Unai Emery branded his own players “lazy” on Sunday, as Aston Villa failed to capitalise against 10-man Sunderland.
Here are our Scout Notes from the Stadium of Light.
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“LAZY” VILLA
It is just not clicking for Aston Villa right now.
Unai Emery’s team faced an opponent with 10 men for most of the match on Sunday.
Yet, they delivered another lacklustre attacking display, managing only 0.78 expected goals (xG) at the Stadium of Light.
They did at least score their first Premier League goal of the season, courtesy of Matty Cash’s (£4.6m) fine strike from 20 yards, but they still aren’t creating much and look slow, often pedestrian, in the final-third.
“We have to recover our identity. I am not frustrated with the result, but how we are playing. We are not feeling comfortable with our style. We have to try to recover our personality and confidence to play like we are training.
“We were lazy sometimes. Lazy. The goal we conceded, we were lazy. Perhaps that’s because we didn’t play in our style.” – Unai Emery
WATKINS SET FOR FURTHER SALES
Substitute Donyell Malen (£5.2m) and Ollie Watkins (£8.8m) both had decent chances to snatch victory, but Watkins was largely anonymous until his late opportunity, when he somehow failed to connect inside the six-yard box with Jadon Sancho’s (£5.9m) floated delivery.
Pretty much any sort of contact, and it would have been a goal.
“Watkins is not having chances to score. He had one in the last minute. If he scores, maybe that’s the click to change everything.” – Unai Emery
Home clashes with Fulham and Burnley in Gameweeks 6 and 7 might tempt some managers to retain Watkins’ services, but sales are intensifying, with over 140,000 Fantasy bosses moving him on since Saturday’s deadline:
As for Morgan Rogers (£7.0m), he looks a shadow of last season’s PFA Young Player of the Year. Across his five matches this term, he’s registered just four shots and four chances created.
His passing accuracy is just 70%, too.
Even the introductions of Harvey Elliott (£5.4m) and Sancho failed to inspire Villa, with Emery suggesting Elliott is still adapting to his side’s style of play.
“Some players need adaptation. For example, Harvey Elliott, a little bit he was getting the ball and so quick doing passes behind the defence without options. He needs to understand, ‘Okay, Harvey, you have skills to play more passes, more passes, more passes, and then to do the pass behind, outside or inside,’ in better positions to get something more.” – Unai Emery
ISIDOR ON TARGET AGAIN, DIARRA INJURY
This point adds to Sunderland’s early-season momentum, which has seen them suffer only one defeat in their first five matches.
Even after Reinildo’s (£4.0m) red card, the Black Cats looked the better team.
They deservedly equalised thanks to Wilson Isidor (£5.5m), who got away from the Villa defence to prod home. The Frenchman has now scored in each of his three home matches this season.
Additionally, his tally of six shots on Sunday was the most of any player in Gameweek 5:
There were other chances, too.
Omar Alderete (£4.0m) sent his header onto the crossbar, with Sunderland’s aerial bombardment causing Villa all kinds of problems.
Also, a quick word on Nordi Mukiele (£4.0m). He’s now banked defensive contribution (DefCon) points for Sunderland in each of his three starts for the club, and is averaging 14 per match over that period.
On the injury front, Habib Diarra (£5.5m) was not involved on Sunday.
“We don’t know yet, the diagnosis is in progress but we’ll probably have to wait a few weeks. He has a muscle injury.” – Regis Le Bris on Habib Diarra
As for Reinildo, he’ll miss the next three Premier League matches after kicking out at Cash.
