'I wanted us to finish strongly and we didn't do that'published at 16:34 29 September
16:34 29 September
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to BBC Sport after today's draw: "It was a pretty good match and I think the draw was fair.
"We were better in the first half, the second half we lost our concentration and the consequences happened because they scored and they could have scored one more.
"We had our chances but we conceded more than normal and we didn’t control things like we did in the first half. I am not happy with the point but I have to accept it because I think it is fair.
"They had their game plan of course when they scored it was a surprise because we started well. I wanted us to finish strongly and oppose and we didn’t do that."
'A draw is a fair result'published at 16:15 29 September
16:15 29 September
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has been speaking to Sky Sports following today's draw: "They always put a lot of pressure on us and we couldn't really implement our game plan. Ipswich were always on to us and it was a bit of a basketball game which is what they wanted but we didn't.
"It was a difficult game and I think a point is a fair result. We didn't get it right in the final third, we could have been more ruthless myself included.
"A point is a fair result but disappointing because there were a lot of opportunities for us. They kept putting pressure on us, they're here at home, they made runs in behind and we grinded the result out in the end."
On facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek: "Everybody is ready, there's a buzz around the club. Last year was special and this will be even better this year in the Champions League. You want to play in the best games in the world."
Ipswich 2-2 Aston Villa - send us your thoughtspublished at 15:58 29 September
Sutton's predictions: Ipswich v Aston Villapublished at 11:15 29 September
11:15 29 September
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week six, he takes on Maximo Park singer Paul Smith, whose latest album, Stream Of Life, is out on Friday.
Ipswich host Aston Villa at 14:00 on Sunday.
Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Ipswich are still waiting for their first win of the season, but they have impressed me - and they have only lost to Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League so far.
Kieran McKenna's side left it late to score their equaliser against Southampton last week, and it is results like that which will boost their confidence.
I don't see them getting anything here, though. Aston Villa do concede goals, and are already fighting on all fronts so this is a test of their squad.
Ipswich will have a go and I think they will score, but again I think that Villa will have too much for them.
Paul's prediction: I am going to go for a Villa away win. I feel bad for saying it because Ipswich play good football and they are not going to be overrun by any means but Villa are just finding a rhythm.
I feel like Morgan Rogers is on good form, Ollie Watkins has missed a few and scored a few now, and obviously they have got their super-sub, Jhon Duran, to get them over the line if they need it. Stick him on in the 70th minute and he will win the game for them - it would be amazing for him to keep doing it. 1-2
Emery on Duran, 'focusing' to get points and Ipswichpublished at 15:48 27 September
15:48 27 September
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Ipswich Town (kick-off 14:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery said Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara are "training very well" and the plan with them is to try to start playing with the under-21s next week: "After the break they will be available should everything go well."
On Jhon Duran: "He’s involved in focusing like I want. It is my challenge to try to get the best of him playing as a striker, playing with [Ollie] Watkins as well. We will play them more together."
On recent results: "Every match we play in has been a different gameplan. Ipswich Town is different but difficult, like the match before. We are trying to build a team. We have to try to get stronger tactically with our players. Some players are in the process - we want to increase our levels individually and collectively. The process has been positive because we are getting points in this way. But of course, we have to improve a lot of things."
On three tough games coming up: "I am thinking only about our next match, which is Ipswich. Two years ago we got Conference League - one point difference to Brentford. Last year we got Champions League - two points difference to Tottenham. At the end of the season we don't want to remind ourselves of the moments we didn't focus for those points."
On Ipswich: "They are really playing very well - not getting points like they deserve but being competitive. They played Liverpool at home, they lost but played very well. They drew against Fulham at home and they played very well. They drew in the past two matches, against Brighton and Southampton. My expectation for Sunday is we play very well and we have to compete to try to stop them because they are aggressive in their press, in their duels. We have to respect them because they deserve to be in the Premier League. I am working deeply, analysing them."
What's with the dark arts?published at 07:58 27 September
07:58 27 September
Image source, Getty Images
There has been a lot of conversation this week about "dark arts" in football following the draw between Manchester City and Arsenal on Sunday.
Realistically, everyone who has watched football for longer than one game has seen things they would perceive as "dark arts"; whether it is a player always going down winning free-kicks to take the sting out of the game, kicking the ball into row Z when there was no multi-ball system or time-wasting on goal-kicks.
These are things we see all the time but our perception of it is dependent on the context of a game. You always see some version of it somewhere, and you hope your team would be doing the same thing if in the same situation - because why should you do something that would benefit the opposition you are against?
It is the same as going down a bit more easily to win penalties - some people will say "this guy is a cheat", but then on the other side of their mouth, if it is something that could benefit them, they say "he has tried too hard to stay up, he needed to go down there".
You can have rulings, Ifab can get involved to change this and that, but there will always be a way to push the rules to their limits.
What we saw with Arsenal in that game, where David Raya sat down to get some treatment while the teams gathered, we have seen those moments before. It is not just new to Arsenal - other teams do it.
