During Aston Villa's back-to-back home defeats, the atmosphere inside Villa Park sometimes feels like a tense pressure cooker
Tammy Abraham was denied a goal on his second debut for Aston Villa last weekend
Tammy Abraham was denied a goal on his second debut for Aston Villa last weekend(Image: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock)
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Few places rival Villa Park when the team is in full flow, but when points are being dropped at home, it can feel like a cauldron of nervous energy.
Following an eight-game winning run at home in the Premier League, Villa have now lost consecutive home league games for the first time since February 2024.
Both home losses - to Everton and Brentford - were 1-0 defeats, with the most recent, last weekend’s slip-up against the Bees, particularly frustrating given that Brentford played with 10 men in the second half.
After travelling to Bournemouth this weekend, four of Villa’s next five games are at home, including the next three in a row against Brighton, Newcastle (FA Cup), and Leeds, before Chelsea visit B6, following Unai Emery’s side taking on Wolves at Molineux.
A talking point since Villa’s latest home disappointment has been the club’s decision to place the Leeds match in Category 3 - the most expensive league ticket category.
The club’s justification is that pre-sale information suggested the tickets would sell well, and that a rare Saturday 3pm kick-off is a 'key fixture date'.
With tickets costing £82 in Zone 1, and £53 and £49 for adults in Zones 2 and 3 respectively, it’s a steep price, even if Leeds were considered a 'top team' like Manchester City or Arsenal.
For comparison, Brighton tickets were Category 4, costing adults £53 and £49 for Zones 2 and 3, while Zone 1 cost £59.
Football is very expensive these days, and although that is reflected across the Premier League, there’s no doubt some fans have had to give up season tickets - or are prevented from attending many matches in a campaign - due to cost.
Fans paying for those tickets could be forgiven for expecting the product they want - but this is unpredictable sport.
On Claret & Blue, John Townley and Dan Rolinson discussed the atmosphere inside Villa Park, aside from one influencing factor being the cost of tickets.
“I think another reason why is because we haven't seen us win anything for so long. I think that's part of the tension - possibly because we haven't seen this group of players lift a trophy," said Townley.
“We've seen them succeed in other ways: finishing in the Champions League once, and the season before that, getting back into Europe, which was fantastic. But I do think - because I have to put myself in my own position here - I can get anxious too.
“I get concerned sometimes because it feels almost like we can't have nice things, even when we're so good for such a long period. This is, in many ways, the golden period for a long while.
“But at the same time, I've never seen us lift the trophy. I've never seen us do that. I just think I - or maybe as a fan base, we - need to see these players do it and get over that line.
“For example, going into that Brentford game, I wasn't sure we were going to win. I really wasn't. That’s why I predicted one-nil, and then I met someone in the concourse. ‘3-0 Villa today’. And I thought, really, I’m not sure. I don’t know.
“This is why I can be quite pessimistic sometimes - probably more than I need to be - but it's because I have this in me to think we can still lose, like other teams. And we can lose to Everton and Brentford, even after winning 11 games or whatever at home. It happens. And it has happened.
“We just… we can't let it happen again. Yeah, it's a horrible feeling. I don’t know how to get over it, but for me, I need to see a trophy, getting over that line I think would help psychologically. I need to see them do it..
“I think we'll get the Champions League. I think we'll win the Europa League. So I do trust them. But the problem - mine, or maybe the fans like me - is that we need to see it to fully believe it. That's what I mean.”
Rolinson replied: "It's on us to change that, though. If we finish in the Champions League this year or win the Europa League this time next year, and then have a bit of a wobble - or whatever you want to call it - it'll feel the same.
“But surely we have to change our mentality, to go into these situations believing this side is really good and backing them to go and get the result."
Townley then added: "Is it also because of the rules? We know this is so important, to get into the Champions League. Because if we don't… or if Emery goes at some point down the line… what happens then? For example, this is why I keep talking about Tottenham and the so-called 'commercial six.'
“There’s little jeopardy for them - they can have four bad seasons, and the season after that they’ll spend £200 million and be good again. But for us, no… yeah, so that’s fair.
“It feels like we don’t have that luxury. We need to keep performing. There’s no buffer here. And that seeps into the fan base sometimes - we know the importance of winning and winning.”