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S1 E37 A timely international break
13 Plays1 month ago
Today Nyla and Dan talk touch on the international break being a rest and reset opportunity as well as the reality of having so many international call-ups within the squad. They round 'Tactics Tuesday' with some reflection on tactical changes since last season.
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Transcript
00:00:06
Speaker
sport podcast network Hello everyone and welcome to today's episode of the Daily Villa podcast as part of the global sports podcast network. My name is Nyla and I'm thrilled to be joined by Dan to bring you today's episode of Daily Villa. In this episode, we'll be taking a look at the upcoming international break and diving into some tactics. How are things going, Dan?
00:00:33
Speaker
ah now that it's been It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I'm so glad I'm back recording a podcast with you. It's been ages since we last spoke. I think I made my podcasting debut with you just after the ah EFL Cup game. So its it's so nice to be recording with you once again. Yeah, it's definitely been a while. And in listening to the other episodes, it's really great to hear that your energy and enthusiasm through some of these hard, hard times gone.
00:01:02
Speaker
Yeah, it's a bit contagious. and I know you've pulled Craig in a few times with that optimism. So it's really, really good to have you as part of the the Daily Villa squad when we need you in those moments.
00:01:16
Speaker
So with that said, Dan, we're nearly a third way through the season and with 11 matches in. How are you feeling about the timing of this international break? Do you think it's an opportunity for a reset? What are your thoughts there?
00:01:34
Speaker
um I think this has come at just the right time um for the squad and for the manager. The team has been looking incredibly leggy of late and a break will give the team a chance to reset and debrief regarding, I'm gonna call it a poor run of form, although it's only been four games. you know We're not in a relegation battle, but it's good to have a bit of a debrief and look even closer into those performances.
00:02:04
Speaker
And it will give Emory a good amount of time to sit down, look at the videos over those last three or four games and really drill down into the areas that we need to improve on. i yeah i mean What are your thoughts on that? It's primarily football, so i mean anyone can win on any given day, I think.
00:02:23
Speaker
um For us, I've kind of been preaching this in the last few episodes I've been on is is not to panic. um Man City is on a four match losing streak as well. I mean, so every team is is going to have these times of the season where things aren't going their way. They're not getting the results they should. That just shows how competitive the league is and in the quality of managers and players.
00:02:45
Speaker
um But I do agree with you. I do think it's it's a perfect time to stop where we are, to reset, regain our heads, um and figure out the next moves from there. um Do you think there's anything specific that you can pinpoint um where you think Emery's head is? Where is he going to be reviewing those films? Is it the back line? um Connections in the midfield?
00:03:14
Speaker
Well, it's it's interesting. And i'm I'm not going to play my hand um too early. I've got ah to mention a couple of these bits a bit later on. But that it goes back to this legginess and lack of intensity for me that has really upset Villa. We just don't look our normal selves at the moment. And that will be a concern to Emery. I think um some of, certainly the injury to Matty Cash has hit us harder than I first thought it would. But, you know, um we're going to have to we cannna have to pull ourselves together and get out of this and back to winning ways. Luckily, we're sitting in ninth. um It's quite a a tight table. So we're in ninth with those five wins, three draws, three losses. ah When you look at the table, goal differential aside, the difference between the 10th place team and the third place team is just three points. So a win can really change things.
00:04:10
Speaker
How do you feel about having such a ah tight Premier League table at this point in the season?
00:04:17
Speaker
Well, I think you've just mentioned it in that it demonstrates to us how competitive the Premier League really is and and why we love it so much as football fans. And it does give me heart that even though um it feels like we're in a a tiny bit of a slump at the moment,
00:04:35
Speaker
that we haven't been left so far out of touch with teams around us that if we put in a good run after the international break then I think we'll be right back where we want to be and you know as as you've mentioned all teams are going to go through a bit of an off patch if we've got ours out of the way early and the rest of the season is all good and back to winning ways then you know long long bit and we're in good competition as it were with Man City having a bit of a slump at the same time. um How do you see it? How do you feel? I agree with that. I think um as a fan maybe someone who's if you're listening and you're not necessarily tied to Villa you've not got a team I think that's really interesting. um I think that makes it very attractive for someone looking to to follow the Premier League and and to pick a team
00:05:29
Speaker
For me personally, I would love a little bit more of a cushion um with Villa. So if we had a few more points to really solidify us, um that would feel a bit nice. But I think what that does is it keeps the managers, it keeps the players focused um to always improve, always to find new ways, new tactics to to get those results and to be better as players, as a team, as a club.
