BirminghamLive brings you the talking points from Aston Villa’s goalless draw with Newcastle United
Our dedicated Aston Villa reporter is always on the pulse of all things claret and blue, from major talking points to transfer news to match action, John Townley will bring you the very latest from Bodymoor Heath and Villa Park.
Aston Villa kicked off their new Premier League campaign with a 0-0 stalemate against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.
Newcastle had the best chance of the game inside the opening four minutes, when Anthony Elanga raced through on goal.
The winger was denied by Marco Bizot – who was making his debut – in front of the Holte End.
Villa played the final 30 minutes with 10 men after Ezri Konsa was shown a red card for pulling down Anthony Gordon as he charged towards goal.
Here are the talking points from the draw…
The two big frustrations
This will go down as one of Villa’s more forgettable season openers, certainly in the last few years.
After the disappointment of falling short of Champions League qualification last season, Villa ideally would have come out firing to set the tone for the campaign.
Instead, Unai Emery’s side were sloppy in the first half, lacking the composure to keep possession for long spells or to create chances.
Off the ball, Villa were largely solid and compact – aside from Elanga’s early breakaway – but they gave it away too cheaply in midfield with misplaced passes and rushed transitions from back to front.
Youri Tielemans was pushed into a more advanced role, but Villa missed his control and eye for a pass in the double pivot.
That’s not to say Amadou Onana or Boubacar Kamara had poor games – far from it. The Belgian impressed, especially after the break, while Kamara filled in superbly at centre-back following Konsa’s dismissal.
The second frustration was the timing of Konsa’s red card, which came just as Villa were starting to take control. With attacking options like Donyell Malen, Evann Guessand and Emi Buendia on the bench, there was a real sense that Villa could have pushed for a winner in the last half hour.
Their best chance came from a set-piece when Kamara headed John McGinn’s delivery straight at Nick Pope. Just minutes earlier, Tielemans had produced a perfect cross into the six-yard box, but no one attacked it.
Set-piece coach Austin MacPhee was visibly furious on the touchline, leaping up and yelling at the flat-footed Villa players. Tielemans himself looked frustrated by the lack of movement.
The first half summed up Villa’s struggles: they failed to register a single shot, something they hadn’t done in the Premier League since March 2022 against Arsenal – a run of 123 games.
Why Emery only made one late substitution
Back to Villa’s attacking options in reserve: most fans leaving Villa Park would have been scratching their heads as to why they didn’t see Malen earlier, or even new signing Guessand.
But with this being the first game of the season, Emery was content to take a point after his side were reduced to 10 men.
In his post-match press conference, he explained that introducing fresh players at that stage could have disrupted his team’s structure, and therefore risked losing the match.
“In the dressing room we spoke about the difficulties we faced [in the first half],” he explained. “We corrected some tactical issues, and the players felt more comfortable in the second half. We started to dominate, and in that moment, the players and everyone saw it differently in the second half.
“The red card changed the game, and we were in a low block lots of times. We have to feel in balance with this point. It is a test, and we are starting the season. After the red card, it was harder to substitute players with the structure we were taking. Keep going and looking forward.”
Bizot’s impressive debut
Marco Bizot was Villa’s man of the match, delivering as close to a perfect debut as a goalkeeper can.
He didn’t make the kind of fairytale start Emi Martínez managed with a penalty save in his first game for the club, but Bizot did produce a vital early stop to keep Elanga out.
At 34, he looks an upgrade on Robin Olsen – well-liked in the squad but limited in areas of his game. Bizot is a reliable shot-stopper and confident when claiming crosses, which eases pressure on his backline.
Speaking to Villa TV after full-time, he said: “First of all, it’s always special, always a little tension, to make your debut and play your first match at home.
“In the first minutes I had to feel it, but after a few moments it was absolutely amazing. The stadium was fantastic, the atmosphere was good, so I enjoyed it. Luckily, I could keep the 0, and I did whatever I could for the team. That’s my role.”
He added: “Of course, if you look at the game and the red card, you’re pleased with the point. But as a supporter you always want the three points. That’s the only disappointing thing. Still, after going down to 10 men, it’s great to get the first point at home and keep a clean sheet.”
Villa extend unbeaten run at home
It wasn’t the opening-day win Villa wanted, but the result means they’ve now gone over a year unbeaten at Villa Park in the league.
This draw extends their run to 19 Premier League home games without defeat – the longest in the club’s history.
In all competitions, they’re now unbeaten in 22 matches at Villa Park, their best run since September 1976 to May 1977.
Next up at Villa Park is Crystal Palace, who have enjoyed a strong recent record against Emery’s side, but not before Villa travel to Brentford next weekend.
After Palace, Fulham and Burnley will both visit B6 before champions Manchester City arrive at the end of October.
Claret & Blue verdict
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