Aston Villa’s start to the Premier League season has been anything but smooth.
Off-the-field uncertainty dominated their summer, and the hangover has been felt on the pitch.
The club only recorded their first league win of the season against Fulham on Sunday, lifting them out of the bottom three and into 16th place.
Their negative goal difference reflects a side still finding its rhythm, and the early results suggest that pressure is quickly building on Unai Emery’s squad.
The turbulence began with financial concerns. Villa’s transfer activity was clouded by PSR restrictions, which made it unclear whether they could reinforce without significant sales.
Star goalkeeper Emi Martínez came close to leaving for Manchester United, while Ollie Watkins also attracted interest from other top-flight clubs.
Somehow, Villa kept hold of both – as well as their brightest talent, Morgan Rogers – but the distractions were evident.
Rogers himself did little to dampen speculation, hinting in one interview that a move could be on the horizon.
Late in the window, Villa scrambled to bring in reinforcements, completing deals for Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho on deadline day.
It was a clear attempt to steady the ship and add creativity ahead of a campaign that will also see them compete in the Europa League.
A sixth-place finish last season raised expectations, but early form suggests off-field issues have seeped into the squad’s performances.
Why Morgan Rogers is synonymous with the malaise
No player better symbolises Villa’s current struggles than Rogers.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough last season, making 54 appearances across all competitions, including 37 in the Premier League, where he produced eight goals and 11 assists.
That form subseuqently saw him win the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year award.
His European contribution was also vital: four goals and three assists helped Villa reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
That productivity feels like a distant memory this term. Rogers has looked short on confidence and, crucially, short on decisiveness in possession.
In the defeat to Bologna, he played the full 90 minutes but registered 50 touches, completed just ten of 24 passes, and failed to record a shot on target. He attempted two dribbles and succeeded with neither, while losing possession a staggering 29 times.
For a player once celebrated for his dynamism and flair, those numbers are the starkest evidence yet of his current malaise.
The sense among supporters is that Rogers has become too predictable. Opponents now know his threat and actively look to smother him.
Some Villa fans have called for him to be dropped, suggesting that a spell out of the spotlight might help him rediscover his spark.
His recent form for England, where he registered an assist against Serbia, shows the talent is still there, but he has not been able to translate that into club form.
Aston Villa's Rogers replacement waiting in the wings
Waiting in the wings is Jadon Sancho.
The 25-year-old winger arrived on loan from Manchester United on deadline day, carrying a market value of around £25m.
This is a long way from the £125m peak valuation that this “crazy talent” – in the words of scout Jacek Kulig – held in 2020.
Matches Played
26
Goals
8
Assists
11
Progressive Carries
114
Progressive Passes
178
His fall from grace has been steep.
At Chelsea last season, his loan spell ended so unconvincingly that the club even paid United to release them from the obligation to make the move permanent.
Now at Villa Park, Sancho has featured three times, though he was an unused substitute in the win against Fulham.
This loan could represent the last chance for him in English football.
He will hope to reignite his career under Emery, with the Europa League providing additional opportunities for minutes and form.
His past record shows what he is capable of: a £73m transfer to Manchester United in 2021 was fuelled by dazzling performances at Borussia Dortmund, where his creativity and ball-carrying made him one of Europe’s hottest properties.
Internationally, Sancho still harbours ambitions of returning to the England setup, having already been capped 23 times.
With Thomas Tuchel putting together his squad for the World Cup, a run of form at Villa could put him back in contention.
More immediately, his arrival puts direct pressure on Rogers. If Emery decides to rotate, Sancho could step straight into the starting XI, offering pace, invention, and – if he can recapture even some of his Dortmund-era form – a cutting edge Villa desperately lack.
For now, Emery has been cautious, perhaps waiting for Sancho to fully adjust.
But the contrast between Rogers’ wastefulness and Sancho’s potential upside is difficult to ignore.
In many ways, Sancho embodies Villa’s gamble: if he thrives, he could spark their attack into life; if he fails, it could be another symbol of a club whose questionable off-field decisions continue to cloud their season.