Villa’s Week: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
What distinguishes your average football pundit from Aston Villa at home? One is a banker, while the other is a… It’s time for the week’s Good, Bad, and Ugly.
The Good Repetition can be tedious, but if it is being gently caressed by the knowledge that Aston Villa are now a very potent home side, then let it continue indefinitely.
Luton Town became the latest team to be swatted aside by the Aston Villa grinder.
Luton could have fought back like Zrinjski, but once John McGinn transformed a simple set-piece routine into a work of art, the outcome was never in doubt.
To their credit, Luton managed to keep the score below three by employing a non-engagement strategy. They clearly knew that if they attacked Villa in numbers, the counterattack would have wiped out their goal difference.
Villa fans haven’t had so many weeks without football depression in decades.
Emiliano Martinez is the Villan of the Week.
Villan of the Week is awarded if your goalkeeper wins the Yashin award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony and finishes 15th overall.
The fact that it has caused such uproar in the media only adds to its allure.
Unfortunately, he did not keep a clean sheet against Luton Town, but there may never be a more decorated goalkeeper in Aston Villa’s history, and his comments that he wants to get the club into the Champions League rather than play in it himself are refreshing.
The Negative
Every season around this time, Manchester United appears to be in disarray.
They usually get their act together, but the competition in the Premier League suggests that this will be a difficult task.
Their fanbase in the stands, as well as in the media, go into a tailspin and start acting like it’s the mid-1990s again, and they can throw their weight around.
Many media outlets have cited Unai Emery as the ideal solution to the Old Trafford crisis this week.
This isn’t just bad journalism; it’s bad content in general.
It demonstrates a lack of understanding of Emery’s power and position at Aston Villa. He has complete control, if you will, and no other manager in the Premier League has the same level of influence at their club besides Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
People often say that they don’t leave bad jobs; they leave bad managers. Good managers do not like to bat on bad wickets in football.
Unai Emery turned down Newcastle United, despite the fact that the club had a lot of potential, but was persuaded to join Aston Villa.
He will not leave the best situation he has ever had in his career to take on the task that has burned Jose Mourinho, Luis Van Gaal, David Moyes, and others.
Manchester United’s situation is similar to that of a toxic workplace; good players and elite coaches show up and try to make it work, but are unable to deal with the politics, media pressure, and shadow of their glory years.
Unai Emery will not give up his position of supremacy to take on the risk that is the poison chalice of Old Trafford.
