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Luiz truth, Duran dilemma and MacPhee masterclasses - 10 things we've learned in Villa's 10 league games
Aston Villa have enjoyed an impressive start to the season after 10 league games as they sit one point off third place and are in the top eight of the Champions League table.
Things were looking even more rosy for Unai Emery's side two weeks ago as they were top of the league phase table and had just beaten Fulham 3-1 away from home. But then after the following victory over Bologna, Villa dropped two points against Bournemouth, lost to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, 4-1 at Tottenham and then fell to a 1-0 defeat to Club Brugge in the Champions League.
Their first loss in the competition came in bizarre circumstances after Tyrone Mings picked the ball up inside the box unaware that is was in play after Emi Martinez took a goal kick. Villa now face league leaders at Liverpool before the November internationals, which is the final break before March.
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Here are 10 things we have learned from Villa's start to the season...
Far from the finished article
Villa have taken a solid amount of points from their first 10 league games, but there have only been a handful of strong performances across 90 minutes. Emery has modified his side's structure and some players - including summer additions and also players returning from injury - are still learning exactly what their manager wants from them on the pitch.
"We are analysing and building a team," Emery said. "We have to compete if we want to get to the level we had last year. We are more or less keeping it, but we have to be stronger in some circumstances, tactically, emotionally and mentally.
"We are building a team with different players and with some players who are coming back from injury. We are again building a team and a structure. We are in this process."
MacPhee's planning paying off
One of the big positives from the first three months of Villa's season is their threat from set-pieces. Ausin MacPhee works meticulously to devise plans to attack dead-ball situations. His hard work is certainly paying off.
No team has scored more Premier League goals this season from either crosses (six) or set-piece situations (five, excluding penalties) than Villa (level with Arsenal in both cases). MacPhee is one of the best set-piece coaches around.
Villa's £50m summer signing Amadou Onana scored in Villa's first two away league goals with both coming from set-pieces. Excluding centre-backs, the Belgian won a greater percentage of his aerial duels than any other top-flight player.
Barkley's brilliance off the bench
Onana has only completed three 90 minutes in the league this season and Ross Barkley has often replaced him either for the start of a second half or around the hour mark.
Signed from Luton Town for a small fee in the summer, Barkley has already proven to be a shrewd addition. He played a key role in Villa coming from behind to beat Everton and Wolves at home, before he scored the opening goal against Bournemouth at the end of last month.
He then committed a foul which led to an equaliser for the Cherries in the sixth minute of second half added time, but his impact from off the bench has given Villa more control in matches.
Life after Luiz isn't so bad
Sticking with the theme of midfielders, it's fair to say that Villa haven't yet missed Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian left in a £42m transfer to Juventus back in June to enable Villa to comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
It's Youri Tielemans who has been Villa's best player so far this season. He has been one of the outstanding midfielders across the Premier League after 10 matches.
Tielemans has made more passes into the final third than any player in the league, while only Josko Gvardiol and Bruno Fernandes have recorded more progressive passes.
Kamara looking sharp on return
Emery has a brilliant squad at his disposal and has plenty of options across the pitch, especially in midfield. Boubacar Kamara's return is a big boost for Villa because he is the only player in the squad who can perform a specific function.
Onana will become a 'modern six' and will hopefully develop rapidly in the coming years, but Kamara is certainly the club's best holding midfielder.
He puts out fires and protects possession to a very high level. Despite losing in both matches he has started so far, against Palace and Brugge, he was the best player on the pitch for Villa.
Mr. Consistent, Lucas Digne
Even after Ian Maatsen's £37.5m transfer from Chelsea in June, Digne remains Emery's first choice left-back despite being unconvinced about him when he was appointed head coach two years ago.
"Lucas is really amazing in how he was doing his process here with us," Emery said earlier this season. "When I arrived here, I was not happy with his performances. I was not happy and I told him in that moment, I needed more from him, and I needed more in everything. But he was having some moments being injured - his shoulder, his hamstring. But he was always being very demanding of himself to try to do everything I was asking of him. And just now we are two years since we arrive here.
"He is really being very competitive. He's been very demanding. He's adapting everything we were asking of him and it's a very good example for other players in how he is as a professional. I am impressed about how he accepted everything even when I was sometimes being very hard with him.
"He accepted and he was adapting in everything I was asking of him, and really he deserved to come back again with his national team. We are very happy for him. He's very happy, of course, and he's very competitive, and he wants more, more and more. And now he's playing again Champions League and of course, he's grateful to be with Aston Villa and our new way. And really he's a very good example."
Duran and Watkins dilemma
Duran has arguably been the surprise of the season for Villa, scoring in eight of the club's first 15 matches. He bagged winning goals against West Ham, Leicester and Everton before also scoring in the 3-1 win against Wolves.
The Colombia international then scored the only goal of the game against Bayern Munich and found the back of the net in the following Champions League match against Bologna. His impact off the bench has been remarkable, but he now wants to start games.
Duran committed his future to Villa by signing a new deal last month and Emery wants to find a way to play him alongside Ollie Watkins. But whenever they play together, Villa appear to lack balance. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out...
Bailey yet to spark into life
From a positive surprise in Duran to a worrying one in Bailey. The winger recorded 14 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last season, but has lacked confidence and form so far this term.
Bailey struggled with injuries at the start of the season and hasn't managed to hit his stride just yet. He plays a key role for Villa and is a unique asset in the team.
Crucial that Bailey returns to form, Emery said that he is talking with him on a daily basis about his start to the season and how he can return to the level he showed last season.
Rogers sparkles
Before the season I wrote a piece outlining why Morgan Rogers was one of the players to watch out for in the Premier League this season, not only at Villa. All us Villa fans knew he'd sparkle from the start of the campaign.
He had Declan Rice and Thomas Partey hanging off him in Villa's home defeat to Arsenal, but his performance really should have been a key factor in a positive result on that afternoon.
Rogers has been a tremendous addition to the squad and he will continue to develop under Emery in the years to come. He is currently in talks over signing a new contract with the club after joining back in January from Middlesbrough for just £8m, rising to £15m with add-ons.
Serious depth can take Villa far
The bench Villa had against Fulham and Bologna after the October international break was the strongest some fans have ever seen. Emery has changed games with help from players coming off the bench to make an impact.
Despite many injuries last season, Villa finished fourth and reached the semi-final of a European competition. Now with even more options than last term following the returns of Mings, Kamara and Emi Buendia, Emery has plenty of solutions to get results.
Emery might have an idea of what his best XI is, but we might not have seen it yet while Kamara and Mings have only just returned to action following respective ACL injuries. That being said, it is important that the Villa boss finds a settled side rather than making several changes each game like we've seen in recent weeks.
Perhaps the amount of changes to the starting XI has been due to the different competitions Villa have been playing in, but continuity is important for any team.
