No goals but Emery knows Villa’s forwards need time
No goals but Emery knows Villa's forwards need time. Figure caption, Aston Villa still winless after stalemate at Hull'We must be patient'Emery's messaging is crucial, which is why it will take time for them to develop into the cohesive unit the manager demands.
What happened
Aston Villa have not scored in their opening three Premier League games – how will manager Unai Emery find their attacking edge? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nicolas Jackson has scored eight goals in 37 games for Senegal and played at this summer's World CupByNick MashiterFootball reporterPublished9 hours agoIt is a new era – but Aston Villa have been here before. Emery has revamped Villa before, but can he find their new attacking edge? Trust in Jackson crucial for EmeryImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ollie Watkins scored on his Al-Hilal debut against Al-Ahli following his £51m move to Saudi ArabiaWatkins' departure to Al-Hilal – which lurched between acrimonious and emotional – has left Villa without their best attacking outlet.
Jackson was brought in as Watkins' direct replacement and was a priority signing for Emery having worked with him at Villarreal. 1% conversion rate, scoring eight goals in 1,004 minutes of game time. Between them, Watkins and Rogers scored 46% of Villa's goals in the Premier League last season.
The wider picture
Garnacho has, so far, been kept out by George Hemmings – the 19-year-old is highly rated at Villa Park with Emery calling him "clearly a Premier League player". It is time Emery usually likes to use carefully – but it something he does not have in the current circumstances. Photograph: Rockstar GamesGrand Theft Auto VI is a phenomenon – but there is much more to the gaming worldAs Rockstar’s blockbuster prepares to dominate the headlines, it’s time for the mainstream media to stop treating video games as a novelty that needs explainingPredictably, the Grand Theft Auto VI “extended look” which premiered on Netflix last week was a success for all involved.
No goals in their first three Premier League games, with one shot on target, has followed a summer of change. They open their second Champions League campaign under Unai Emery at Club Brugge on Tuesday aiming to ignite the season. Villa took five games to score their first top-flight goal last season before ending the campaign triumphant, winning the Europa League in Istanbul. Since then, six of the starting XI from that victory have departed Villa Park, leaving them rebuilding their forward line.
Despite just one goal in his first 13 top-flight games last season he ended with 16 to leave for £51m on 91 Premier League goals, a club record.
What has been reported
Emery gave the Senegal striker his debut at Estadio de la Ceramica and believes he can rely on him to fill the void Watkins has left. He has started Villa's past two games, the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal and Saturday's draw at Hull. Jackson scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Chelsea and the stats slightly favour England's Watkins, when they both played in the Premier League between 2023 and 2025. In his first Premier League season the 25-year-old scored 14 goals and assisted five, compared with Watkins' 19 goals and 13 assists.
In 2024-25 Jackson scored 10 goals to Watkins' 16 in 382 fewer minutes. Jackson's touches in the box are also lower than Villa's departed striker – 168-231 in 2023-24 and 153-182 in 2024-25. Yet, Jackson's time at Bayern Munich – helping them win the Bundesliga last season – gave him a 21. It is why Emery trusts Jackson, but the unknown is being able to gel a new core of players together, however high their potential.
What happens next
Emery also has to ensure Mbaye – a £47m arrival from Paris St-Germain on deadline day – and Garnacho can provide Jackson the ammunition. Mbaye created four goals in 10 starts for PSG last season, helping them win Ligue 1, and was an unused substitute at Hull on Saturday. Emery will expect more from both once they are in tune with his demands. Manzambi, one of the World Cup's breakout stars in the summer, has yet to play for Villa after his move from Freiburg as he recovers from a knee injury.
His meetings can last anywhere between 90 minutes and two hours, which naturally tests players' focus levels, but underlines the amount of detail they need to take on board. To integrate 10 new players, including Jackson, Mbaye and Garnacho, takes time. It is why, when he needed players in January, Douglas Luiz returned on loan from Juventus and Abraham arrived from Besiktas.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across bbc.co.uk, techcrunch.com, theguardian.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.