Aston Villa’s trophy drought continues after their EFL Cup exit to Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Unai Emery’s lineup choices indicated the League Cup isn’t Villa’s top priority this season, though fans may have hoped for a different approach.
For Villa, this was a significant opportunity to reach the quarter-finals, especially given the recent positive atmosphere around the club. With a mix of established starters and returning players, including Tyrone Mings, Jhon Duran, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey, and Diego Carlos, Villa fielded a strong squad. Yet, many of these players, who were substitutes in Villa’s recent 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, failed to make a strong impact.
One key player under scrutiny is Leon Bailey. After playing a crucial role in Villa’s successful campaign last season, his form has noticeably dipped this year. Emery has previously shared that Bailey began the season carrying an injury, which may be affecting his performances.
Despite this, Bailey has continued to start games but has struggled to replicate last season’s form. After the loss, Emery was candid in his evaluation of Bailey, stating, “There’s still work to do with Leon Bailey to get to the same level as last year.”
Emery also emphasized the importance of giving players like Jaden Philogene, John McGinn, and Ian Maatsen more minutes to build confidence and gain experience. Jaden Philogene, in particular, has shown promise since his return this summer and could provide solid competition for Bailey in the squad.
Bailey’s performance against Palace was lackluster, with no successful dribbles and a passing accuracy of just 70%, as noted by WhoScored.
While Bailey’s return to form is crucial for Villa’s success, Emery’s squad depth offers options for rotation if Bailey’s struggles continue.