Aston Villa’s impressive season has started to stagnate over the last couple of weeks, with Unai Emery desperately needing to find a solution for their issues at the back.
The Villans were at one stage looking as though they could challenge for the Premier League title, but after a run of two games without a win, they now sit nine points adrift of Arsenal.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality is an example of their recent struggles, with the side failing to hold on to the lead after Morgan Rogers’ first-half strike.
Injuries have no doubt played their part in the recent drop in form, which has led to the manager having to make numerous last-gasp transfers in the recent window.
However, some of Emery’s tactical decisions have left fans baffled, with one of his calls during Saturday’s draw undoubtedly coming back to bite him at the final whistle.
What went wrong for Digne against Bournemouth
After being left on the bench against Brentford the week prior, Emery decided to hand left-back Lucas Digne a start within the backline against Bournemouth.
The Frenchman has been a solid player for the Villans since his arrival back in January 2022, but he now appears to be a player who is miles off his best in the present day.
He only managed to complete 33% of the crosses he attempted, whilst being unable to create any chances for his teammates – showcasing his struggles within attacking areas.
The Frenchman was also dribbled past three times, whilst making just one interception, but his lack of defensive quality was hugely evident for the hosts’ only goal of the encounter.
Winger Rayan burst forward into the final third, with Digne simply watching his man glide past him into the penalty area, before thrashing home past Emi Martinez.
The 32-year-old even tried to pass some of the blame onto his teammates at the Vitality, with the defender evidently struggling to match his previous heights in the West Midlands.
Worse than Digne: Villa star must not start again
In recent seasons, Villa have often made numerous impressive signings, often spending big money in the process, in an attempt to catapult the club to a finish in a European place.
The hierarchy have spent over £200m on new additions since the summer of 2024, which has no doubt handed Emery the players he’s craved for success at Villa Park.
However, as previously mentioned, injuries have plagued his side over the last few weeks, which has no doubt made their pursuit of glory a tad harder to come by.
Tammy Abraham and Douglas Luiz were subsequently added during January, with the aforementioned pair returning to the West Midlands for the second time in their careers.
£30m signing Leon Bailey also returned to the club during the recent window, but in a slightly different manner, after spending the first half of the season on loan at Italian side Roma.
The 28-year-old only registered 11 appearances during his temporary spell in Serie A, with the hierarchy making the call to recall him and place him back in the senior ranks.
However, such a decision now looks to be a questionable one, with the Jamaican international massively struggling in his three appearances off the bench to date.
Emery handed him 24 minutes worth of action against the Cherries, but his stats from such a showing highlight his dismal form and lack of impact in the final third.
Bailey could only complete two passes at the Vitality, at a completion rate of just 50%, whilst also registering a measly tally of just 11 touches of the ball.
He also failed to complete any of his attempted take-ons on Saturday, whilst being unable to create any chances for his teammates within the final third of the pitch.
|
Leon Bailey – stats against Bournemouth |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
24 |
|
Passes completed |
2 |
|
Pass accuracy |
50% |
|
Touches |
11 |
|
Chances created |
0 |
|
Take-ons completed |
0 |
|
Passes into final third |
1 |
|
Shots taken |
0 |
The winger also lost possession six times within his 11 touches of the ball, which showcases his wasteful nature and lack of confidence when tasked with changing the game.
After such a showing, journalist Michael McCarthy took to social media and labelled Bailey an “utter disgrace”, which further highlights his embarrassing showing off the bench.
There’s no denying that the player is miles off the level required for success in 2026, with his struggles only halting Villa’s chances of success under Emery in the months ahead.
He simply can’t be trusted to make the impact needed to grind out impressive results, with his quality unfortunately not at the same level as others around him.
Not just Digne: Emery must drop Aston Villa star who lost the ball 12 times
Aston Villa may have been fortunate to have secured a point against Bournemouth yesterday.