00:05:53
Speaker
So I think it just continues that it encourages continuous improvement, which is, you know, you're just going to see the, the game evolve over time as well. So I think only really, really positives unless, unless you really just want to secure that, that first place that at the top three we finish.
00:06:12
Speaker
um and And with that, having and but having said that, we've had such a strong start to the league, I mean, minus the last few ah results. and And even in Champions League, that was a really strong start for us as well. um Kind of jumping ahead, we'll pick back up with league action um against Crystal Palace at Villa Park. um We've got Chelsea away. And in between that, we'll have a Champions League match at home.
00:06:39
Speaker
we'll see Um, Juventus and our old friend Douglas Louise. So what are your thoughts? Um, kind of, again, that's a bit of a couple of weeks away, but what are your thoughts heading into those matches after international break? Is that kind of an ideal form or setup for Villa, do you think? Or would you like to see maybe, um, other opponents, but it's just kind of the way it's drawn.
00:07:04
Speaker
I mean, I'd love to see us play Southampton at home, but um I don't mean that. That's not on the fixture list just yet. I think the game against Crystal Palace, and and I don't want to use this phrase, but when I was looking over ah looking over this, I couldn't think of a better one, is almost a must win for us. Not for points, that's not what I'm ah talking about, but to get the confidence back in the team, because we do look like a team that is running low on confidence at the moment.
00:07:35
Speaker
and if we don't get a good result after an international break when we think we've reset and we go again then the team's morale morallle morale um surely is going to suffer um which is not an ideal situation to be taken to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea. They seem to be really settling down now into a better run of form now that All those play, well, just about every international player that's ever lived seems to be on there ah in their dressing room at the moment. Juventus is not the Juventus that I grew up watching back in the 90s, but once again, there's no easy games. We've had that proven to us in the Champions League over over the last week.
00:08:20
Speaker
um with dropping the points in the way we did against Bruges, um I think it would be really good for the lads and the manager um to put in a physical performance against UVA. If we leave it all out on the pitch and we lose, so be it.
00:08:38
Speaker
but I think we've got to really up our intensity, especially with that match against Juventus being at home. I agree. I think with those lineups, it's a good mix of competitive matches, but matches where we know we can go in with our identity and make the other teams adjust to our style of play rather than us, you know, doing vice versa.
00:09:00
Speaker
And I think it's also the break is coming at a good time. We've had a few results kind of play and into our benefit with Arsenal and Chelsea drawing, as you said, Chelsea's, you know, finding their foot now, um Newcastle beating Forest. So I think it's maybe a hopeful sign that the stars are aligning and other things are working out. And and now it's, we can just focus on Crystal Palace and head in to that match knowing that, you know, we can build on that momentum, but kind of one match at a time. I think it'll be interesting to see um if Douglas Louise is is in the lineup and how he might play against us, but I'm not sure what theyre their plans are for that.
00:09:43
Speaker
um i know i think he's struggled to break into their 11 there so we'll just have to see well there's that nasty rumor that um apparently he's going to be loaned back to us and so uh we'll have to wait Oh, yeah. It's one of the floating around Facebook. And I mean, you know, if it's on Facebook, it must be true. Well, I mean, I've heard it's not kind of working out, but I think, yeah, just based off of playing time. It's such a shame. Such a shame. But of course, well, we'll take a deeper look at the villains active in this international break after a message courtesy of Zencaster.
00:10:31
Speaker
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00:10:44
Speaker
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00:11:12
Speaker
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00:11:20
Speaker
Welcome back. It's now time to have a look at where our villains will be over the next couple of weeks. And we've got quite a bit of active players out. We've got Emi and Enzo for Argentina. They'll be playing in the World Cup qualifiers. Leon Bailey, of course, will be headed to Jamaica for the CONCACAF Nations League. Super John McGinn representing Scotland. um Just Amadou Onana for Belgium.
