With Unai Emery reeling on the back of three successive Premier League defeats, Nuno Espirito Santo should not be short of inspiration as he plots a way for West Ham United to deepen Aston Villa’s domestic gloom on Sunday.
Villa host the Hammers on the back of three straight league losses, their longest streak since February 2023. Dark horses not so long ago, their title hopes have taken a one-way trip to the glue factory.
Slip up again at home to West Ham United, and their top-four ambitions may yet go in the same direction.
If 4-1 and 3-1 defeats by direct rivals Chelsea and Manchester United were damaging, the 2-0 Midlands derby reverse at rock-bottom Wolves was even more alarming. Yet, while the scoreline was a surprise, the manner of the defeat was not.
What changes would you make to this team against Aston Villa? 🤔
Harsh on Todibo but we NEED to win
A graphic showing the lineup that West Ham United should pick against Aston Villa in the Premier League on 19/03/2026.
Credit: GRV Media
And as West Ham prepare to travel to Villa Park, the events at Molineux three weeks ago saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s old employers hand the London Stadium boss a to-do-list tailor-made for beating Unai Emery’s sliding side.
Jean-Clair Todibo and Adama Traore may have a key role to play in proceedings.
West Ham United can deliver Aston Villa’s fourth straight loss
Wolves lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation when they welcomed their Midland rivals to the Black Country.
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It is no secret that Aston Villa rely heavily on the maverick qualities of Morgan Rogers; arguably no team in the top-flight is as dependent on attacks funnelled through the centre of the pitch. Wolves’ three-man backline, plus a solid midfield base of Joao Gomes and Andre, were deployed in an attempt to reduce Villa to ponderous possession with an absence of space between the lines.
Unai Emery reacts during Manchester City FC v Aston Villa FC - Premier League
Photo by Marc Atkins – AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
That Villa mustered 61 per cent of the possession but just four shots on target and an XG of just over one shows how well said plan was executed.
“Opponents within a back five have deployed three aggressive central defenders who can jump on Rogers, stopping him from turning and further reducing the space between the lines,” The Athletic explained.
In one of very few occasions Villa broke free, Ollie Watkins charged down on goal during the first-half, only to be denied brilliantly by the pacy Yerson Mosquera. Watkins has clearly declined this season – as evidenced by his absence from Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad – but he remains a major threat in the channels.
Jean-Clair Todibo has been clocked as West Ham’s fastest player. And his ability to cover the ground and shut down speedy centre-forwards could prove crucial, as it did against Man City last time out.
Adama Traore’s time to shine on Villa Park return
Aston Villa record the sixth-highest possession stats in the league. West Ham, the second-lowest, above only Wolves.
Both of the goals scored by Rob Edwards’ side on February 27th came in transition. The first, finished by Joao Gomes, was a move started by the Brazilian himself. Gomes robbed Rogers in the centre of the park and, eleven seconds later, he was driving past Emi Martinez.
It is not difficult to imagine Mateus Fernandes, for instance, doing something similar. Fernandes is West Ham’s best ball-winner, statistically, but also their most athletic, creative midfield talent.
Wolves clinched the win through Rodrigo Gomes in stoppage time. Villa had already been caught out a few times before then. As they pushed for an equaliser, Villa left wide open spaces for Wolves’ pacier forwards to drive into.
Enter Adama Traore.
Let’s hear it then – what have you made of Adama Traore so far? 🤔
Not much game time but have you seen anything that’s impressed you?
A graphic asking West Ham fans to grade Adama Traore's performance so far.
Credit: Getty Images/Rob Newell – CameraSport
Traore struggled off the bench against Man City but could have plenty of joy against one of his old employers. See, for instance, the goal that saw Man United go ahead against Villa last time out. A sublime Bruno Fernandes pass, Matheus Cunha left Ezri Konsa for dead before sliding home.
Man United and Chelsea exploited Unai Emery’s vulnerability
Traore does not have the composure or the end-product of Cunha. What he does have, though, is the raw speed to catch out a Villa defence who tend to position themselves high up the pitch, with full-backs who occasionally act more like wingers.
Two of Chelsea’s four goals in that thumping Villa Park win also came from rapid-counters, using the speed of Alejandro Garnacho in particular.
Earlier this month, Nuno spoke about his willingness to ‘steal’ tactical ideas from other coaches in an attempt to gain an advantage. Be it Edwards, Liam Rosenior or Michael Carrick, expect the Hammers boss to pull on his black gloves and start burgling the knowledge banks.
“It was an equal match in the first half,” Emery said after that 3-1 loss at Old Trafford. “Overall, it’s a pity [given] how we were competing, performing and how we lost in some moments the control of the game we had.
“Through it, [United] showed their capacity in transition to get the advantage they did.”
Wolves, Chelsea and Man United are three very different tactical beasts. But all three succeeded in exploiting Aston Villa’s weakness on the counter. As West Ham approach another weekend without Crysencio Summerville, this may be Traore’s time to shine.
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