Window shut, Hull tomorrow and match facts from the BBC

The window is shut and business is done and now the manager can concentrate on getting the players to play how he wants, while as supporters we can focus on the matches and enjoying the season.

And that starts again tomorrow against Hull. And how we enjoy the matches is unique to each of us. But nobody can deny this is a great time to be an Aston Villa fan.

And now that the transfer window is closed for the next few months, it’s probably a good time to look at where we are and I for one am very happy. But when the exodus began, I was also quite nervous.

I didn’t want all the players to leave and I think maybe one player had more to offer us but had his head turned and well, we got good money. And with that written, I think we’ve managed to bring in someone to replace him, a few years younger that could be better.

And while you never like to see the players that made an impact at your Club leave, they all do eventually so if you can make some money on that happening and can strengthen the squad, like we have, then it’s just good for the Club.

And I think that is where we are. Our squad is better and I think there are four players that arrived this summer that could go on to make a real impact for us, not just on the pitch.

And of the others we brought in, I think they make us better. That might not show tomorrow, but it will show soon. And with five matches to be played between tomorrow and September 19th, we’re going to need these players.

And for anyone trying to work that out, it’s a match every 2.8 days. But then we do have a three week break until the next match. Utter madness.

Anyway, this is about tomorrow and it’s Hull who find themselves on six points after two games. They’re third in the table and if you haven’t watched any of their matches, they deserve to be where they are.

And that is why tomorrow isn’t going to be easy and it’s going to need everyone doing what they do best, the way the manager wants it done. And while we didn’t get the result we wanted against Arsenal on Monday, I thought we saw glimpses.

So, until tomorrow. I’ll leave you with the regular.

Match facts from the BBC

• This is the first meeting between Hull and Aston Villa in any competition since a 2-2 draw in the Championship in January 2019 – the Tigers have won just one of their last 16 games against Villa (D4 L11).
• Aston Villa have won six of their eight Premier League matches against Hull City (D1 L1), with this the first meeting since February 2015 in what was Hull’s only win – the Tigers were victorious 2-0 with goals from Nikica Jelavic and Dame N’Doye.
• Hull City are looking to become only the second newly promoted side to win each of their opening three games of a Premier League season, after Bolton Wanderers in 2001-02. The Tigers themselves have never won their first three matches of any top-flight campaign.
• Aston Villa are the only side yet to have a shot on target in the Premier League this season – since 2003-04, no side has ever failed to have a shot on target in their opening three games of a campaign.
• Hull have faced the most crosses of any Premier League side this season (73 – 21 more than any other side). Central defender John Egan has made the most clearances (27) and headed clearances (15), while Nobel Mendy ranks joint-third for clearances (17).
• Aston Villa are yet to score in the Premier League this season, while they also drew a blank in their first three games of last season. In top-flight history, the only team to fail to score in their first three games in consecutive seasons is Ipswich Town in 1969-70 and 1970-71.
• Aston Villa could become the first team to finish in the top-four of the top-flight (4th in 2025-26) and then lose their first three games of the next season since Man Utd in 1986-87, while the only top-four side to fail to score in their first three games of the following season was Arsenal in 1953-54.
• Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has never faced Hull City before in the Premier League – he has beaten 27 of the 28 teams he has faced in the competition, failing only against Ipswich (D2). Emery has never lost a game with Villa against a promoted side (W15 D6).
• Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic is looking to become just the fourth manager to win each of his first three Premier League games with a clean sheet after José Mourinho in 2004, Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2007 and Arne Slot in 2024.
• Aston Villa have lost their last four Premier League matches that haven’t featured Ollie Watkins by an aggregate score of 10-1. Their last victory without Watkins dates back to 13 November 2022, a 2-1 win at Brighton in Unai Emery’s second game in charge.