00:11:48
Speaker
We have Lucadina for France, John Duran to Colombia. We'll see Joe Gauci for Australia, Nadelkevich for Croatia, um Torres to Spain, Watkins and Kansa. And, might I add, recently announced Morgan Rogers will be joining England for his first senior call-up. So that will be interesting. And then we've got Sam.
00:12:10
Speaker
Eileen Jr. and Jayden Philogene for the U21s for England. And interesting enough, Ian Mattson for the Netherlands U21. So with all that said and done, we've got an awful lot of players heading out. What's your opinion on this? Do you think it helps us or doesn't hurt us, Dan?
00:12:30
Speaker
well Well, just before I answer that question, I just want to say I am very impressed with how you went through that list. That was absolutely, absolutely tremendous. And if I was being asked to read that out, I don't think I could have done it. So well done to you. um go Going back to your question then, well, that seems like basically our first team that is away on international duty and just about everyone else, which obviously shows how far Villa have come since I was watching them when ah as a boy um when you know if we had one or two players go off on international duty that was amazing for us but seeing as just about everyone is having to pack their bags for these two weeks that that really is a bit of a change. um I think that this is a bit of a worry for me as we definitely don't need anybody getting injured while they're away
00:13:23
Speaker
um I have a funny feeling, and I mean, you know, we'll we'll see if this bites me on the backside, is that we're going to see some of those players drop out of those international teams, um especially with the crowded fixtures um of the Premier League and Champions League upon their return. um Players like Ollie Watkins, and I'm not discrediting Ollie Watkins' ah patriotism in wanting to play for England,
00:13:53
Speaker
But with the England managers changing, um I can't see the point in him going to sit on the bench personally. I don't think these games um is is going to be a chance to impress Thomas Tuchel as the incoming England manager. So right i I don't know if he's going to go. but You know, that that it's it's only my opinion, but if I get it right, you hi it heard it here first. We'll see. Obviously we don't want anyone getting injured, um but I think that raises a really good point. I mean, it is such a compact schedule. There's lots of matches happening.
00:14:33
Speaker
um We're only a third way through. It's only November, so there's still quite a ways to go. I believe there was, I think, eight of the the England call-ups that dropped out, which is why Morgan Rogers got the call-up. I wouldn't be surprised if that's a trend that we see over the next coming weeks and maybe the next few months as well.
00:14:54
Speaker
Um, but hopefully not. I don't know. I think it'll be interesting. Um, with the Villa players that are out, there's not too many that will meet, um, in international, but there's a few, I think, um, Nidalkovich and John McGinn will see each other this Friday. Um, I believe it's, is at serbby on scotland it Is it?
00:15:19
Speaker
or I keep saying Croatia and I mean Serbia, but, um, there's that or no, Serbia, uh, Serbia's got Switzerland, into but I, it'll be interesting to see, you know, what happens in those situations if they come up against each other, um, in a new kind of setting with the new squad around them. Um, are there any matchups, you know, not maybe this international break, but in the future that you'd like to see, uh, perhaps players that play against each other, um, or in competing positions.
00:15:51
Speaker
I mean, it's it's always ah fun watching England play the old enemy, certainly in the last, not last Euros, but the Euros before when ah John McGinn went up against um various ah Villa players and against England. And watching um two sets of Villa players um going at each other, half a how lever, I think is always quieter.
00:16:13
Speaker
quite exciting, as long as no one looks like they're hobbling off, that's that's all good. um So really, as long as they all come back safe and sound, that's that's my main concern. but it It does show that um with ah so many of our players going off on international duty, once again, it can only be good for Villa and them gaining big match experience that I'm sure will help us further down the line. Definitely just getting those players in those big matches, I think will be really helpful psychologically. um I think, you know, it helps show the values of Villa as a club, having all of these
00:16:50
Speaker
high level players with caps under their belt. I think that that does wonders for them as players and their player value, but also um for the club. um Yeah. and and And with that, there were two players that we didn't mention that normally we would see get called up.
00:17:07
Speaker
We know that Matty Cash is struggling with the calf injury at the moment, so he will not be ah a part of the Poland squad. However, we've seen Yuri Tillemans, we saw play only this past weekend against Liverpool, he will not be suiting up for Belgium. Is that concerning to you at all?
