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S1 E32 A bad day at the London office
19 Plays1 month ago
On today's show Joe, Craig and Nyla attempt to console fellow fans after a tough 4-1 loss to Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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Transcript
00:00:01
Speaker
Every club, every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network.
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:07
Speaker
work Hello and welcome to today's episode of the Daily Villa podcast as part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name's Craig Bertersall and I'm delighted to be joined by both Joe and Nyla to talk about everything Villa.
Coping with Aston Villa's Defeat
00:00:22
Speaker
And guys, we're not used to this here at the Daily Villa or at lot not at least for the past couple of years.
00:00:29
Speaker
but we're about to talk about our crushing defeat. How are you coping with it, Joe? Yeah, it's obviously a a tough one to take. it I think it's hard to be particularly angry or frustrated with Villa and at this point in time. For me, it's more just disappointment in the the nature and the manner of the defeat.
00:00:51
Speaker
And how are you doing, Niall? Are you recovered? Um, I mean, we'll see. I'm, I'm really interested to see the response, but I mean, that's just, it's just football, isn't
Analyzing Villa's Loss to Spurs
00:01:02
Speaker
it? Can't win them all. And we've had so much success lately, um, in terms of champions league and even in the past season. So, I mean, we can't stay on top and be 100% all the time. So it was just that reminder of, you know, anyone can win on any given day. So.
00:01:20
Speaker
Yeah, but and like I said, we'll see the response and and see what happens from there. How are you taking it? Yes. Am I taking it? um I've never ever been a good person for taking a loss, whether it's like in my job or whether it's ah the villa. But as you say, we've had it good for the past couple of years. We've been on cloud nine. I think there was always going to be one of those days where I even named this podcast a bad day in the London office. So it's ah yeah it's a rough day and hopefully we can bounce straight back. We've got obviously Club Bruges coming up. So it's going to be an interesting one. So for all the listeners out there, we're obviously talking about the 4-1 loss to Spurs, which I can't believe I'm saying that after the first half we had, it really did go wrong. So niya what's your initial and emotion from the beginning of the game?
00:02:17
Speaker
um Well heading it so my dad's a Spurs fan so right off the bat it's like we we have to win this match otherwise I'll never hear the end of it um so I was I was going in optimistic I thought you know the first half was alright second half I'm not sure What happened there especially that last 20 minutes I felt like we died off a bit um But yeah, I'm a bit of a mixed bag obviously villa supporter through and through but I do kind of have a soft spot for Spurs manager And I think he's he's come in and done really well um for them So, you know, I like to see the success there, but ultimately just disappointed ah Joe I'm gonna put it to the to you the same question
00:03:01
Speaker
Yeah, it's um it's it's obviously a really a really difficult one to to to swallow.
Strategic Errors and Gameplay Analysis
00:03:06
Speaker
I think that the emotions for me, as I said earlier, were were kind of disappointment more than anything else. I think that the way we lost the game, obviously, going a goal up and kind of facing um what we've done to a lot of other teams throughout the course of the season. and in in Spurs going a goal down and then managing to turn it round. Obviously, it's something that Spurs have done very well. They're one of the most successful teams in the Premier League from from coming from a goal behind. So that was always going to be a risk. And I think on the the kind of the the performances and you look at the stats here, you know, I kind of look at specifically the shots. We only had one shot on target.
00:03:44
Speaker
Obviously, Onana hits the woodwork, which is a huge chance. Watkins has a couple of kind of half chances to to put his two goals up. But on the the basis of it, it's it's a game that's deservedly won. And I think we have to ask why that is. Yeah, it's a tough one because I think Ali is going to get into some criticism for his lack of finishing in this game because he did have a couple of chances, which, when we were 1-0 up, could have been put to bed then and it could have been an extremely different game.
