Villa stay winless and goalless: ‘Trust us’, says club
Unai Emery takes Aston Villa to Brentford in the EFL Cup on Tuesday

Villa stay winless and goalless: ‘Trust us’, says club

Villa’s Goal Drought Deepens – But Club Asks Fans to ‘Trust Us’

Aston Villa’s troubling start to the 2025-26 season continued with a 0-0 draw at Everton on Saturday – extending their goalless run to four Premier League matches and five in total. Despite the drought, the message from within the club is one of patience and belief.

Villa are now among only five teams in Premier League history to fail to score in their opening four matches. The last time the club suffered such a dry spell was in the 2014-15 season. The current campaign marks their worst league start since 1997-98.

Yet Director of Football Operations Damian Vidagany took to social media in a bid to calm tensions:

“A point that doesn’t shine, yes. We need goals, of course they will come… but a point that strengthens us and our spirit… The first stone of a magnificent construction never attracts the attention of spectators. But it’s very necessary.”

Stats Reveal a Blunt Attack

Villa’s offensive woes are not just about luck — the underlying numbers paint an equally grim picture:

  • Expected Goals (XG): 3.07 — only Wolves (2.63) are worse.

  • Shots: 40 (just 10 on target).

  • XG from shots on target: A minuscule 0.08.

  • Big chances created: 0 (per Opta).

By comparison, even fellow strugglers Wolves and Burnley have shown more efficiency with fewer efforts.

Transfer Decisions Haunting Emery?

Villa’s summer window was notably cautious due to Profitability and Sustainability Rule (PSR) constraints, which manager Unai Emery criticized publicly.

Key points:

  • Evann Guessand signed for £30m from Nice – but has yet to impress (1 shot on target in 105 minutes, XG 0.07).

  • Ollie Watkins has eight shots, XG 1.1 – but no goals.

  • Jacob Ramsey sold to Newcastle for £40m.

  • Marco Asensio (8 goals last season) and Marcus Rashford were not retained.

  • Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott arrived late on deadline day.

The absence of proven, in-form attackers has left the team lacking firepower and fluidity.

Lack of Intensity, Lack of Identity

Under Emery, Villa had been praised for high-intensity pressing and positional discipline. But this season has been uncharacteristically slow and uninspired:

  • Vs Newcastle: 0.08 XG from open play.

  • Vs Everton: Slight improvement (0.24 first half, 0.75 overall), but still no real threat.

Ironically, several Villa players scored during the international break:

  • Youri Tielemans (Belgium) – 2 goals

  • Matty Cash (Poland) – 1 goal

  • Ezri Konsa (England) – 1 goal

‘We Believe in Unai and This Team’

Unai Emery, who guided Villa to the Europa Conference League semis in 2024 and a Champions League quarter-final in 2025, remains trusted internally.

Vidagany again addressed fans:

“Help the boys with support and memory of what they did in three amazing years. Much better years than the previous 15, 20…

I believe in Unai and my team.”

However, patience could be tested further. Villa travel to Brentford (Carabao Cup) and then to Sunderland (Premier League). Two more blanks may signal a deeper crisis.

The Road Ahead

If Villa fail to score in either of the next two matches, pressure on Emery and the squad will intensify. While the leadership urges calm, fans are growing restless with:

  • Diminished attacking options

  • Conservative recruitment

  • Sluggish on-field performances

Trust has been earned, yes — but football is a results business.

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