Unai Emery Tactics At Aston Villa 2025/2026: What’s Behind Villa’s Premier League Struggles? – Team Analysis

Since the arrival of Unai Emery, Aston Villa has undergone a complete transformation. 

When Emery was appointed, the club was in 16th place under Steven Gerrard, while Dean Smith’s tenure before that had also ended in decline. 

Emery immediately altered the direction of travel, leading Villa to seventh, fourth, and sixth finishes across his first three seasons. 

Unai Emery holds the best record among recent Aston Villa managers.

He has the highest Points Per Match (1.77), ahead of Dean Smith (1.41) and Steven Gerrard (1.18).

However, the opening weeks of the 2025/2026 EPL campaign have brought a stark contrast.

At the time of writing, Aston Villa have just won a single game from their first six in the Premier League. 

This regression has surprised supporters and raised questions about Emery’s methods, the commitment of key players, and the squads overall morale. 

This Aston Villa tactical analysis explores both the tactical issues and the broader concerns surrounding squad building under Unai Emery management.

Aston Villa Off The Pitch Issues

The sense of deflation at Villa Park was seen in the closing days of last season.

 A 2–0 loss to Manchester United in the final match denied the club a place in the UEFA Champions League, and that disappointment appeared to colour what followed in the summer window. 

Financial restrictions linked to Profitability and Sustainability Regulations further limited their options.

Aston Villa remained inactive for long stretches of the market, and when a big move finally arrived, it provoked consternation. 

The sale of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United was unpopular with both fans and within the dressing room, while Emiliano Martínez made it clear his desire to depart. 

As the transfer deadline drew near, the club’s moves grew hurried. 

The arrivals of Evann Guessand and loan deals for Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho appeared to be a scramble rather than a coherent plan.

The impression was of a squad assembled more by circumstance than by design. 

Players who might once have been attainable targets and past loanees, such as Marcus Rashford or Marco Asensio, were no longer realistic in the absence of Champions League football. 

Instead, Aston Villa entered the new season, both reshaped and unsettled, leaning on a collection of loanees at a time when stability was required.

Aston Villa Striker Issues & Chance Creation

The raw numbers already expose Aston Villa’s struggles with the end product. 

They have scored just once in the league, and their expected goals are 3.85, both of which are the lowest in the league. 

These points are poor individual form and a lack of creating and finishing high-quality chances. 

Without a goal in 10 matches before this past weekend, Ollie Watkins has become both symbol and victim of these limitations.

Watkins’ game is based on attacking space rather than dealing with defenders with his back to goal. 

When Aston Villa play against a mid-block or low block, he is trapped between two centre-backs and forced to duel physically rather than exploit the depth. 

He remains the lone focal point in crowded zones because his teammates rarely provide coordinated supporting runs into the penalty area. 

Opposition teams can commit resources to blocking his channels, which forces him to take suboptimal shots from poor angles or receive minimal service. 

During this seasons 3–0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Emiliano Buendía received possession, but Watkins was left isolated inside the box.

Buendía controls the ball poorly, but it eventually finds its way to Watkins.

There is no close support to combine or create a bounce pass for Watkins, so he cannot spin into space.

When the ball eventually reaches him, he has his back to goal and no nearby runners, so the move breaks down.

Adding to his difficulty, Palace defend with strong cover, with players such as Chris Richards and Nathaniel Clyne quickly closing the space.