BirminghamLive provides Aston Villa news as Unai Emery addresses the media prior to the Premier League matchup with Brentford.
Unai Emery, the head coach of Aston Villa, addressed the media at Bodymoor Heath prior to his team’s Premier League matchup with Brentford on Saturday (3pm kickoff).
The Bees have never triumphed at Villa Park, and Villa is looking for back-to-back wins after defeating Wolves 2-0 the previous Saturday. Here are all of Emery’s news conference comments.
Unai, may we begin with a team news update?
“Jacob Ramsey is experiencing some toe issues once more. He won’t be available for the remainder of the season; Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez might play tomorrow. We’ll get ready for the game. We’ll find out tomorrow if they’re available and prepared to play. Both of them will be in the squad.
“For different players, the adaptation of the Premier League and our idea, style, demands – it is easier or sometimes more difficult. It depends. Moussa Diaby, he is getting better and he is with the possibility to play in different positions.
“He can play more wide, as a number 10 inside, as a second striker and I am very happy with his progression. Often, I am speaking about him about the possibility to play in different positions and to get his best performances, his adaptation higher too.
“He needs to be calm in different moments when he wasn’t. Now, it is the same – of course, I am very happy with him. I am being very demanding with him and he is completely involved in our structure.”
This is the final game Moussa will play fasting for Ramadan – can you talk about how impressive he has been in recent weeks?
“His adaptation is progressing and we are respecting the Ramadan with him, of course. Everything we are planning and everything we are doing tactically, he is adapting better and better.
“Of course, we want more from every player. With him, trying to keep calm and not being in a hurry or impatient. He is doing. The last matches he has scored or assisted.”
The last game against Brentford was fiery – is tomorrow about keeping cool?
“Different circumstances. Tomorrow we are playing at home and some players will be there the same, the coaches as well. After four months we played there.
“We want to play tomorrow thinking in our game plan and respecting them a lot. They are a very competitive team. We are ready for tomorrow. We are trying to focus in our game plan completely.”
What are you expecting from Brentford?
“We want to impose our game plan, but dominating the match is difficult. They are aggressive and press man by man. We will prepare the match trying to get our best performances.
“The last match we played at home against Wolves, I was being demanding with the team because I think we have to play getting more in everything.
We won, we were happy with the match. But tomorrow will be a difficult match if we are not improving some things.”
What are you worries with seven games left?
“Tomorrow is the day 32. Three points. We are being consistent. We have to improve. We lost away to Man City clearly.
“Tomorrow is a new challenge. We are still fourth in the table and we have to keep it.”
Is this the moment to re-establish the club as one of the biggest teams in the country?
“It depends. Of course, we are trying to increase our level and trying to rise up our demands and try to feel comfortable being inside the top seven teams.
“To keep it is the most difficult and challenging thing we have now. We are going to focus each match and three points we are going to face. We need to respect the opponent – it is very difficult, the Premier League.
“To be consistent is the big challenge I have and I am sharing with the players and the club. We must try to enjoy the way we are doing but working hard, being demanding. There is not another way.”
What do you need to be able to progress on the field?
“We are doing the plan we prepared before or when I arrived here. It is to be demanding in our way, starting with our owners, coaches and workers. As well, the supporters.
“To include us between the teams who are contenders in the top seven positons in the table, it is very difficult. We can achieve it like we are doing now, but to be consistent for a long time is difficult. This is my objective.
“We have an opportunity to rise and be a contender more than we were before. Firstly, to be in the top 10 and secondly, like we are now. With the teams we are facing who are stronger than us, they have more power to get there. We have to be intelligent and demanding, working better than others. This is the only way I know and I am really focused trying to do it.”
