Happy New Year from The Villa Underground! Since 2011 we’ve been tweeting, blogging and podcasting. We’ve seen quite a lot in this time, from the lows of Premier League relegation to the highs of the 2019 playoff win at Wembley Stadium. Managers and players have come and gone too. For every McGinn, there has to be a Makoun.
2023 was a year like no other in Villa’s modern era. Here are the 2023 highlights for you to savour. Were there particular moments for you? Feel free to add them to the comments below.
85 Points & 32 Wins
Embed from Getty ImagesFortress is a word that sits amongst the most cliched in football. However, Villa Park became a true fortress in 2023, as Emery steered Villa to an incredible 53 points in the calendar year [85 points in all!] For many years, playing in front of the home crowd seemed to hamper indifferent Villa sides still further, but matched with strong away form, 2023 banished this with 32 victories in all competitions. This is an all-time club record. Remarkable!
Record 15 Home Wins
Embed from Getty ImagesFor many years, Villa broke records for all the wrong reasons. Indeed, former manager Paul Lambert now sits in infamy with a catalogue of record-breaking failures whilst in charge. Under Emery, things are massively different. A club record 15 home wins set a new benchmark and is a major factor in this side’s ascendancy to the top of the division. This was no mean feat in terms of opposition, with treble-winning Manchester City beaten, high-flying Arsenal put to the sword and – fresh in the memory – topped off with a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Burnley to see in the New Year. No other Premier League side has more home points [53] than Villa in 2023.
Ollie Watkins Assists
Embed from Getty ImagesThere’s no player in the top five European leagues with more assists this season than Ollie Watkins at the time of writing – eight. It’s been a phenomenal 2023 for the Villa striker, who has been rightly rewarded with inclusion in the England squad. Watkins has been directly involved in 32 Premier League goals in 2023, made up of 21 strikes and 11 assists. Only Salah (Liverpool) and Haaland (Man City) have delivered more for their respective sides this year. Watkins also became the first Villa player to score in five consecutive PL games in February!
5 Star Performance
Embed from Getty ImagesVilla supporters have a long collective memory, and few can recall such a complete and comprehensive display as that witnessed against Manchester City (1-0) in early December. Villa Park was absolutely rocking as Emery masterminded the tactical destruction of Pep Guardiola’s domestic and European champion side. In fact, Villa inflicted the worst numbers of any team that the Spaniard has faced during his managerial career. Not only were Villa rampant going forward, dominated in midfield but nullified one of the most potent attacks currently in world football. City mustered just 2 attempts on goal and failed to force a single corner. It was a performance and victory that will be recounted for long to come.
European Return
Embed from Getty ImagesIn October 2022, when the club sacked Steven Gerrard, the prospect of a relegation battle was more realistic than that of a European charge. What panned out from there was a remarkable reorganisation and refocusing of Villa’s style and ethos, resulting in an unthinkable run of results that saw the club secure Europa Conference League football with a final-day victory over Brighton (2-1). Securing a 7th place finish ended the club’s 13-year hiatus from European competition, with Villa topping their group after overcoming Legia Warsaw, AZ Alkmaar and Zrinjski. Villa’s tournament resumes in March 2024 and the excitement of a yet-to-be-confirmed last-16 opposition. Can Villa go all the way?
What will 2024 bring?
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