After his appointment two weeks ago, Unai Emery finally took charge of his first Villa match on Sunday. Manchester United were the visitors to Villa Park and were coming off the back of a nine-game unbeaten run that dates back to the start of October.
A GENERATION OF DOMINANCE
The phrase βbogey teamβ is bandied around a lot in football, but the Red Devils have been exactly that against the Villa for the best part of three decades. It has been 23 years and 22 matches since Villa beat United at home in any competition and 27 years since the last Premier League victory over the Reds at Villa Park.
The Villans fortunes have not been much more favourable away from home either. In the 27 years that have passed since that famous 3-1 win against a youthful United, Villa have also played 26 games at Old Trafford in all competition, winning only two, losing 20 and conceding 53 goals in the process. Add to this the wounds left by that narrow defeat at Wembley in the 2009 League Cup Final and it is fair to say Villa fans would have believed we were due a win on Sunday. Having said that, it feels like the Claret and Blue army have been saying that since I started going up 19 years ago!
As the rain teemed down in the north of the city, the volume cranked up. David Bradleyβs rousing βWe are Aston Villaβ speech is often played pre-match, but on Sunday there was added significance. The claret and blue army have been subjected to many a false dawn but with the appointment of the esteemed Unai Emery, arguably the highest calibre manager that the club has ever seen, there is a sense that Villa could well be on the right track.
UNAI’S XI
The players made their way onto the pitch inside a thunderous Villa Park, as Unai Emery was introduced to the Villa fans.
The Spaniard made two changes from the hammering at the hands of Newcastle last week, with Jacob Ramsey and Lucas Digne in for Danny Ings and Ashley Young. The changes saw Villa move to a fluid 4-2-2-2, with Leon Bailey playing off Ollie Watkins. Emi BuendΓa and Jacob Ramsey were given licence to roam as floating 10βs when in possession who would drop deep to help their full backs when out of possession. Emi MartΓnez recovered from his knock last week and retained the captainβs armband.
Erik ten Hag was missing a couple of key players and so only made one change from their narrow victory over Real Sociedad in the Basque Country on Thursday evening. The on-song Marcus Rashford came back into the starting line-up in place of the suspended Bruno Fernandes. Those of a claret and blue persuasion will have been pleased to avoid an afternoon date with the talismanic Portuguese international who has so readily tormented Villa in recent seasons. The superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo was handed the armband.
With Armistice Sunday on the horizon, both sides and their supporters observed a moment of respect for the fallen as a spine-tingling performance of βThe Last Postβ rang through the crisp Brummie air.
OFF TO A FLYER
As they did against Brentford two weeks ago, Villa turned around at the toss to kick towards a baying Holte End. Against the Bees, it took Leon Bailey just two minutes to open the scoring, and similarly the Jamaican international was presented with a golden chance to open the scoring early on against United.
Everyone knows that Ollie Watkins is one of the most willing runners in English football, but an underrated attribute of his game is his clever hold up play. The number 11 picked up the ball in the left channel, pinned Victor LindelΓΆf and beat the now out-of-position Swedish defender. He then had the intelligence to pick out the floating Jacob Ramsey. The young Brummie midfielder in turn spotted the darting run of Bailey, who exploited the hole left by LindelΓΆf. The weight of pass from Ramsey was excellent, the touch and finish from Bailey unerring, the roar from the Holte deafening.
Unai Emery and his new side were off to a flyer, and it would soon get a whole lot better. In the opening ten minutes Watkins and Bailey had not given the visiting defenders a moment of rest and it was the latter who forced Lisandro MartΓnez into an error on the eleventh minute. The ball broke loose on the edge of the box and Ramsey powered past Luke Shaw. The English left back scythed the Villa man down and a free kick and yellow card were awarded.
FREE KICK CURSE LIFTED
It had been seven and a half years since Villa last scored a direct free kick in the top-flight, four years since they last netted one in the league and three years since the last in any competition. Those goals were scored by Benteke against QPR, Hourihane away to Derby County and the Irishman again against a youthful Liverpool in the League Cup respectively.
As Lucas Digne addressed the ball, skipper MartΓnez ran towards the touchline and began motioning towards his team mates up the pitch as if he were a cricket captain adjusting his field at the start of a new over. Whatever βBig Emiβ suggested seemed to be inspired, as French international Digne’s strike looped over the wall and past the helpless David De Gea to put the Lions two to the good.
Alongside the lifting of the Villa free kick curse, the side have now scored five goals in the opening 15 minutes in the last three games. Before Brentford, Villa had only scored in the first 15 minutes five times in the previous 48 games. Villaβs quick starts could become a real asset going forward.
NERVES CREEP IN
With hatchets being buried left, right and centre, fans could be forgiven for thinking that the United stranglehold at Villa Park was finally easing. Even the most optimistic Villa fan, however, will have been wary of the obligatory comeback that usually follows such an emphatic start against the Red Devils. Weβve all been there before. In B6 we have raced into a lead against the 20-time English champions on nine occasions. Four have finished as a draw, with five resulting in United victories. Three of those were two goal leads, with United coming back to win two of those and draw the other. This was not over by any means.
The ghosts of VidiΔ, Chicharito and van Nistelrooy have spooked and scarred a generation of Villa fans so much that as United started to regain their composure and dictate possession, the rapturous atmosphere was replaced by a nervous hum. First, young star Alejandro Garnacho went close, then, old head Cristiano Ronaldo had his chance. Villaβs shot stopping aficionado was equal to both efforts.
Whilst United had improved, Villa still looked dangerous on the break, with Ramsey, BuendΓa, Watkins and Bailey dovetailing to great effect. Leander Dendoncker and Douglas Luiz won their battles in the middle of the park and got Villa on the front foot quickly upon winning back possession.
