Emery Calls for Discipline as Aston Villa Seek First League Win

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has publicly criticized some of his players for a lack of discipline, which he believes is hindering the team's pursuit of their first Premier League win this season. The club has faced disciplinary issues early in the campaign, contributing to their difficult start.

Joao Gomes received a red card on his debut on the opening day of the season, which saw Aston Villa lose 4-0 to Brighton. More recently, Emery substituted Nicolas Jackson at halftime during their home defeat to Nottingham Forest, fearing the forward would be sent off after receiving a yellow card. This caution was among seven accumulated by the team in their first four Premier League fixtures.

The disciplinary concerns extend beyond league play. Aston Villa also incurred three yellow cards in their Champions League win against Club Brugge and three more during their Carabao Cup victory at Coventry.

Emery emphasized the need for emotional control among his players. "We must control our emotions, individually," he stated. "We must reduce red cards but also some yellow cards are not necessary." He specifically pointed to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's yellow card at Coventry for a confrontation with Gustavo Hamer as an example of unnecessary behavior, noting that experienced players like Wan-Bissaka and Jackson must manage their conduct better.

"We've spoken about it in the dressing room," Emery added. "It's very important in terms of how we want to build our mentality. We need to focus on playing."

Nicolas Jackson, who joined Aston Villa from Chelsea for £65 million in the summer, has yet to score in the Premier League for his new club. His previous manager at Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, reportedly grew frustrated with Jackson's tendency to receive yellow cards, a habit that seems to have carried over.