00:04:14
Speaker
But um my initial reaction after the game was to basically walk away, to be perfectly honest. I felt like I needed some time to digest the game because at the end I suppose we're a good team. It's not like we've got dumped out of a competition by a third-rate club or anything like that. They're a team.
00:04:33
Speaker
um that will be challenging in and around the same positions Villa are looking for. So we got to understand that we have to take the rough with the smooth with some of these and I do think ah it is another time though of missed opportunities really changed the game. So so ah go over a little bit of what you were saying before it broke off Nyla.
00:04:55
Speaker
Um, so just in a nutshell, essentially, um, just a bit of a mixed bag, um, in terms of me for that, I really like Ang as a manager. I think he's done really well for Spurs. Um, disappointed. We couldn't get any points. My dad's a Spurs supporter, so I'll not be hearing the end of this for a while. Um, but I think it's disappointing as it is. Um, I think it's what you expect from Premier League football. Anyone can win on on any given day. It's competitive. It's about the tactics.
00:05:25
Speaker
individual play and and what and what team shows up to to get the job done. And I don't think that was necessarily Villa, i' a bit disappointed at the die off towards the end of the second half. But I think, you know, moving forward, it's it's one to just learn from the mistakes, don't dwell on it, but take it into the next competition.
Defensive Challenges and Player Performance
00:05:48
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with that, Nyla. And I feel that learn from the mistakes is a big one.
00:05:53
Speaker
um For me, when I'm looking back at the game with a bit more fresh eyes and a bit more clarity, if you will, I feel it went wrong for us once we once cash went off. And i I do want to stress that I am Emory's biggest fan, but I do think he got it wrong today. By moving Konza to the right back position, I think weakened our team. um I think he's one of the best centre backs in the Premier League, and I'll be adamant with that status.
00:06:22
Speaker
but I don't think he's right back. As soon as he went to that right back position and Diego Carlos come on. So again, now i've I've spoke about this at length, the fact that we're playing a left set footed centre back in the right centre back position. We've got Kanza who's a great centre back, playing as a right back, which isn't as comfortable for him. And our organisation throughout the whole team seemed to drop off then.
00:06:49
Speaker
And that was a big issue for us in order to keep that. One of the goals, for example, Kanza was one of the players that left on, um kept him on side, Solanke. So it was he was at fault for that one in particular, but I do think the actual dynamic of the team was lessened as soon as cash came off. Did you see it any other way, Joe?
00:07:13
Speaker
No, I didn't. And I think, you know, we've kind of mighty cash, especially somebody that that not only us on this podcast, but Villa fans as a kind of collective of being quite critical about as particularly defensive ability. But I think he actually had a really good game against Spurs. If you look at the kind of his individual stats he won all his ground jewels his tackles with these tackling percentage was pretty good he didn't really um stray too many kind of passes so i think he actually had a really a really solid game i think it was unfortunate that the kind of the first goal comes from what seems to be a little bit of a mix-up between him and and John McGinn down that right side the balls played across and Brennan Johnson's there so i think he kind of falls victim to that maybe a little bit but i think overall aside from that he actually had a ah pretty solid game
00:08:00
Speaker
Because also, looking at the bench, we did not um come across an Adelkovich. We didn't bring Bogard to the bench as well. um Is that a big mistake, Nyla, on Emory's side? Or do you think that even if they were named on the bench, he still would have made the console switch?
00:08:20
Speaker
i I still see you know him doing the same thing, making that Kansa switch. um Maybe it could have been a first, but typically that's not really been done um in the past. So I wouldn't expect him to kind of just throw that in there now um in terms of where we're at in the season. I think generally, ah like I agree completely um with you, Jo, in terms of Maddie Cash and his performance. I think overall,
00:08:47
Speaker
Regardless of what changes are made, I think we lack a sense of emergency at times i ah sorry the sense of urgency at times. I think you know reacting to turnovers or getting back and emergency defending, so laying everything on the line, sacrificing your body to stop goal storing goal scoring opportunities is something that we didn't see on a few of the goals, especially towards the back post.
