Europa League Champions Villa Start New Season Goalless After Three Matches, Emery Faces Rebuilding Test

How did Europa League champions Villa fall to three matches without a goal? Villa sold half the squad, and Emery now faces a huge challenge.

Who could have expected it? Less than four months after the Istanbul night when the team crushed Freiburg 3-0, the champions have failed to score after three Premier League matches.

Fans sitting in front of their televisions rubbed their eyes. Is this really Villa?

With one draw, two defeats and one point, Villa matched a humiliating record that had stood for more than half a century. Only Ipswich Town in the 1969/70 and 1970/71 seasons had previously started three league matches without scoring in consecutive seasons. Villa became the second team.

What were the results? They lost 0-4 away to Brighton in the opener with zero shots on target. They then lost 0-1 to Arsenal at Villa Park, with Buendia hitting the crossbar but still finishing with zero shots on target. Against promoted Hull City in the third match, they earned their first point in a 0-0 draw, with only one shot on target across three games.

Some Villa fans joked on social media: "We are not playing Premier League football, we are giving opponents warmth."

Looking back at the summer, Villa's moves were truly dramatic.

Of the starting XI from the Europa League final — Martinez, Digne, Pau Torres, Konsa, Cash, Lindelof, Tielemans, Buendia, Morgan Rogers, McGinn and Watkins — only Pau Torres, Cash, Lindelof, McGinn and Buendia remain after the new season began.

From goalkeeper to striker, the entire spine of the team was dismantled.

Rogers joined Chelsea for €138 million, Konsa moved to Arsenal for €59.6 million, Tielemans joined Manchester United for €41 million, Watkins went to Saudi club Al Hilal for €58.4 million, Martinez moved to Chelsea for €8.75 million, and Digne joined Paris for €7 million.

Nine key players departed, bringing in €360.25 million in transfer revenue, second in Europe only to Chelsea. Villa recorded a net profit of €60 million from the operation.

But the problem is — football is not accounting.

In recruitment, Villa spent €300 million on 10 new signings: €60 million for 20-year-old attacking midfielder Manzambi, €55.5 million for striker Nicolas Jackson, €55 million for Paris teenager winger Mbaye, €40 million for Joao Gomes, €29.2 million for Harwood-Bellis, €25 million for Ruggeri, and €30 million for Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

The money was spent. But what about chemistry?

Manzambi is still recovering from injury, Joao Gomes was sent off on his debut, and Suzuki has not yet fully understood his teammates' movements. The average age dropped from 29 to 25, but short-term competitiveness has fallen sharply.

To be fair, Emery is already an elite coach. He is a five-time Europa League-winning manager, and the nickname "King of Europe" was earned.

Last season, after that squad started the league with one draw, four defeats and only one point in the first five matches, some online called for Emery's dismissal. Instead, he led the team back from the bottom, reached Istanbul in the Europa League, beat Freiburg 3-0, defeated Liverpool and Manchester City twice late in the league season, finished fourth and secured Champions League qualification.

But this season is different.

Last season was about a familiar squad, with Tielemans, Buendia and Rogers connecting attacks and Watkins finishing chances. This season? Tielemans is gone, Rogers is gone, and Watkins is gone too. What can Emery rely on in attacking battles?

What does two straight matches without a shot on target mean? Since complete Premier League records began in 2003-04, only Swansea City in 2017-18 had previously started two matches without a shot on target, and they were relegated that season.

Villa fans felt a chill.

Against Hull City, Villa had 26 shots but only one on target. Many attempts were rushed under pressure, and finishing efficiency was extremely poor. This is no longer only a chance-creation issue; the forward line has collectively lost its way.

A controversial question must be raised: can Villa really avoid relegation this season?

Calling it a relegation battle may be an exaggeration. The squad is still valued at €570 million and the new signings clearly have talent. But challenging for the Champions League places or defending the Europa League title looks difficult.

The bigger problem is the schedule.

The Champions League group stage is already here, and Villa will travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge midweek. With one point from three Premier League games and sitting fourth from bottom, pressure on Emery is obvious if Europe also goes badly.

Villa also had one point after three matches last season before finishing fourth. Can history repeat itself?

Personally, I think it will be difficult.

Last season was a slow start with a complete squad; this season is the inevitable pain of a rebuild. Replacing the goalkeeper, defensive leader, midfield engine and main striker takes time, even for a great coach.

But the Premier League does not give you much time. With a crowded schedule ahead, every dropped point could push Villa closer to the relegation zone.

Fans have mixed feelings. They understand the club's financial difficulties — heavy investment caused excessive losses, so players had to be sold to balance accounts and avoid possible points deductions or European bans. But seeing Chelsea with Rogers, Arsenal using Konsa and Manchester United with Tielemans is painful.

It hurts.

It really hurts.

Standing on the touchline, did Emery look worried? Watching the match, I felt his substitutions in the third game were clearly unsettled, which is usually one of his strengths.

The new signings are still adapting. Manzambi sounds like a future star, but when can he play? Can he immediately fill the €138 million gap left by Rogers? Jackson replaced Watkins and cost €55.5 million, but can he handle Premier League intensity?

There are questions everywhere.

To be fair, Villa's season script already has several possible paths.

The most optimistic? The new signings gel before or around Christmas, the club adds one or two ready-made players in January, Villa finish eighth or ninth, qualify from their Champions League group, and everyone is happy.

The most pessimistic? The attack remains silent, Villa fall into a Premier League relegation fight, finish bottom of their Champions League group, and Emery's position becomes uncertain. It is not impossible — becoming only the second team in 55 years to start two consecutive seasons with three matches without a goal is a difficult label to remove.

I lean toward the middle scenario: Villa finish between 10th and 14th, narrowly progress or narrowly miss out in the Champions League group stage, and Emery stays but faces major media pressure.

But one thing is certain — Villa's home matches this season will be more entertaining than last season's.

Why? Because you never know whether 20-year-old Manzambi will produce a moment of brilliance or a new signing will make another unbelievable pass. This kind of mystery-box viewing experience is exactly the charm of a rebuilding team.

As for whether they can repeat last season's miracle comeback from the bottom to fourth place?

Anything can happen in football. But if Emery truly achieves it, he will no longer just be the "King of the Europa League" — he will be a magician.

Villa fans, fasten your seat belts. This roller coaster has only just started.