How Emery’s Tenacious Aston Villa 2.0 Stacks Up to Last Season Before the Barcelona Test
My Old Man Said — An Aston Villa PodcastShow Notes
Can Unai Emery take Aston Villa deep in the Champions League? Is that the question people should really be asking, rather than nonsense about Manchester United? With the first of two stiff tests passed, we look at what's different this season from last. Some of the data is a surprise, while other insights are encouraging for the season ahead.
The show begins with a prologue, a clip from a 1978 documentary on Villa's last opponents, Manchester City, with sentiments that eerily echoing their recent endeavours. While we reflect back once again to the recent game at Villa Park, we also look at the main differences already forming between this season and last.
The Three Points takes in the Independent Football Regulator's State of the Game report and football's latest adventures in technology. While Emery's Clipboard belongs to Nicolas Jackson, who is faced off against Ollie Watkins in terms of their active sprints in a game.
UTV
Up to 30% off Aston Villa's three kits. Check out the deals here - Use code UTVILLA30 here
Restock on discounted Adidas Originals stock and last season’s shirts – Use code MOMS10 for an extra 10 % off here Become a MOMS Member for ad-free & extra shows - MOMS Membership
Join the show’s listener Facebook group The Mad Few.
Credits:
David Michael - @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd - @BUDD_music / Phillip Shaw - @prsgame
This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from My Old Man Said — An Aston Villa Podcast
Villa lost at Bournemouth on intensity, not due to the names in the team. When a side mixes players who need minutes with players protecting themselves for bigger games, you're always going to get a drop off. Bournemouth seemed to want it more, while Villa's focus, as in recent seasons, is clearly elsewhere.
Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1 at Villa Park to earn their first home league win of the season. Nicolas Jackson scored twice, either side of Erling Haaland's header, and ended City's winning start under Enzo Maresca.
Aston Villa's Champions League campaign under Unai Emery has been built on control, and the league-phase win over Viking FK at Villa Park may be the clearest example yet. Villa held the game for the first half with a shape few expected: a back three and no full-backs, with Tyrone Mings, Victor Lindelöf and Pau Torres alongside a hybrid right-back in João Gomes.
Aston Villa host Viking FK at Villa Park in the Champions League league phase, after the weeks back-to-back wins - a 6-0 win over Fenerbahçe and a 1-0 win at Newcastle United on Saturday. The show's warning is simple: this is the kind of game Villa are expected to win, and Scandinavian sides have a history of punishing complacency.
Two away wins in a row and two clean sheets in a week raise the question this episode asks: has Aston Villa's defence turned a corner, or has it only met two weak sides? Villa beat Newcastle United 1-0 at St James' Park, showing plenty of resilience, as Johan Manzambi’s header from a João Gomes cross in the first half gave them the win.