00:09:13
Speaker
um it Yeah, and to me, it doesn't matter if you don't think that you're going to get there. It's, you know, putting in the work to get there, to get as close as you can to block a shot, to make the save. um And if you if you don't do it, then you don't do it. But I think for me, it's that first step of trying because it takes one, you know, a slight deflection and that can change the trajectory trajectory of the ball to prevent a goal scoring opportunity. um What are your thoughts on that, Craig? Yeah, it's, um,
00:09:46
Speaker
I'm going to pass it on to Joe. Joe, what what what are your thoughts?
00:09:51
Speaker
um it's It's one of them, isn't it? I think you know Spurs are a good side and we've mentioned that they they are a good side and they have a lot of quality in that team. You know you go through their starting lineup and you can pick four or five players that can hurt you on any given day, whether it's their attacking players or or part
Learning from Top-tier Matches
00:10:07
Speaker
of their midfield. and i think I think in terms of the way that that you have to approach games like this, you know we have to now realise that we are one of those teams that that look to establish ourselves in and around where Spurs will be hoping to finish and I think over ah kind of the the past few, um well over last season especially, we definitely perform better against teams that look to play more expansive football which is on paper what Spurs look to do. I know we struggled especially at home last year against Spurs, I think we lost 4-0
00:10:38
Speaker
in that one as well um but for some reason we we seem to struggle with with kind of breaking Spurs down and especially taking our chances we spoke about clinical nature until we blew in the face on this podcast and being able to to kill games off in in moments where we need to and against these sides with the quality that Spurs have. If you don't kill games off when you get the opportunity, especially early on, then they'll ah they'll punish you. And I think, you know, we we could highlight a few players on the the Villa side that that had individual poor days. I thought Torres specifically was one of them, obviously a big mistake on his part that that led to a goal. But
00:11:13
Speaker
I think, you know, in these games against the top six, the the media six, I should say, you have to be, you have to be solid and and every individual has to know their role and and carry it out to to kind of a hundred percent. Otherwise with the quality, you will get punished. Yeah. I agree with that about the individuals in particular Torres. I've been a big fan of Torres. I was having a conversation recently about if you take a hundred percent fit and a hundred percent fit,
00:11:41
Speaker
Torres and Ming's, which one do you pick? And it is a very good problem for Emery to have. And I do think Torres has been consistent for throughout this season, but in particular, I think it was the fourth goal where he made two mistakes within two seconds that led to the breakdown. He got lucky with the first one, then he gave it away again. And then it wasn't the fourth goal, fourth goal was the free kick, but one of the goals in particular.
00:12:06
Speaker
um so yeah and it broke down and then obviously the free kick just put the icing on a very very sour cake to be perfectly honest and we're going to be back after a brief message from Zencaster
00:12:22
Speaker
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00:12:41
Speaker
With 4k video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes ums as you knows and 22 other speech patterns, Zencaster makes it super easy to start a podcast that sounds great. Ready to tell your story? Check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Welcome back, we're talking about the four wonder feet of Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. On a positive note, I did predict there was going to be five goals, but um I actually predicted it was going to be 3-2 to the Villa.
Implications of Losing Against Top Teams
00:13:14
Speaker
So, quite off on my predictions there. So, I'm going to ask this joe ah to you first, Joe. With losing to Spurs and Arsenal in the past 11 games,
00:13:28
Speaker
Those are obviously two teams that will be vying for that top four position, and these are six points dropped now. Does that concern you, the fact that it's two games against two teams that are ah rivals, if you will?
