It's just not meant to be for Villa
- James
- 16 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Football isn't 11v11 anymore.
We can talk about Premier League corruption, VAR being unfit for purpose, the vile, negative tactics of opponents being hailed as progression, and all of that can be true. Still at the end of the day, it's not meant to be for Villa and probably never will be again. So we just have to enjoy the journey, even if it ultimately leads nowhere.
🟥 1 Feb 2026 Villa 0-1 Brentford, Villa Park
Full Match Report: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/5816
Line Up
Scorer(s)
Scorer(s): None Assist(s): None
Starting XI
GK Emiliano Martínez 🇦🇷
RB Matty Cash 🇵🇱
CB Ezri Konsa 🏴
CB Pau Torres 🇪🇸
LB Ian Maatsen 🇳🇱
DM Lamare Bogarde 🇳🇱 🔁
M Douglas Luiz 🇧🇷
AM Emiliano Buendía 🇦🇷
AM Morgan Rogers 🏴
LW Jadon Sancho 🏴 🔁
CF Tammy Abraham 🏴
Substitutes
🔁 RW Leon Bailey 🇯🇲 for DM Lamare Bogarde 🇳🇱 46’
🔁 AM Harvey Elliott 🏴 for LW Jadon Sancho 🏴 77’
Unused Substitutes
GK Marco Bizot 🇳🇱
CB Victor Lindelöf 🇸🇪
CB Tyrone Mings 🏴
LB Lucas Digne 🇫🇷
DM Amadou Onana 🇧🇪
CM Ross Barkley 🏴
M George Hemmings 🏴
First Half Timeline
[🟨] 35’ Booking, (Brentford), Kristoffer Ajer, Bad Foul
[🟥] 42’ Sending off, (Brentford), Kevin Schade, Violent conduct
💥 Schade slams his studs into Matty Cash’s chest
🥅 45’+2 Goal, 0-1, (Brentford), Dango Ouattara
[🟨] 45’+5 Booking, (Brentford), Michael Kayode
🕒 45’+5 HT Aston Villa 0-1 Brentford
Half-Time Comment
A vile club play up to their reputation for thuggery once again. Villa have done enough to be well clear, but nothing has fallen for them. Another home defeat to follow the Everton travesty could be on the cards.
Second Half Timeline
🔁 46’ Sub off, Lamare Bogarde, Sub on, Leon Bailey
⚽ 49’ Goal! 1-1, Tammy Abraham
🎥 52’ VAR disallows the goal after three minutes, judging the ball had gone out of play before the attack even began. Phases of play?
🔁 77’ Sub off, Jadon Sancho, Sub on, Harvey Elliott
[🟨] 90’+1 Booking, (Brentford), Nathan Collins, Bad Foul
🟨 90’+3 Booking, Morgan Rogers, Bad Foul
[🟨] 90’+4 Booking, (Brentford), Vitaly Janelt, Bad Foul
🕒 90’+10 FT Aston Villa 0-1 Brentford
Full-Time Comment
Brentford, as usual, turned up to kick and defend, just as earlier in the season they added a fluke goal to the equation, then sit eleven behind the ball. If that makes you proud as a fan, then you can keep your points. A vile club.
On the only side that matters, Villa, Douglas Luiz* looked like he's never been away, a little rusty but clearly still the imperious player he was, Bailey looks revitalised, Tammy was insanely cheated out of a 'debut' goal, Elliott is beginning to be accepted and at the end of the day we're Aston Villa, and that's all we care about.
*How much did Dougie not want to play for Forest.
League Table
Officials Game Rating
Referee: Tim Robinson | 🏴 | Sussex, 2016-
Game Rating: 6/10 At least he sanctioned Brentford for one out of four of their vile challenges
VAR: Paul Tierney | 🏴 | Wigan, 2021-
Game Rating: 0/10 Criminal incompetence from Tierney
The Boss
Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 | Hondarribia, 2022-
2022- 🕒 174 | 🟩 | 98 🟨 | 30 🟥 46 | 1.87
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 leads Villa for the 125th time in the Premier League
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest Win percentage achieved across all competitions: 56.65%
Closest Rival: 1886-26 George Ramsay 🏴 Management Committee 49.55%
1982-84 Tony Barton 🏴 Highest Home Win percentage achieved across all competitions: 70.59%
Closest Rival: Unai Emery 🇪🇸 67.44%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest Away Win percentage achieved across all competitions: 46.51%
Closest Rival: 2006-10 Martin O'Neill 🇬🇧 40.63%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest Premier League Win percentage achieved 54.84%
Closes Rival: 1998-02 John Gregory 🏴 41.22%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest League Win percentage achieved 54.84%
Closest Rival: 1886-26 George Ramsay 🏴 Management Committee 48.14%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest Top Flight League Win percentage achieved 54.84%
Closest Rival: 1886-26 George Ramsay 🏴 Management Committee 48.14%
1886-26 George Ramsay 🏴 Management Committee Highest FA Cup Win percentage achieved, leading the club 5 or more times in the competition, 62.50%
Closest Rival: Unai Emery 🇪🇸 60.00%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest European Win percentage achieved, leading the club 5 or more times in European competition 66.77%
Closest Rival: 1974-82 Ron Saunders | 🏴 | 50.00%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Highest European Cup / Champions League Win percentage achieved, leading the club 5 or more times in the competition, 66.67%
Closest Rival: 1982-84 Tony Barton 🏴 54.55%
Unai Emery 🇪🇸 Lowest Loss percentage suffered across all competitions 26.01%
Closest Rival: 2006-10 Martin O'Neill 🇬🇧 26.32%
1958-64 Joe Mercer 🏴 Highest Post War Average Goals per Game Scored across all competitions 1.73
Closest Rival: Unai Emery 🇪🇸 1.72
On This Day
Ian Maatsen 🇳🇱 makes his 20th Premier League start for Villa.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/ian-maatsen
Douglas Luiz 🇧🇷 equals Albert Evans 🏴 1896-06, Ian Ross 🏴 1972-76 and Juan Pablo Ángel’s 🇨🇴 205 appearances for Villa.
Full Player Profile: https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/douglas-luiz
Scenes
What they said
Unai's keeping his powder dry right now.
The Last Word
"After VAR review, the referee overturned the on-field decision of goal to Aston Villa – with the ball deemed to be out of play within the attacking possession phase (APP). Referee announcement: “After review, the ball is factually out of play, so the restart will be a throw-in to Brentford.”
PGMOL keeps a straight face again.
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
