Aston Villa secured their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Bologna in the Europa League.
Aston Villa finally got their season off to a winning start, edging past Bologna 1-0 in their Europa League opener. However, the victory was anything but convincing, with the hosts displaying a lack of confidence and conviction that left many questions unanswered.
Captain John McGinn’s early strike from the edge of the box proved to be the difference-maker, his second goal against the Italians after netting in the Champions League last season.
Despite the win, Villa’s performance was far from impressive, with the team producing a tentative display that failed to persuade fans that their early-season slump is over. The hosts had opportunities to seal the win, but Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski denied Evann Guessand and Donyell Malen, while Ollie Watkins also missed a second-half penalty.
The penalty miss summed up Villa’s lack of belief at Villa Park, where they struggled to find their rhythm against an average Bologna side. The Italian team sensed a comeback after the break, with Federico Bernardeschi testing Marco Bizot soon after halftime.
Skorupski’s save from Watkins’ weak penalty gave Bologna further hope, as Santiago Castro’s header hit the bar with 20 minutes left.
In the end, Villa managed to hold on for the win, thanks in part to Bizot’s late save to deny Martin Vitik. While the victory gets their season underway, it’s clear that Villa still have a long way to go to recapture the form that saw them reach the Champions League quarterfinals last season.
The win may have provided some relief for Unai Emery, but it’s clear that his side needs to work on their confidence and conviction. The loss of form of key players like Morgan Rogers and Watkins is a growing concern, and Emery will need to find a way to reignite their spark.
Villa’s upcoming fixtures will provide a good test of their resolve, with a trip to Fulham on Sunday followed by a Europa League match against Feyenoord next Thursday. If they can build on their opening win and find some much-needed consistency, they may yet prove themselves to be a force to be reckoned with in Europe.
For now, though, the focus will be on addressing the issues that plagued their performance against Bologna. Emery has a reputation for squeezing every drop out of his teams, but he’ll need to find some extra juice to take Villa to the next level.
The bar has been set high under Emery, and it’s no wonder that questions are being asked about Villa’s form and performance. For the team to reach its previous heights, the players will need to improve drastically; otherwise, they’ll continue with this poor form.
