It took just 12 minutes for club-record signing Dango Ouattara to make his mark in west London, scoring on his Premier League debut to hand Brentford a 1–0 victory over Aston Villa.
The Burkina Faso international, signed earlier this month, struck decisively after finding space in Villa’s defensive line — a dream start for the winger and a statement moment for new Bees boss Keith Andrews.
Villa, by contrast, endured another frustrating afternoon. Despite dominating large spells of the second half, Unai Emery’s side failed to score, leaving them goalless after two league fixtures this season. With attacking fluidity lacking, pressure is already mounting on the Spaniard to find solutions.
Before kick-off, Andrews confirmed that Yoane Wissa was omitted from the squad amid ongoing interest from Newcastle United. “It’s not right to involve him in the squad. The team is the focus and I felt that was the right thing to do,” the head coach said.
VAR Drama and Missed Chances
Brentford thought they had doubled their lead when Mikkel Damsgaard slotted home, only for VAR to rule the goal out. That decision proved crucial as Villa took control in the second half, registering 17 shots to Brentford’s 9.
Yet for all their possession — 77% to Brentford’s 23% — the visitors couldn’t break down a disciplined Bees defence.
Brentford vs Aston Villa Match Stats (23 August 2025)
| Stat | Brentford | Aston Villa |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 23% | 77% |
| xG | 1.27 | 1.23 |
| Total Shots | 9 | 17 |
| Shots on Target | 2 | 2 |
| Shots off Target | 4 | 7 |
| Blocked Shots | 3 | 8 |
| Big Chances | 2 | 0 |
| Corners | 2 | 9 |
| Passes | 168 | 568 |
| Tackles | 27 | 14 |
source: sofascore match data – 23 august 2025
The numbers underline Villa’s dominance of possession and territory, but also Brentford’s efficiency: two big chances created compared to Villa’s none, and a defensive block that frustrated Emery’s forwards.
Analyst Verdict — FootballPlace View
By FootballPlace analyst John William
This was a classic Brentford performance: compact, physical, and ruthless when opportunities came. Ouattara’s debut goal energised the crowd and validated the club’s investment, while Andrews’ tactical discipline ensured Villa’s possession never translated into clear chances.
Villa’s problems are becoming clearer. With two games gone and zero goals scored, they look short of ideas in the final third. Their reliance on Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins to spark attacks is obvious, and Emery’s system looks predictable against low blocks. Unless creativity improves, Villa risk another slow start derailing their season.
Key Insights
- Ouattara scores on Brentford debut to seal 1–0 win over Villa
- VAR denies Brentford second goal through Damsgaard
- Villa dominate possession (77%) but fail to score again
- Yoane Wissa absent amid Newcastle transfer interest
- Keith Andrews earns first Premier League win as Brentford manager
What’s Next
Brentford head next weekend to face Bournemouth, looking to build momentum after back-to-back resilient displays. Ouattara’s early impact offers Andrews another weapon as the Bees chase consistency.
Villa, meanwhile, return to Villa Park still searching for their first goal of the season. Emery faces growing pressure to ignite his attack when they host Crystal Palace, with confidence fragile after two blunt performances.
Can Dango Ouattara become Brentford’s new talisman — and will Villa’s scoring drought force Emery back to the transfer market?
1 Comment (last comment by Adem)
First read message
By Adem 23 Aug 2025 17:05
Villa in big trouble.. 0 goals in 2 games... something missing here, I do think they'll struggle to Crystal Palace as well
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