00:13:45
Speaker
um I think it it concerns me but maybe for a slightly different reason. I think it doesn't concern me as such as their direct competition because we've already seen this year Spurs have lost games to the likes of Brighton and Crystal Palace and Arsenal have lost games to Bournemouth and I think they've dropped points in other games. So I think you know over the course of a long season teams in and around those spots will inevitably drop points. but I think looking at for us what it it kind of does for our reputation as a club that want to finish in those those positions, I think we need to show that we're at the very, very least competitive against teams of that caliber and a 4-1 loss just doesn't really display that to me. you know You can kind of watch the game and make your own assumptions, but you can't be losing 4-1 to a team that you're indirect competition with regardless of of their kind of previous form so it concerns me in the sense of of these are our direct rivals teams that we want to be as good as or believe that we are as good as and ah we we we can't seem to um to overcome them but in terms of the points tally at the end of the year i think.
00:14:51
Speaker
provided that we we ah we kind of learn from our mistakes and and bounce back and and move on and and pick up points further down the line against some of those bigger teams, that area isn't necessarily what concerns me. And Nyla, with the fact that obviously we played Bournemouth last time in the Premier League,
00:15:10
Speaker
At the space of it, who have now beat Manchester City and Arsenal, the point against them doesn't seem as bad as it was. But the fact that we conceded so light with the Bournemouth game, losing two essential points there, we got knocked out of the cup with Crystal Palace, and then we followed it up with defeat against Spurs. Do you feel it's time to hit the panic button?
00:15:35
Speaker
With that being said, it is a bit shocking if you just look at the results in from the league table versus our Champions League results. You kind of wonder, is this the same club um in terms of those those match results? I think it's less of a concern about us dropping points against you know those top four clubs and more of a concern, like you said, we're drawing with Ipswich, we're drawing with Bournemouth, we're drawing with Man United. Those are games where we know that we can secure points.
00:16:05
Speaker
um in terms of the other top four competitions i think if we're able to get a draw a win um not just straight losses that would work in our that would be good in our favor i think maybe realistic given this point in the season we're obviously not going to go in and and win 100 of those those top four matchups but at least to to come in with some points would be nice um not panicking just yet like i said just looking at the spectrum of everything like are Champions League performances versus Premier League performances jarring to say the least.
Maintaining Performance and Morale Expectations
00:16:41
Speaker
um I would look maybe more at performance and consistency there rather than results. I think obviously in the last few games just conceding really late and in play the play dying off towards the end of the match is not a good trend, not something that you'd want to see heading into a match against Liverpool who
00:17:03
Speaker
the They're not a team where you can kind of have those breaks in playing performance because they will punish um and and they won't hold back at all.
00:17:16
Speaker
It's funny the fact that we were talking at the beginning of the season, obviously we were winning a lot of games when we were conceding first. we Joe and I spoke at length about the fact that we were conceding so early we weren't starting games well and then we had to wait till they scored to start playing.
00:17:36
Speaker
Now it seems like we've gone completely the opposite way where we're conceding so many goals in late situations. We've got to try and find that balance. So my next question for you, Joe, is the fact that do you think morale has been hurt and do we need to expect a good performance against Club Bruges in order to pick our spirits up?
00:17:59
Speaker
um I think, you know, I think as Nyla said our Champions League form has been pretty good and it's probably been the highlight section of the season so far is that how consistently good we've been in the Champions League and I think, you know, if we go and perform in the same way we have in our previous Champions League games in Bruges then I see no reason why we don't make it four wins from four and that's obviously going to do wonders for for morale but I think looking into the the next Premier League game which is ah obviously a Saturday night at Anfield, it's ah an opportunity for the players to kind of dust themselves off and show exactly the quality that they have because it's going to be another game in similar fashion where we're going to be expected to go in
00:18:42
Speaker
and have to contend with world-class players, which is be the kind of the section of the table that we want to be in and around. So I think in terms of morale, if I was um in and around the camp, I think they'll be <unk>ll be ready for the the Champions League game, and I think they'll see it as an opportunity to to pick some momentum up in all competitions now. We haven't won in three games, and I think they'll be very quick to try and amend that going into what will be a huge, huge Premier League game against Liverpool.
