Aimless Villa stagger to bore draw against Juventus

Aston Villa and Unai Emery have run out of ideas, far too early in the Spaniard’s previously exhilarating revolution.

- PETE HALL

If a Villa supporter started complaining about drawing with Juventus, in normal circumstances, you would tell them to get a hold of themselves. But having worked so hard to be part of English football’s elite, this is where Emery’s side are at.

And if they want to stay there, this alarming winless run now standing at seven in all competitions after a dour 0-0 draw last night, the longest of Emery’s reign, must be brought to an abrupt end sooner rather than later.

What’s perhaps most worrying for Villains is that Emery does not seem to be overly proactive in stopping the rot. The same players, in the same system, are deployed week after week, and teams of all levels have worked out how to nullify them all too easily.

The obvious change would be giving the Premier League’s most utilised substitute Jhon Duran, one of Europe’s most soughtafter strikers in the summer, a start. Anything just to freshen it up.

Ollie Watkins has one goal in seven, Leon Bailey’s inconsistencies have set in, while Morgan Rogers looks a shadow of the swashbuckling attacking option from deep he has been previously.

Rogers looked to have given Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home at the death, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos had fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off.