Aston Villa took another step forward this season, putting a new focus on the Carabao Cup and beating Coventry City 3-1 at Coventry Stadium to set up a fourth-round trip to Bournemouth.
It’s been a tricky start to the season for Villa, who sit 19th in the Premier League after four games. They have taken just one point and have yet to break the division lead in front of goal.
However, away wins in domestic and international competitions have demonstrated the potential of this Midlands side this season, with big changes in the summer always requiring a transition period.
A lack of resilience and defensive intensity from the Sky Blues allowed Villa to push forward and secure progression to the next round. There have been a lot of changes to the lineup since the weekend’s loss to Nottingham Forest, and there are no shortage of winners on an individual level.
The biggest winners from Aston Villa vs Coventry
Emery is one of those players who benefited greatly from Aston Villa’s win over Coventry in the Carabao Cup. The Spaniard has been under pressure after a difficult start but this feels like not only a good result but a win that deepens the bond between the club, his tactical vision and the newcomers who are still adapting.
Tammy Abraham scored an emphatic brace to remind £65m summer signing Nicolas Jackson that he was not offered a free spot at No. 9 following the summer sale of Ollie Watkins.
In addition, new signings Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye have both impressed, with the former being tenacious and confident in defense, while Mbaye’s agile dribbling and natural momentum in the final third outline his potential as a Premier League superstar.
George Hemmings continued his stellar start to the season with an assist. The 19-year-old has started every game for Aston Villa this season, whether in the league, Champions League or domestic competition.
It’s a wonderful show of confidence from the manager that the teenager joined Villa from Nottingham Forest at the start of his career, but it does illustrate just how steep the winger’s path has been to one of the Midlands club’s rivals.
Emery could be set for repeat of Aston Villa’s Elliott disaster
Harvey Elliott endured his most frustrating season at Aston Villa last year, with Emery unwilling to play multiple games with the Liverpool loanee to avoid activating a permanent purchase option that he has no interest in pursuing.
Alejandro Garnacho now appears to have suffered a double blitz as he failed to get a minute against Coventry City and has now featured in three consecutive games as an unused substitute for Aston Villa.
Ganacho is hugely talented, but he has struggled to maintain his form over the past few years, falling by the wayside in Ruben Amorim’s United system – as he once did – before playing a minor role after joining Chelsea for over £40m last summer.
Alejandro Garnacho’s Premier League career | ||
|---|---|---|
season | Application (launch) | Goals + assists |
25/26 | 24 (14) | 1+4 |
24/25 | 36 (23) | 6+2 |
23/24 | 36 (30) | 7+4 |
22/23 | 19 (5) | 3+2 |
21/22 | 2(0) | 0+0 |
He may only be joining Villa on loan with a £40m option to buy, but the 21-year-old is hoping to rediscover his Midas touch in attack and develop into the dangerous winger he has long been touted to be.
After the game, Emery said of the Argentinian winger’s performance: “a bit behind“After the pre-season was disrupted, the order of his teammates also changed.
Even so, it is somewhat worrying that he has not been under the spotlight in the Carabao Cup, with appearance-based clauses being proposed to be built into his loan deal and then turning it into a permanent deal, which will no doubt evoke the same sad feeling that Elliott drifted on the edge for much of last season.
Aston Villa beat Coventry City in what was a great night for the new signings. Emery is known to turn his nose up at second-rate domestic competition every year, but this time he has used the opportunity to inject blood into his new signings and help rebuild a consistency that has understandably been altered after so many summer changes.
Garnacho has something to offer this club, but he clearly has a lot of work to do if he is to win over Emery and start getting consistent minutes in the Premier League again.