It is always based on certain moments. You do get more frustrated if it happens against you, but when you need to do it, you encourage people to do it. That is one of the beauties of football - the way you see things is always going to be down to perception, context and just whether you think it is benefiting you or not.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Phil Cartwright
Since Unai Emery’s first Aston Villa game in November 2022, only Erling Haaland (66) and Mohamed Salah (59) have been involved in more Premier League goals than Ollie Watkins (53 – 35 goals, 18 assists).
Carabao Cup fourth-round draw - who is your team facing?published at 22:32 25 September
22:32 25 September
Image source, Getty Images
The draw has been made for the Carabao Cup fourth round, with 12 Premier League clubs having made it through and Newcastle set to play their postponed tie against Wimbledon on 1 October.
There are four confirmed all-Premier League fixtures, including Tottenham hosting Manchester City and holders Liverpool travelling to Brighton.
Ties are scheduled to take place the week commencing 28 October.
All the fixtures featuring top-flight sides are shown below:
'Villa's self-belief could take them quite a long way'published at 16:50 25 September
16:50 25 September
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, PA Media
Anyone drifting into an early doze during Saturday's Match of the Day might have been snapped to attention by Unai Emery's unexpectedly strident opinion on his team's performance against Wolves.
Emery, as you will have heard, is normally the most polite of interviewees, so if that was his verdict in public, we can infer what his tone might have been to his players.
For a long time, Saturday's match sounded like a derby in the stands but did not really look like one on the field. Wolves' goal, although finished sharply by Matheus Cunha, was the consequence of a defensive blunder and Villa rarely put the visitors under sustained pressure until Ollie Watkins' equaliser caused a decisive shift in momentum.
When he reached the radio interview room, Emery still seemed puzzled.
"We were passive - it was really strange," he said. "We needed to change everything - the result, the rhythm, the game plan. Of course, we want to play with a structure, but sometimes we have to play with our heart and try to get the energy of the supporters and play going forward. The second half, playing more or less like that, we reacted very well."
The most common theory offered on Saturday was tiredness. But almost four days had passed since Bern - not the most arduous of journeys for the players, by modern standards - and in any case, they did quicker turnarounds for the Conference League last season. They will have to get used to that.
Emery is probably still figuring it all out. But sport is not all science. Some of it is instinct and inspiration, which does not always come to order. Villa just didn't click on Saturday, until they suddenly did. From that moment on, it was clear they believed they were going to win.
Arguably we have not yet seen Villa at their best so far this season, at least not for 90 minutes, yet they have beaten every opponent except Arsenal. This is a true measure of progress.
They will need to operate closer to their peak more often as the season develops and they play more heavyweight opponents, and Emery will keep working on the technical elements.
But the obvious self-belief the Villa squad now has could take them quite a long way.
Are Emery's Villans top of the rest?published at 13:27 25 September
13:27 25 September
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty Images
The league table has already got a very familiar look about it with the usual suspects in and around the top six. In fact, there is scarcely a surprise other than Spurs and Manchester United being mid table. Then again they are both very erratic sides who will comfortably finish higher in the end.
It is no longer a surprise to find Aston Villa nestling in nicely in the top four. Having gone to Switzerland to watch them in the flesh last week, I am even more impressed than I was before. They have danger and creativity everywhere, even Ezri Konsa popped up from the back during open play to score the vital goal against Wolves in the 88th minute.
Their swashbuckling attacking attitude is hard not to love. Coach Unai Emery is at the heart of it all - but it isn’t just his tactics. It is also his fiendishly clever squad manipulation. Jhon Duran looked very likely to leave in the summer and last season he looked like a rough diamond.
Suddenly, even though he is rooted on the bench at the start, he has become an invigorated impact player late in games. He has four league goals already this season, at a rate of 2.75 goals per 90 minutes!
So why doesn’t Duran start with those stats? Well, Morgan Rogers may never have the scoring ratios of Ollie Watkins or Duran but he is a spectacularly selfless team player, a dream to play with. With players like him and John McGinn, I will admit to becoming more of an Aston Villa fan every week.
Wycombe 1-2 Aston Villa - the fans' verdictpublished at 08:39 25 September
08:39 25 September
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts after Wednesday's Carabao Cup game between Wycombe Wanderers and Aston Villa.
Here are some of your comments:
Richard: Harsh on Wycombe, who also didn't field their first XI. They played well. Never a penalty, but difficult for the ref. Average game of football, bit of good fortune for the Villa kids, and on we go. Delighted for Buendia. A lot of hype around Duran at the moment, but he's far from the finished article. A cup run will help him.
Nick: Job done but a match to forget. Wycombe were dogged and with a bit more poise could easily have got themselves ahead. But finishing quality showed for the big chances even though the penalty looked a bit soft. Refreshing to watch a game with no VAR though.
Dan: I was hoping for better. Wycombe set out to frustrate and nullify and did that well. Villa had enough quality out there and should have done better sooner. If Duran's early effort had gone in instead of wide, it would have been a different game. In the end they won. A decent goal from Buendia and a soft pen from Duran. Job done, just about.
