Absences of Kirsty Hanson and Kenza Dali have been key to Aston Villa's winless start; Tough fixture list also a factor - but there is hope on the horizon; watch Aston Villa vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports Premier League from 12pm on Saturday; kick-off 12.30pm
Saturday 4 November 2023 13:54, UK
“I don’t stop working 24/7 and I will turn over every stone to try and work out how to move this forward,” said Aston Villa manager Carla Ward after her team lost a fourth successive Women's Super League game against Tottenham.
While Ward has faced her struggles in her managerial career, she is currently facing a strange conundrum - why has a team who finished fifth in the WSL last season not yet registered any points in the 2023/24 campaign?
Aston Villa were the surprise package of the 2022/23 campaign. After finishing tenth and ninth in the previous two campaigns, while relegation was not on the cards, another mid-table finish was largely expected.
One of the key reasons behind their success last term was the masterstroke of playing Rachel Daly as a centre forward. The England international ended the season with the WSL Golden Boot, having scored 22 goals, with Ward fostering a clear togetherness among the squad.
While she remains in that role this season, already scoring twice, Aston Villa have not managed to hit the same highs yet in this campaign.
In a league that consists of only 22 games and almost a fifth of that already played, the form is somewhat alarming, but there is a combination of factors as to why. And the better news - they are fixable in the near future.
Perhaps the most obvious reason is Aston Villa have missed two of their key players - Kenza Dali and Kirsty Hanson.
Dali - who shone for France at the World Cup in the summer - has been injured. Hanson signed permanently from Manchester United after a successful loan spell last term. But in the first game of the season against her former club, she was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Hayley Ladd and has missed the last three matches.
The duo's stats from last season show just why Aston Villa - and Daly in particular - are struggling without them
Dali created the third-highest number of chances in the WSL last season and was top for final third passes attempted and second for completion. Among other impressive numbers, Hanson ranked second in the WSL for assists and big chances created.
The Scotland international was also second for tackles, while Dali won possession in the middle third 73 times - these are more defensive elements the Villans have also been missing.
Daly, Hanson and Dali were Aston Villa's attack last season, and the absence of two thirds of it has been telling. Despite bringing in the likes of Ebony Salmon and Adriana Leon, they would have been signed to add depth as Aston Villa attempt to compete with the top four.
But now, they have been thrown in at the deep end with Dali and Hanson's absences and have featured in every game so far, included starts in the defeat to Tottenham. While they certainly have WSL experience, all new players need time to settle into a new squad.
With that being said, it is clear that Daly is not receiving the same service. Any team would struggle without two players who regularly ranked among the WSL's best last season.
And Ward agrees. When asked what Daly was missing this season, she replied: "Her partner, Kenza Dali - they were like clockwork last season.
"When you don't have the likes of Dali and Kirsty Hanson, if you look at last season, they were unplayable as a three. That always plays a part."
Ward must have had her head in her hands when the fixture list was released. Among their opening five games, Aston Villa were paired against all of last year's top three.
That run would not be easy even for Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United. Aston Villa lost to the latter two, although in cruel circumstances.
Against Man Utd in the 2023/24 curtain raiser, it was deja vu from April - conceding a late goal to lose the game. Facing Arsenal at the Emirates too, Aston Villa were leading heading into the 92nd minute. But strikes from Katie McCabe and Alessia Russo in injury time saw them fall to a 2-1 loss.
In both games, Aston Villa showed they were still the team from last season, but a combination of wastefulness and being unable to hold onto a lead led to their downfall. It does not get any easier either as they face Chelsea live on Sky Sports on Saturday.
But to lose against any of the 'big four' sides is nothing to ashamed of. In fact, any points against them is generally considered a success for most teams in the league.
It is perhaps against those teams that were near them last season where the bigger disappointments have come.
Aston Villa's performance against Liverpool drew the ire of Ward. "It's a reality check because that's one of the worst performances we've put out," she fumed. Although her side were ahead in most attacking stats - including shots - they were unable to breach a well-drilled Reds defence, who have still conceded only two WSL goals this season.
A 4-2 defeat to Tottenham before the international break was a more competitive performance and Aston Villa led for 28 minutes. But they were unable to stop an inspired Martha Thomas scoring her hat-trick as the Villans issues at both ends of the pitch once again came under scrutiny.
"We need to defend as a team better," Ward claimed after the Spurs loss. "I'll back our defensive unit to the ground because they've arguably been sensational, but at times, they've had to defend on their own. We have to defend together."
In truth, Aston Villa's defending last season was far from their strong point. They conceded 37 goals - the most of any team who finished in the top half - but having a lethal attacking combination helped them win vital points, which has been sorely lacking this season.
It is also indicative too of just how competitive the WSL is, and how other teams have improved over the summer.
No one would have had Tottenham, Leicester and Liverpool in the top half of the table after four games on their bingo card. All three have recruited well, with teams outside of the 'big four' now also attracting top-tier talent.
Leicester and Liverpool too are managed by two of the most experienced WSL managers in Willie Kirk and Matt Beard. Robert Vilahamn is proving himself at Tottenham as well after success in Sweden with BK Hacken.
While Ward herself also comes armed with plenty of WSL nous and the summer arrival of goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar a particular coup, Aston Villa are clearly not clicking as quickly or effectively as others or as they were last term.
If anything, their strengths have been diminished by key absences while their weaker areas have been exposed by a series of in-form teams early in the season.
Despite the predicament Aston Villa find themselves in, there is hope on the horizon.
Firstly, both Hanson and Dali are could be available after the international break - just in time for a their match against Chelsea on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Expect Hanson to go straight into the XI after serving her suspension. Dali will be assessed before the Chelsea match and may need a few more games to get back to match fitness, but being an option off the bench alone will give Aston Villa a huge boost.
Time too will also help new players bed further into the squad, which will only further improve Ward's options.
Heading into November, Aston Villa start to face the teams around them in the WSL table. Bristol City and Everton are sandwiched either side of Aston Villa, while West Ham are three places ahead.
The WSL is renowned for being a tight in terms of points and league positions. At the moment, just four points separates Bristol City and Aston Villa at the bottom and the Hammers in eighth.
Go on a good run of results, and you can soon find yourself in a comfortable mid-table position, or even challenging a top four spot.
Aston Villa have the talent and manager to be able to do just that - they proved so last season. The quality is still there, it is the confidence that is lacking. Once the Villans start to properly click, the goals, points and wins will soon start to flow.
