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Aston Villa have only won two of their past seven games. This is not the form of a team looking to secure Champions League football, nor one sitting third in the league for several months.
The team are looking sluggish, lacking in creativity and struggling to keep a clean sheet. Performances have been underwhelming, which has perhaps been more of a concern than the dwindling points tally.
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The fixture against Chelsea at Villa Park on Wednesday is season-defining. A Champions League ‘six-pointer’ in which Villa could build a nine-point gap on the visitors, or the deficit between fourth and sixth could shrink to three points.
How can Unai Emery turn things around in a period of decline? It’s time for something different – a fresh approach that will inject energy into a weary side creaking under the pressure.
The boss will never rip up his tactics sheet and start afresh, particularly in the final run-in of the season. But his team needs an evolution, not a revolution.
The easiest way for Villa to evolve is a change in starting personnel. Tammy Abraham has looked lively since his arrival, but has struggled to seize the shirt from Ollie Watkins. As Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer struggles to net, the ex-Chelsea forward should be eyeing a start against his former club as an opportunity to stake his claim.
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Meanwhile, youngster Alysson, who has had a stop-start beginning to his journey in claret and blue, has shown promise in his brief cameos so far. An energetic and physical attacker looking to impose himself on the Premier League feels exactly the type of player to fire Villa’s frontline.
As the team look to spark the atmosphere at Villa Park, a refreshed performance will be the thing that really reignites belief and excitement among fans, who are longing to see the tide turn in a lengthy history of Villa falling at the final hurdle.
Find more from Hannah Gowen at UTV