Mike: With a squad whose shirt numbers totalled 747, there were clear indications of how this cup isn’t a priority. But a win is a win, so we progress to round four and turn our focus to Ipswich at the weekend.
David: Performance that reminded me of Stevenage when Emery first started. Expected the reserve players to fully grab the opportunity but they didn't at all. Our full-backs were both starting in the Conference League last season but looked poor against League One opposition. Need to improve for the next round - this could be a back up Europa spot for us.
'I really love this football club' - Buendiapublished at 08:09 25 September
08:09 25 September
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa attacker Emi Buendia speaking to Sky Sports about his goal against Wycombe after returning from injury: "It was good and what I need to be more often, [getting] in the box. Fortunately, the deflection came to me and I tried to head it as far as possible over the goalkeeper.
"It is a really special night. To come back and play for this club, I really love this football club so today to have the cup tie and to help the team with the goal is an amazing experience.
"We have a really big squad as we showed today. We have an amazing academy and today was a chance to show our quality.
"We try to play our game and keep going in our philosophy and we got the win."
Gossip: Striker a target for Barcelonapublished at 07:59 25 September
07:59 25 September
Barcelona sporting director Deco is looking at a potential move for 20-year-old Aston Villa and Colombia striker Jhon Duran. (El Nacional - in Spanish), external
Wycombe 1-2 Aston Villa: Duran scores on rare start published at 23:02 24 September
23:02 24 September
Neil Johnston BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Rex Features
Image caption,
Jhon Duran has scored in five of his seven appearances this season
Every game is a big game for Aston Villa right now and Tuesday's EFL Cup tie with League One Wycombe was a big chance for Jhon Duran to show watching boss Unai Emery he is ready to start in the Premier League.
Duran has impressed coming off the substitutes bench this season, scoring four times in five top-flight games. Could he do the business from the start?
Named in Emery's XI to face Wycombe, the 20-year-old Colombia striker could - and should - have scored in the opening 35 seconds when he was sent clean through but missed the target.
Then he rounded Wycombe keeper Franco Ravizzoli but the angle was too tight for him to finish.
The effort was there from the No 9 but in a team that struggled to impose themselves on their lower league opponents, Duran cut a frustrated figure at times.
He did get another goal when he scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-0 late on after the referee adjudged Duran to have been fouled, much to the displeasure of the home fans.
Duran put it away with confidence but it is likely he will find himself in a familiar position when Emery recalls Villa's resting stars for the visit to Ipswich on Sunday (14:00 BST) - back on the bench.
Wycombe 1-2 Aston Villa - send us your thoughtspublished at 21:54 24 September
Villa's midfield evolving to meet growing ambitionspublished at 12:46 24 September
12:46 24 September
David Michael Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
When Douglas Luiz left Aston Villa for Juventus, many outside observers suggested that Villa had been weakened compared to the team that finished fourth in the Premier League last season. The lazy perception was that Amadou Onana was his direct replacement and that Villa would miss Luiz’s control of the midfield and his set-piece delivery. Luiz had, after all, scored nine league goals and registered five assists last season, while Onana had managed only two goals and zero assists.
However, zoom out, and it becomes clear that Unai Emery was planning an evolution of Villa's midfield to meet the club’s growing ambitions.
As Villa’s 2-0 win away at Arsenal, which derailed the Gunners’ title bid last season, demonstrated, Youri Tielemans is more than capable of covering Luiz’s absence.
Onana was brought in primarily to play the Boubacar Kamara role within the dynamic of the two deep-lying midfielders. With Villa adopting a more progressive style compared to Everton, Onana has also contributed a greater goal threat, already netting three goals in just six games across all competitions in a Villa shirt.
Meanwhile, Tielemans has been a revelation compared to last season, and he has arguably been Villa’s most impressive player so far—providing the heartbeat of the midfield and dictating play. With two assists in the Premier League and a goal in the Champions League already, he has shown that he brings an end product to Villa’s midfield and could well match Luiz’s stats by the end of the season.
With Ross Barkley coming off the bench for Onana to help inspire two comeback wins at Villa Park this season, and with Kamara just weeks away from being match-fit, Villa’s midfield is now on another level. Even captain John McGinn may soon face a battle to retain his place in the starting line-up.
Carabao Cup low priority for Emerypublished at 14:38 23 September
14:38 23 September
Image source, PA Media
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has conceded the Carabao Cup is low among his priorities this season - but insists his side "are going to compete" in the tournament.
Villa face League One side Wycombe in the third round on Tuesday (20:00 BST).
"It is clear the priority is the Premier League," said Emery. "Thirty eight matches [and] through it we have to get our first objective - try to be in the top seven and be consistent in playing in Europe.
"The second most difficult is the Champions League and then we have to try to find something important in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
"The FA Cup is maybe more important than the Carabao Cup, but the Carabao Cup is a trophy and we are going to compete.
"Of course I am going to change some players but I am going to prepare a plan to win and to get a good way in this competition. [That's] in case we can get through three matches and get an opportunity to fight for a trophy."
Image source, Getty Images
