ground. Emery also seems likable and self aware.
And here we are. After what seemed one of the shortest off-seasons in memory, football and Villa are back. Well, the Premier League was back yesterday because TV, but you know what I mean. It’s Bournemouth away to open for us, and Gerrard’s team sheet has a couple surprises: No Mings or Watkins in the starting XI for chapter one of 38.