00:19:12
Speaker
Yeah, because we obviously went through the month of September undefeated and I always want to go back and show people how it's not, I was joking early when I said hit the panic button and and everything along those is lines. So we were undefeated in September with the exception of Crystal Palace, we were undefeated in October. So in the league, we were still undefeated. We lost obviously Crystal Palace in the cup.
00:19:37
Speaker
fielding a, should we call it a questionable 11, because we were trying to rotate some players, get some fringe players in, get some minutes. I've been over the fact that I didn't mind that I wanted those fringe players to get some minutes. And obviously now it feels worse because of how we lost against Spurs. It just didn't seem competitive. We were competitive for say 50, 60 minutes, and then it all went pear shaped. So it's now a case of bouncing back,
00:20:06
Speaker
Champions League, we spoke about this on our Cup back one, Joe, about how does League Four matter going into other competitions and everything like that. And we both kind of agreed it didn't. It can build confidence and everything like that, but it's a chance to clear the slate and go again. We have a great chance against Club Bruges, which is going to be a really hard game, but a great chance to even go four games undefeated in the Champions League.
Impact of Travel and Upcoming Matches
00:20:32
Speaker
So that would then give us the opportunity to go into the Liverpool game on a high. But the fact is, we we spent most of October at home and we're going to spend most of November away. Is the away games going to take its toll on the season? What do you think, Nila?
00:20:52
Speaker
That's a really good question, actually. um And just ah to touch on the morale um topic before, I think given all of these different matches that we have going on and we've seen that player rotation, I would expect morale to be, despite results, quite high. We've seen Buendia come back, we've seen Ming's come back, and I think that also is just a boost um in terms of maybe the psychological part into the squad to have those leaders back. um And in with the that squad is is huge.
00:21:23
Speaker
um In terms of home and away, I think obviously, you know, home pitch advantage is a real thing. um So going away and playing these clubs at their home pitch where they have their supporters um to back them will be tough. I think it's it's in villa to still thrive kind of in in those tough environments.
00:21:46
Speaker
um So I wouldn't expect it to have too much of an effect with that, but I think with traveling that may that may play a part and we might see some fatigue in that sense. What are your thoughts on that? I i really think the next game is going to be a real telltale game because we had the Luxury, if you will, in our last Champions League game where we were able to rotate a few players, whether it was in the league or into the the starting lineup. But an away game, it is away, right? Against Club Bruges, I believe. Yep, that's away. So, yeah, we're in in Belgium. and
00:22:32
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. So with it being a wide game, I really think it will be difficult to not field a strong 11 based on the fact that also we're coming off three defeats. It's got to be a chance to turn on and have a good seeing. So I think it's going to be tough on on the legs this next week. We're playing Colored, Bruges, then Liverpool at Anfield. We need our fans to really rally behind the team right now.
00:22:59
Speaker
And if we can make this another successful week, either in the Champions League, in the league or essentially both, if if we could get four points out of these next two games, I would be extremely happy with that. Whether it's one point in the league and three points in the Champions League or vice versa, I would go away very happy with that.
Looking Ahead: Club Bruges and Team Selection
00:23:21
Speaker
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00:23:28
Speaker
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00:23:58
Speaker
Welcome back and we've never been one at the Daily Villa to dwell on the past. We always like to move forward and look forward to the next game. So we're putting Tottenham in our rearview mirror now. We're not going to talk about that again until they come to Villa Park and get torn to shreds by us as our revenge fixture. So we move on to Club Bruges and I mentioned earlier about how I feel a stronger leaven is going to be needed to go out there. ah Between the two of you, and we'll start with you, Nyla, um how do you feel Emery will go into this game with his team selection? Do you see any surprises like Madison at left back or do you see a Duran and Ollie partnership?
