Aston Villa are starting to establish themselves in the Premier League this season, with Unai Emery proving once again that he is one of the best managers in the world.
Not only did the Spaniard take over from Steven Gerrard and lift Villa Park from mediocrity to sustained domestic and European success, but he also took apart a title-winning side and put them back together again with shiny new parts.
Aston Villa’s rise in the Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|
season | integral | league ranking |
26/27 | 4 | No. 16 |
25/26 | 65 | fourth place |
24/25 | 66 | sixth place |
23/24 | 68 | fourth place |
22/23 | 61 | No. 7 |
21/22 | 45 | No. 14 |
The wholesale changes in the summer showcased Emery’s expertise, but the ruthless tactician will sometimes cut a player for the greater good of the team.
Last season, it was Harvey Elliott. This year, it looks like Alejandro Garnacho may be in a similar situation. But first, Jacob Ramsey is the man facing the front line at Villa Park.
What’s wrong with Jacob Ramsey at Aston Villa
Ramsey’s situation at Aston Villa is different to the two players mentioned above. The homegrown attacking midfielder once looked a real threat in the Midlands. Highly regarded by Gerrard, he is energetic, intelligent and explosive on the ball.
But his performances waned in the early years of Emery’s leadership, and although the move prompted persuasion from Villa, Ramsey was deemed expendable in 2025 and sold to Newcastle United for £43m to avoid PSR penalties.
Under Emery, he never really became a key figure, starting only 19 times in the Premier League in the 2024/25 season, scoring 1 goal and providing 3 assists.
The 25-year-old was in his early stages at Newcastle last year and his fortunes have yet to improve under new Magpies boss Matthias Jasler, with him making just three substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, averaging 23 minutes per game.
Ramsey is a talented technician but he may not have proved to Toons that Aston Villa made the world’s worst mistake in cashing in. Maybe Emery realizes this.
Now, the manager may want to repeat that move, preferring to let go of an up-and-comer who may not be high enough to thrive in a rebuilding Villa system.
Aston Villa’s new Ramsey must be sold
Aston Villa are not only a competitive team, but a team built to win titles under a tireless manager who refuses to waver in the fight for greatness.
Sadly, this means that not everyone is able to thrive and strengthen themselves in the long run. That’s the case with Elliott, and perhaps Garnacho will be the latest victim, but Lamar Bogard could join him.
Bogarde, 21, has been with the club since joining as a youth player from Feyenoord in the Netherlands in 2021. He spent two seasons on loan at Bristol Rovers in League One from 2022 to 2024 and has begun to work his way into Emery’s plans over the past year or so.
Some believe Bogarde’s versatility could be an asset in the coming years, but when he doesn’t provide enough quality in a multitude of roles, you start to question that. Indeed, Bogarde echoes Ramsey in this regard, with the former Villa star often switching between the left wing and attacking midfield, never quite establishing himself in either position.
The Dutch starlet has shown promising signs at Villa but his limitations have been discovered. In fact, retired striker Stan Collymore claimed that he “Not capable of Premier League football“.
Lamare Bogarde – Career Statistics by Position | ||
|---|---|---|
Location | app | Goals + assists |
defensive midfielder | 77 | 4+5 |
center back | 42 | 0+1 |
midfield | 18 | 0+3 |
right back | 15 | 0+0 |
Pretty damning, but it’s the same feeling shared by many of Aston Villa’s frustrated players after a difficult start to the season, with Bogarde lacking ball awareness and initiative.
Versatility is priceless in football, but it can also be a drawback for young players trying to earn a salary. Where is Bogarde’s biggest asset to this team? Is he actually a welcome addition at centre-back, or is he merely able to make up for the numbers in Emery’s new system.
Aston Villa’s Carabao Cup win over Coventry City also exposed the ineffectiveness of Bogarde and Ross Barkley’s double pivot in midfield. He has limited skills and made 11 starts in the Premier League last season, failing to score on several occasions.
There’s no doubt he could provide the fighting protection a side needs, but like Ramsey it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where he would fit best in the new Emery system, and one substitute appearance in the league so far this season highlighted the lack of trust in the manager that would ultimately be the end of his Aston Villa career.