As half time loomed, it looked as though Villa would survive with a clean sheet intact. After a stellar individual performance, Jacob Ramsey was the unfortunate man as his hacked clearance found Shaw. The left back hit a wayward half-volley which looped wickedly off Ramsey and floated into the net.
The half time whistle rang from the lips of Mancunian referee Anthony Taylor and the warriors in claret and blue were given a standing ovation as they left the field.
TWO GOAL CUSHION RESTORED
As the teams emerged for the second period, the nervous energy that had built up at times in the first half was once again replaced by a wall of noise and emotion. Emeryβs men responded, riding out an early period of United penetration to put together a textbook counter-attack. Villaβs little Argentinian magician picked up the ball in the centre of the park. He looked left and found Watkins, who had once again isolated LindelΓΆf.
The English forward carried the ball deep into enemy territory and picked his head up to scan for options. Two Villa players made good runs but they were well marshalled by United defenders. Instead, Watkins pulled it back to find Jacob Ramsey, who was free as a bird on the penalty spot. Before any United player could react, the local lad had rifled the ball into the roof of the net to set Villa Park wild once more. The two goal lead had been restored to give Emeryβs side a bit of breathing space.
UNITED’S THREAT NEUTRALISED
On another day, and believe me we have witnessed all too many of those, United could have hit back straight away. But Villa were streetsmart and organised as they set about frustrating and drying up the attacking flair that flows through Unitedβs front line. Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa dealt with the dangerous Ronaldo immaculately, and Villaβs big left sided centre half was wrestled to the ground by the disgruntled Portugal striker. Taylor booked both players.
Erik ten Hag is an incredible coach and a shrewd tactician and he rang the changes to attempt to haul his side back into the contest. Two Anthonyβs; messrs Martial and Elanga entered the fray alongside young full back Tyrell Malacia. Shaw, Donny van de Beek and Garnacho left the scene. The former of those had experienced a particularly difficult afternoon against the relentless pair of Ramsey and Bailey on his wing.
Substitutions followed for the home side, with John McGinn the first to arrive after Leon Bailey had gone down injured. Replays showed that Lisandro MartΓnez, who has been in sublime form recently, had maliciously elbowed the Jamaican twice and was lucky to not receive a punishment of any kind, let alone win a goal kick. Anthony Taylor ran over to Bailey and signalled for him to get up. The man in the middle would soon come in for more Aston ire as he accidentally blocked a through ball to halt a dangerous Villa attack.
Despite having not been called into action for a long period of the game, Emi MartΓnez came up trumps when it mattered to deny the lively Swedish wide forward Elanga. The keeper rushed off his line to block a goal bound header in Peter Schmeichel-esque fashion. Had that gone in, it would have made for an extremely anxious finale.
CALM HEADS
Villa made a further four changes, with Kamara, Young, Ings and Sanson coming on to see the game out. Every single sub played their part in taking the sting out of the match by keeping possession, winning 50/50 challenges and making vital interceptions when a United attack was brewing.
After such a long time without a victory over this opposition, one would have imagined a nervy grandstand finish would precede any such achievement. Not so for Unai Emery and his new group of players. Much of the six minutes added on was used up by Villa keeping the ball and tiring out their opponents. In the additional time, the home team boasted 75.8% possession as the βoleβsβ rang out around Villa Park. When the board went up, some fans may have had flashbacks to those excruciating seven minutes against Derby in the Play-off Final, but Villa’s slick game management rapidly averted any nervous energy.
AT LONG LAST
The referee brought the game to its conclusion and the long wait was finally over. I am sure that C.S. Lewis knew when he published βThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeβ in 1950 that the ending of his book, when the snow melted away as the White Witchβs tyrannous rule over Narnia is ended and glorious sunshine reigns once again, would prove to be symbolic as Unitedβs control over Villa Park thawed away.
The sounds of first Jeff Beck, and then Pitbull, rang round a euphoric Villa Park, as stand-in skipper MartΓnez led the chants. The reliable Argentinian has put forward a strong case to get the armband on a permanent basis post-Qatar.
Villa are at their best when the fans, players and coaching staff are singing from the same hymn sheet and for those 90 plus minutes and the joyous moments that followed, the famous old footballing cathedral was electrified and unified.
Unai Emery, and every single player, coach and fan too, will know that there is a long way to go until we are at the required level, but the Emery era could not have started any better. A daunting trip to East Sussex to face Brighton is next on the agenda, but after that is navigated, the new gaffer has plenty of time to work with his side, whilst the January window is just around the corner to add some handy reinforcements.
ENJOY THE RIDE
Of course, this is one win and, as we saw post-Brentford, football has a cruel way of bringing you back down to Earth with a thump. But how many times have we trudged out of Villa Park in all kinds of weather, or how many times have the Villa diaspora turned on the radio or TV at ungodly hours only to witness a last-minute United comeback? The manager and his team will already have forgotten this and will be looking towards the game at the Amex next week, but fans will rightfully enjoy what was a superb result and a truly sublime performance.
Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey will get a lot of the credit, and rightfully so as they were unplayable, but every player on that pitch executed the game plan to a tee as a fluid forward line was backed up by a relentless midfield pairing and an almost watertight backline. And every fan in the stands played their part too, as Villa Park was back to its bouncing best. We may well be sat here next week rueing a disappointing result against an attractive and scintillating Brighton side, it is a funny old game after all, and we are nowhere near the finished article yet.
We will likely experience plenty of lows before we reach the level Emery wants us to be at, but the early signs are extremely positive for this new chapter in the history of this storied club. It is a rollercoaster of emotions supporting this football club, so letβs enjoy the ride! UTV!
AUTHOR | JOEY MILLINGTON
Authorβs UTV PODCAST archiveΒ Joey Millington | UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
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