00:24:44
Speaker
anything along those lines when we're going into the scale? I don't know. I don't think Emery is one for for these big surprises. I think typically we can, um in these situations, kind of predict um who he'll field as is 11.
00:25:00
Speaker
I think maybe we're more likely to see changes in those other cup competitions. um I wouldn't it be opposed to seeing Mattson start. Like I said, he has that experience under his belt. um But we've also seen the likes of you know other players who maybe aren't as experienced to get a lot of minutes in Champions League. I want to say, was it Jaden?
00:25:24
Speaker
Um, that's been doing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's been doing quite, yeah quite well. Um, but yeah, I would, I would expect him to, you know, be using that consistent 11 that we've been, um, fielding in champions. league What do you think Jeff?
00:25:41
Speaker
Yeah, I think one of the the few, I suppose not criticisms, but point, definitely talking points around Unai Emery is his kind of lack of wholesale rotation. He has players that he's very loyal to and tends to stick with. And, you know, at times we can kind of look at supporters and and and look from the outside and go, well, you know, there's there's players that have played a lot of football and haven't really seen much of a rest. So I think it'll be interesting to see exactly who he goes for, personnel wise. I can see Mapton coming in at left back. I can see potentially better Ramsey coming in sorry I can see maybe a ah change in the midfield I'm not exactly sure what that would look like with Barkley reportedly nursing an injury so I'm not sure whether there'll be any kind of change in there the defense obviously you know he's kind of shown that he he has trusted Bogard and Nedulakovic at points this season in the league but then we haven't really seen anything from them since the kind of
00:26:35
Speaker
opening few weeks so it'd be interesting if they feature but I think yeah I think especially in the defense there's a lot of talking points for for kind of potential personnel swaps.
00:26:46
Speaker
Sorry, just to jump in, um in terms of like those personnel swaps, I think there is a few, a few episodes ago, we were talking about Diego Carlos, um who hadn't been performing at his best, but Emery stuck with him. And the next match in he had fantastic performance. So I think it's it's a bit like he might have an eye, he might see something that we're not seeing. um But maybe it is just when you When you give trust to a player, just allow them to kind of step up to the plate like ah Diego Carlos had um in his performance. Sorry, Craig, go ahead. I was just just going to say, i I agree with you both. um I don't see all see a big changes. If it wasn't for Maddie Cash being brought off injured, I would have expected Bayley to start this game.
00:27:38
Speaker
um I think he needs that run out. He needs to kind of get through this low patch in his in his career, I believe. However, I do think now if Cash is out injured, he will go back to Kanza right back with Diego Carlos coming in as centre backs with Torres. And I think because of already the movement, I would expect Luca Dean to start at left back.
00:28:04
Speaker
because of already adjusting so much already, again, for an important game. um And I feel that when he plays Kanza at right back, I don't think he particularly wants to play Baile because Kanza needs that extra bit of support. So I would expect McGinn then to play it right back. Because of Barkley being out, I can't see any switches from Ohnana and Tealemans. Probably Ramsey out on the left then as well.
Closing Remarks and Listener Engagement
00:28:32
Speaker
um And then The interesting thing I found about the the game that will go unnamed now earlier on today um was the fact that when Morgan Rogers came on, the camera went on him and he was adamant he shouldn't have been brought off.
00:28:49
Speaker
I think there was a miscommunication between him and the and the physios about whether he should come off or not. So he didn't want to come off. So I expect him to start with Ali up top. And again, we'll probably see Duran make his mark on the 60th minute. so So we will be on again tomorrow um to talk about the FC Club Bruges. But for today, that's about it. All we have for the Daily Villa. So thank you very much to Nyla and Joe for joining us.
00:29:18
Speaker
and make sure to reach out on all the socials, talk to us about whether you agree with our points or if you see any differently. We're happy to engage with our fans and give the opportunity for them to talk. This has been the Global Sports Podcast Network. This is the Daily Villa. Thank you for listening and as always of the Villa.