Aston Villa eye record breaking home win over Fulham but away day woes continue
Aston Villa are on the cusp of breaking a record that goes back four decades this Sunday.
Defeat of Fulham at Fortress Villa Park would equal their run in 1983 where they chalked up a dazzling 13 league victories in a row. Only Manchester City and Atletico Madrid can boast similar at present - which begs the question as to why Unai Emery ’s team cannot produce the same away from B6.
The statistics at home are Champions League form. It would be cheap to suggest the points’ total on their travels are Championship by comparison - but they are certainly undermining any true push for the top four. Harsh, maybe, on a side that really was more concerned about looking over its shoulder when the Spaniard walked through the door little more than one year ago.
But Villa - who have scored 20 on their own patch this season - have found the net just six times on the road. In their last four away games they’ve won once at Chelsea but scored just two in their last four overall.
From six this season, they have been thumped five at Newcastle United and three at Liverpool. The game at Anfield was effectively over inside an hour. The difference is quantifiable and therefore begs the question as to why the gap between what they produce at home and away.
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So far, the match ups at Villa Park have worked in their favour. Everton were reeling from internal squabbles and trying to find their own feet when they arrived with Emery’s team needed to prove a point after shipping five at St James’s Park. Brighton - and to a lesser extent West Ham - were prepared to allow Villa the opportunity to prosper in conditions in which they thrive.
Allowing Ollie Watkins room to stretch his legs and failing to come up with a plan to shackle Moussa Diaby - who is allowed to roam wherever he likes - has cost all three dear. Those three opponents all returned home nursing heavy defeats.
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It might be said therefore, given that Villa like to play on the counter that their game is ultimately suited to being the away team. The onus remains on the hosts to make the make the running. But perhaps Villa’s problem isn’t so much that they cannot produce the goods when they’re not in their happy place.
Moreoever, is it more a case of when they score first, they game opens up in their favour. It becomes more open and they prosper. Certainly, Villa struggled at home against Palace until Jhon Duran came up with arguably the best goal of the 26 they’ve scored this season to net a late equaliser against the Eagles.
That record looked in danger until the big Colombian international sparked a late revival that ended in a 3-1 win. At Wolves, they roared back into contention within a minute to equalise Hee-Chan Hwang’s opener. Villa had by far the better of the remainder of the match but packed ranks of old gold shirts wrecked any hope of a winner.
At Forest last Sunday, Steve Cooper’s men certainly did a number on Villa. Douglas Luis was swarmed around whenever he took possession. They were given little time in general to dictate play and the hosts, after Ola Aina’s fifth-minute goal, were happy to funnel back into shape and, as Emery admitted after the final whistle, beat them at their own game by springing forward quickly.
Clubs such as Newcastle and Liverpool have also been able to exploit Villa’s high line. Just like Chelsea demonstrated against Spurs on Monday night, that tactic can be exposed. It’s far from a disaster. It’s frustrating but Villa are moving forward on the pitch.
But if they want to do so just that little faster, an answer to their away-day hiccups might be in order.
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