It may be early days, but there is no doubt what the great Unai Emery have been able to achieve in the midlands with Aston Villa, they sit atop the standings in the newly rejigged champions league with a perfect three wins from three matches, becoming the third side since 1992 to win thrice without conceding a goal(joining Malaga 2012/2013 and Leicester 2016/2017), even after playing Champions league heavy weights Bayern Munich, it was the closest they have been to the glory days of the eighties when they lifted the old school champions league then known as the European cup, interestingly it was a win against Bayern Munich with the same scoreline, emulating three other previous English winners of Europe`s (Manchester United,Liverpool and Nottingham Forest)flagship tournament(Chelsea and Manchester City have made it six), they added the European super cup when they dispatched Barcelona 3-1 over two legs(0-1,3-0).
Aston Villa are one of three clubs(Blackburn Rovers and Everton) to found both the premier league (1992)and the football league(1888) they have a rich and proud history and when they recruited Emery two seasons ago, neck deep in the relegation battle, they would have given an arm and anything else if they were told that they will be in the champions league and in fourth position in the English Premiership standings, level on points with third placed Arsenal, the only club that Emery had not won silverware with in recent times, even when they contested the final of the Europa cup against a Chelsea team that had a manager Maurizio Sarri that had not won a title at that level.
Aston Villa fans can dare to dream after all, on the management team is non other than Monchi the president of football operations, the serial winner, Emery`s partner in success at Sevilla, their sporting Director while Emery was coach, they won the Europa cup three times. Emery won again, a record as the most successful manager in the tournament giving Villarreal her first taste of European glory. At PSG he won several domestic titles which included the Ligue 1 title, he won the domestic quadruple in only his second season.
His choice as coach a logical move, convincing Monchi to join him a masterstroke, almost like the partnership in Manchester City where Pep Guardiola joined Txiki Begiristain the Sporting Director and they have won everything. For Emery and Villa, after escaping the dog fight for relegation, finishing at a very modest 7th place which qualified them for Europe for the Conference league which they reached the semi finals.it can only get better, last season he finished fourth and took them to the highest level-the European champions league. this sudden transformation can only be possible with a great coach at the saddle. The experience does not end in merely participating, At the champions league standings they lead all the illustrious clubs with the top three spots occupied by three English clubs which includes Manchester City and Liverpool both of them also lead in England and Villa with the Reds the only sides yet to drop a point.
It is still too early but for the faithful he has left a mark which will be carried over forever in the record books, their captain McGinn thinks history already has a place for him in the club regardless of whatever outcome that follows he states “No matter what happens until now and whenever he leaves – we hope it’s never – he will certainly go down as one of our club’s greatest managers,” this is a great testimony for a manager that will be exactly two years in charge today, he has made such a great impact in such a short time. they have a solid side with perennial winner and vice captain Emiliano Martinez, Argentina`s number one shot stopper, defence strongman Diego Carlos their other vice captain, European championship revelation Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins, Tielemans,Mings, former Barcelona man Digne, new recruits Onana,Barkley and Maatsen, other players include Duran,Bailey and Pau Torres. he has been able to drill them into a cohesive and result driven team, at 95 games his 55.79% is the best in the club`s history better than his time in Sevilla, Arsenal and Villarreal. He has already being recognized in England, winning the manager of the month twice in April and in December last year.
Emery has set the standard and he even set a target to win a trophy, he does not want to waste time at the club such where his convictions and the results on the field is leaning towards such lofty goal, a realistic target to qualify automatically as the top eight from the champions league this season seems realistic and his great experience especially in cup games with a proven track record across Europe a confirmation.
When they scored their second goal against Bologna and sixth, in the champions league group stage it showed that they mean business, Duran with a determined effort which he swept into the net from close range in a tight position, it was his seventh goal this season. this put the game to bed securing the win which their play deserved.
In the league they will face Bournemouth at home hoping to tighten their grip on the champions league places with three points and Crystal Palace in the EFL cup before a daunting task against the ambitious Tottenham, a team they pipped to qualify for Europe last season, then an away game in the champions league against Belgium outfit Club Brugge and another away game, against Liverpool(both are top teams in England and in Europe at the moment) and a repeat fixture against Crystal Palace. a demanding fixture but Villa are ready. McGinn their longest serving player and captain, scorer of their first goal against the Italians told TNT sports after the match “we don`t want to stop here. it puts us in a great position. some players are back and now we look really strong. what we are building is amazing. this is home for me. it is my seventh season here, we`ve have had ups and downs. it has been a roller coaster. hopefully we can keep climbing.” this is the collective mindset from the team, it sure is the right time for Villa fans to keep on dreaming for great things to happen. no matter what happens, they have made history, for the records both teams that went three matches without conceding a goal went as far as the quarter finals. Aston Villa can just keep dreaming, believe and it becomes a reality.