00:17:29
Speaker
and ah I'm going to sort of sound quite selfish when I answer this. It's not overly concerning because I'm not a Belgium fan. um You know, but I think he has been one of the rock solid players for us recently. um Over the last sort of two weeks, he seems to be one of only a few players that are providing any creativity for us. So, and you know, it has mainly come from him in in reality. like
00:18:00
Speaker
i'm I'm not too worried um about him not being picked for Belgium. i I don't think international coaches treat the nation's league um with the same respect as it used to be with like the World Cup qualifiers. So I don't see them seeing the games as so high profile, but that that might just be me and I might be totally wrong. um i But I think if we can give him a rest, that can only benefit us um in the long run. And with regards to Matty Cash, it's awful that he's out injured. I mean, someone with some healing hands needs to go and touch his hamstring as soon as possible.
00:18:40
Speaker
as as we have been really struggling without him. um And I'm not the biggest Matti Cash fan. Sometimes I see him as slightly a bit of a weak link for us um at the back. But Matti, if you're listening, all is forgiven. Come back as quick as possible. Yeah, of course. And and ah and you kind of took the words right out of my mouth. i'm Whether it was Yuri's decision, the manager or Villa, um just respect respect that.
00:19:09
Speaker
they're looking at what he does for Villa in the league rather than, you know, an international call-up. I think any international call-up for any player is massive um to represent their country, their heritage, um and also to drive their player value. it's It's massive. And for him to use this break as a time to rest um and recover if he's got anything, any nagging injuries, I think is, yeah.
00:19:35
Speaker
i I can only give my respect to that and and appreciate. um Yeah. ah Definitely. um So don't go anywhere. We'll be back for tactics after a message from the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:19:55
Speaker
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00:20:23
Speaker
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00:20:29
Speaker
All right, now the moment we've all been waiting for. It's time to talk some tactics. um Let's kind of reflect on what's been going on. um But I just want to bring us back for a second. Award for a season. I feel last season um in our back line, we held a decently high line, I would say. And I think there were many times where we caught many opponents with the offside trap.
00:20:57
Speaker
I feel like this season, we've not seen that as much. We've not had any as nearly as many offsite calls as before. Why do you think that is? Do you think there's been a big adjustment in terms of formation and style of play?
00:21:16
Speaker
um Yeah, i've I mean, I feel we've been playing deeper since the start of this season and I think that's as a result of Emery really wanting um us to control games. That seems to be what he's talking about again and again and again.
00:21:36
Speaker
um but in the On the flip side of that, as a result, we seem to be playing with um less intensity than I would like to see um from a Villa team. I mean, every Villa fan would like to see Aston Villa swashbuckling forward and no hold barred as the bat, but that doesn't quite seem to be Emery's way he seems to be this year being a bit more pragmatic and I think that has cost us a little bit in our squads chemistry I mean when we say that we haven't been playing with a ah high line um not every game suits a high line if we look if we look back at the Liverpool game and I know this is from a set piece but
00:22:23
Speaker
you look at those two corners in the first half, once where they scored and the second where they should have done, we had just about every one of our players within 10 yards of the 18 yard box um and that showed tremendous naivety and a bit too swashbuckling high line forward thinking for me.
00:22:48
Speaker
um But I also think it's to do with the mental state of the squad. I think if you're going to play with a high line, you need to be a squad that is full of confidence in that everyone in your defensive line is going to step forward at the right time doing the good old Arsenal offside trap of the 90s, you know, and at the moment with people like Matty Cash being out that has reshaped our defensive line somewhat and having confidence that everybody is going to go forward at the same time. um it it It takes a lot of confidence to do that and because if you get it wrong you're left incredibly exposed. so
00:23:33
Speaker
you know it'd be lovely to see them play with much more intensity and further up the pitch but i think at the moment we'd we'd struggle to do that how how do you see it it's really insightful um well me and my not ua for a license um think that yeah just a disclaimer there um I think it's it's hard. it's We can't necessarily play the high line all the time. Like you said, it depends on the opponent. I think also the personnel. We have different players who have different skill sets and different experiences. So I think that plays a part in it as well. But do you think that there's something there worth revisiting or taking a second look at heading into match day 12 against Crystal Palace? um Do you think
00:24:21
Speaker
adjusting that or finding kind of a way where we adjust our line and in how high or how low that we start it will allow for us to get that energy back and get that um like aggression to get forward that that we're missing it seems to be that we're missing in the last few matches or is there maybe an alternative um maybe a different Line up or different connections between the players. What do you think you know heading into match day 12? What would you like to see? What do you think the solution is? Well, if if I knew the solution I would be sat on the bench instead of Emory I'm sure but I I don't I don't have any of my ah ah You wait for badges. I have a blue Peter badge, which is about as much as I have I want a five meter swimming badge, I think um I
00:25:18
Speaker
I don't think it's something that we should dismiss the high line, but I think it's something that if we can do that as almost an in-game change to knock teams off balance, if they've sit and sat there and gone, okay, Villa have started off sitting quite deep, but then this burst forward and potentially then changing it halfway through with that initial press and then following it with that high line.
