Aston Villa’s Premier League goal drought has now stretched to three matches after a frustrating 0-0 draw at Hull City, but the most striking attacking decision came from the player Unai Emery did not use.
£47million Deadline Day signing Ibrahim Mbaye remained an unused substitute at the MKM Stadium even as Villa searched desperately for the goal that has eluded them throughout the opening weeks of the season.
Villa finally registered their first shot on target of the campaign through George Hemmings, but another blank means Emery’s side have now failed to score in each of their opening three Premier League fixtures.
That makes the decision to leave one of the summer’s biggest attacking investments on the bench increasingly difficult to ignore.
Ibrahim Mbaye left unused as Aston Villa fail again
Mbaye was named among the substitutes after completing his move from Paris Saint-Germain too late to feature against Arsenal.
His inclusion represented progress after Villa’s confirmed XI against Hull showed the £47m winger was available for the first time.
He never got on.
Emery instead introduced Alejandro Garnacho, Matteo Ruggeri and Alysson as Villa chased a winner.
That is noteworthy because the qualities Mbaye offers are exactly those Villa have lacked.
Our earlier analysis of Mbaye’s underlying numbers highlighted his direct carrying, willingness to beat defenders and ability to turn possession into attacking actions.
Villa did produce more against Hull than in the defeats to Brighton and Arsenal.
George Hemmings finally forced Konstantinos Tzolakis into a save, while Nicolas Jackson and John McGinn both missed good opportunities. Our Aston Villa player ratings from Hull recorded McGinn’s second-half chance at 0.62 xG and Jackson’s early header at 0.22 xG.
The problem was familiar.
Villa got into promising areas.
They still did not score.
The Guardian’s report from the MKM Stadium described a Villa side that showed more attacking intent but again lacked the final touch required to turn possession into a goal.
Emery’s decision now becomes part of the Aston Villa debate
There may be perfectly reasonable reasons for Mbaye’s lack of minutes.
He is only 18.
He joined Villa days ago.
He still has to learn Emery’s tactical demands and adjust to the Premier League.
But until Emery publicly explains the decision, anything more specific would be speculation.
What can be said with confidence is that Villa invested £47m in a winger whose biggest strengths are directness and one-against-one attacking, then left him unused during a game in which those qualities appeared badly needed.
That contrast matters.
Villa’s 0-0 draw at Hull did at least produce their first point and first clean sheet of the league season.
It also confirmed the unwanted attacking trend we highlighted before kick-off.
Emery’s side have now failed to score in their opening three league fixtures for a second successive season.
Hull also became the third opponent in a row to shut them out.
Villa face Club Brugge next in the Champions League before returning to Premier League action against Nottingham Forest.
If the drought carries into those fixtures, Emery’s use of Mbaye will quickly become one of the biggest selection questions surrounding the team.
