Thomas Hitzlsperger: Why it will take Aston Villa time to achieve Unai Emery's real Champions League aim
2025-01-28
Category: sports

Whenever I go back to Aston Villa, it's exciting to see how ambitious the club is.That mindset is led by the manager. Since being appointed near the end of 2022, Unai Emery has changed the mentality around Villa Park and they have made amazing progress, very quickly.Of course that has seen expectations rise too, especially around the Champions League. Not only do their fans hope to make an impact in it this season, they want to finish high enough in the Premier League to qualify for it next time too.To be able to compete regularly on those two fronts is a difficult task, however. This is their first attempt and it's obvious Emery's side are having difficulty combining the demands of both competitions.Their draw against West Ham at the weekend was the sixth time in a row Villa have dropped domestic points straight after a European game, and fatigue is clearly playing a big part in their performances.That's why Wednesday's final group game, at home to Celtic, is huge for Villa's entire season.
I'm confident enough that they will get the win they need, because Celtic don't seem as strong on the road, but to finish in the top eight Villa are also relying on other results going their way.If they do seal their last-16 place, then it would make a huge difference to how far they can go in Europe - and increase their chances of another top-four finish too.Sunday was not the first time they have looked tired, and it would really help if they could avoid having two extra play-off games in February to get to the knockout stage.While that does not sound much and they are still in a good place in the Premier League - only four points off fourth place - the reality is they need a squad where the majority of players are experienced at Champions League level, and they cannot afford that at the moment.Because they don't have the depth yet, to achieve their twin goals they will need to have all their best players available in the latter stages of the season - so reducing their workload now could prove crucial later.
Staying one step ahead
I'm not just a former Aston Villa player, I'm a fan too.I love going back to Villa Park - I was there to watch Villa beat West Ham in the FA Cup earlier this month.You can see something special building at the club and also the owners' and Emery's vision of where they want to be, which is winning trophies and playing in the Champions League every season.They are still on course for all of that, despite not quite hitting the heights of last year, but maybe we do need to remember where they have come from in such a short space of time.We have seen so many games since Emery took charge where they were absolutely brilliant, but to do that twice a week is more or less impossible right now. While they have a good squad, Villa have not spent the sort of money that Manchester City, Liverpool or Arsenal have done, or the big European teams that are also Champions League regulars.Overall, I think most fans are patient enough to realise that and say, look, this is still good - although I can understand why they might have been disappointed by Sunday's display against the Hammers.I watched that game for MOTD2 and it was similar to other games this season in that we saw flashes of Villa at their best, but it also demonstrated how difficult the Premier League is.West Ham are in the bottom half of the table but their new manager Graham Potter brings a lot of energy and tactical expertise, and made it a tough test.The opposition is always learning and evolving and, once they catch you up, you have to get better again.Emery has made that point himself on several occasions, and the challenge for Villa is to make sustained improvement, and stay one step ahead.That's hard because the other teams are constantly analysing Villa's success, so they know them much better now and no-one underestimates them any more. Instead, they try to find a way to stop them playing, which is what Potter's West Ham did so effectively to deal with Villa's threat through the middle.
A new balance in midfield
That game was another example of how Villa's form this season has not been as spectacular as last year, but there have still been plenty of positives.After Douglas Luiz left for Juventus in the summer, at the beginning of the season I was wondering what would happen in central midfield.But Boubacar Kamara has come back from injury and done well, just like Amadou Onana did when he joined - we did not know how he would fit in, but he has delivered straight away.There is a good balance there with Youri Tielemans, who has their work-rate but combines it with his technical ability and vision to have an impact in most games.They have all impressed me, but Morgan Rogers has really stood out. He was not at his best against West Ham but, overall this season, he has been one of Villa's most consistent players.Like Tielemans he is always available to receive the ball, has the courage to play in tight areas and is physically strong. Sometimes he gets eye-catching results.So the issue is not quality, it is just about depth. It sounds like an excuse but it is just the nature of the game that players get ruled out for different reasons.There have been spells where Villa have been without a few centre-halves, while John McGinn has just been sidelined with a hamstring problem for a few weeks and, up front, Jhon Duran has been suspended. Of course they have all been missed.Villa will definitely be left short at the back again if Tyrone Mings is ruled out for a long time, so hopefully he is right that the knee injury he sustained against the Hammers is not a serious one.Given Pau Torres is already out, a lengthy spell on the sidelines for Mings would leave Villa at a point where they cannot really compensate for any more absences in that part of the team.
Details make the difference
Despite the obstacles in their path, there is one big reason to be optimistic about Villa's future - and that is Emery himself.Together with Villa's president of football operations, Monchi, and Damian Vidagany, the director of football, he has moved the club in a direction where a lot of people are thinking they are not just an established Premier League club, but are capable of winning trophies.I like the fact that, right from when he was first appointed, Emery has not been afraid to say his target is trophies. I've seen for myself that he has changed the attitudes of many people at the club, just by stressing the importance of being meticulous in whatever you are doing.His message or mantra is that it is the details that make a difference, and also to never stop working hard.He leads by example on that because he lives football, and Villa, 24/7 and is so demanding of the people around him.I know myself that it is fun to be winning, and fun to play good football. That is what the Villa players have experienced, and that's why they know it is worth continuing to work very hard.With Emery in charge, it feels like anything is possible - this is the start, and now they just need to keep going.Thomas Hitzlsperger was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.