Tomorrow’s match against Brighton is a big one, but on this occasion it feels especially important. The reason is the mass exodus of significant Villa players this summer. We could get our first real glimpse of what our season is going to look like.
I’ve looked back through football history at clubs that have lost key players in large numbers, and generally it doesn’t bode well. One exception was Southampton in 2014 when they lost Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert, Calum Chambers and manager Mauricio Pochettino. That’s some loss.
Yet under Ronald Koeman, Southampton actually improved, finishing seventh, one place higher than the previous season.
The difference is that we see ourselves as a much bigger club. We’re in the Champions League and competing with the very best teams in the Premier League. Southampton were a mid-table side at the time.
We have one of the best managers in world football. Could we improve? Could we somehow finish third? I suppose anything is possible, but I think it’s unlikely given the scale of the changes we’ve made.
At the same time, I don’t believe we’ll do a Leeds United. Financial problems saw them lose players such as Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, Jonathan Woodgate, Harry Kewell, Lee Bowyer and Alan Smith, but that was over a few seasons.
Within a few years, Leeds had gone from Champions League semi-finalists to relegation. I don’t see that happening to Aston Villa, but I do think there is a possibility that we could slip out of the top six.
Unlike many clubs that have experienced major clear-outs, Villa still have ambitious owners, significant resources and a world-class manager in charge.
The new players will need time to settle and build an understanding with each other. That’s only logical. Hopefully we can find our identity quickly, and if we do, the biggest reason will be Unai Emery.
There are many factors behind success in football, but right now our manager remains the most important one. UTV
I agree I do think we will struggle for a game or two until we get our injured players back it will be interesting to see how we go when we are at full strength to include Manzabi and Madjo and with a bit of luck Goretzka