VILLA PARK – On a loop of this stadium before kick-off, the intention was not merely to gawp at the stripped-bare North Stand but observe which players featured on the back of Aston Villa supporters’ shirts.
There was an overwhelming winner: “super” John McGinn, whose surname and No 7 was printed on the back of 17 kits I spotted during my pre-match lap.
That almost outweighed the 18 personalised shirts, while beyond McGinn there were two fans sporting the name and number of Brian Madjo, two for Johan Manzambi, and one apiece for Emiliano Buendia, Alysson, Victor Lindelof, as well as iconic strikers past, Dalian Atkinson and John Carew.
Throw in three fans wearing “Winners 26” to honour the Europa League triumph and it felt as though a point was being proved. Not a “Watkins 11” in sight, nor a “Konsa 4” or “Martinez 23”, although admittedly there was one “Rogers 27” just before I headed in.
All this was a reminder of how quickly fans move on, or at the very least, it was evidence supporters have multiple options in their wardrobe and therefore decide against championing recently departed players.
Ezri Konsa was among the six Villa starters from Istanbul to have then left over the summer, but the largely positive response he received when coming on for Arsenal on Monday night suggested most fans have room for forgiveness.
And in their search for new heroes to replace the old, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki certainly did his prospects of becoming a fan favourite no harm despite the 1-0 loss.
The Japan international may have flapped at one cross in the first half and fumbled a shot in the second, but overall his distribution was excellent, and to have been thrown in at the deep end like this – a home debut against the champions – it was undoubtedly a solid start.
The Holte End even broke out into a rendition of “the world’s number one” after Suzuki tipped over Declan Rice’s header, a chant that had been proudly reserved for Emiliano Martinez until he left for Chelsea.
The fact the five syllables of Suzuki’s name so perfectly replaced “Emi Martinez” felt apt, and showed that while Villa fans will not forget the past and their former goalkeeper’s contributions, they are not going to mourn it. If anything, the humour helps process it.
And just as their supporters well know, goalkeepers do not come without their mistakes, so they will hope Suzuki can build on this promising first appearance at Villa Park, which also included a decent save to deny Kai Havertz before the flag went up for offside.
Villa may be the first side to succumb 1-0 to the Arsenal this season, but they won’t be the last, and there were further positives for head coach Unai Emery to take.
Nicolas Jackson showed glimpses of the threat he could become, and overall the display meant talk of their downfall after a summer of upheaval now feel grossly exaggerated.
That talk had been ramped up after the 4-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening weekend, but perhaps those with the more extreme takes from the past week – including Villa for the drop and Emery leaving before Christmas – will have tempered their views.
Still, a “work in progress” are words Villa will have to get used to this season. Any club would be had they lost their spine, and to address this they will keep working until the window closes on Tuesday night.
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Emery does not anticipate any more names arriving beyond the two expected. Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis looks set to join for £30m, and there will be hope confirmation of Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain doesn’t drag into the evening.
But no matter the changes, the arrivals still to come and the new names to print on the back, fans only really follow the club. Through thick and thin, the old saying goes, and given what Villa fans have experienced the past decade alone, a Champions League season with new players to get excited by is not a bad position to be in.
They know better than to panic after two losses. Last season’s start is enough proof of that.