00:25:42
Speaker
that would be good. So I don't think it's something that we should totally um give up on. um I personally would like to see Villa's pressing game improve. It doesn't seem to have been the way that it was last year. We seem to have chucked um the baby out with the bath water in in that sort of way. um And I think if we improve our pressing game, that improves our level of intensity.
00:26:09
Speaker
um and it would just I think it would also assist in what seems to be a ah tiny section at the moment but a little bit of growing unrest with a selection of fans if we can improve that intensity. If the team look like they're leaving it all out on the pitch you know that it's It's a lot harder to show discontent as a fan. um you know If you lose against um the better team, so be it. But if you're losing against teams you think you should be beating, that's where fans start to say silly things. And I think they are saying silly things at the moment. We should remember where we've come from.
00:26:54
Speaker
um I think by it's so hard to just type out that message and post isn't when things aren't going the way your way as a fan. I find it totally ludicrous, quite honestly. I mean, yeah, such is life.
00:27:12
Speaker
um I think we need to go back to basics as well a little bit. um And I was listening um to your reaction against the ah ah from the Bruges game, sorry, and I think you raised a really wonderful point in ah in that we seem to be forcing the game.
00:27:31
Speaker
And that demonstrates to me a lack of confidence. We're looking for this wonder pass that isn't on. And if it isn't on, keep the ball. Move the other teams around and that pass will open up. I mean, there's a period in Villa history where we had a manager from Liverpool. I can't even bring myself to bear his name.
00:27:56
Speaker
um But he was always looking for this moment of magic that an individual was creating rather than a team. um And that was forcing games. And I don't think that's our natural way. I think we need to go back, get the basics right, keep hold of the ball.
00:28:15
Speaker
Um, we looked a lot better against Liverpool. We didn't look like we were forcing that too much. I mean, I know we lost 2-0 and certainly the first goal was a bit of a howler in my eyes, but we looked like we were playing better. We looked like we'd regained some of that intensity. So, I mean, I don't know if that's actually answered your question, but that's certainly what I would like to see in week 12. Yeah. I think it, it, you raised a few good points as well. That brings me to my, to my next question is.
00:28:45
Speaker
but Between those two matches, between Bruges and Liverpool, we've of course seen player rotation, um obviously new opponent, new game plan, new strategy, new tactics from Emery.
00:28:57
Speaker
And in that, we've seen several players return from long-term injuries. We've seen Ming's come back, Kamara, Buendia, just to name a few. And how do you feel that plays into the hands of Emery? Do you think it, I see it as a way it opens his options up tactically um in terms of who he can select for the 11, maybe the style of play, the individual skills that that player has. How do you, what are your thoughts on that? How do you feel about that?
00:29:24
Speaker
Well, I have to agree with you in that it opens up Emory's tactics and possibilities. I think it gives us so many different options. um But I also think that it looks like we've rushed back a few players. They probably could have done with a little a little bit longer with the under 20 freeze. now I've not spoken to so many people, in fact to anybody um from the Villapod since the Bruges game, but and um and I'm not calling out Mings, but if he'd been playing from the start of the season, does he make that mistake? I'm i'm not sure he does.
00:30:07
Speaker
um you know now But um um I'm certainly not calling him out. um Kamara is a ah really welcome for return for me. He's such a good ball-winning midfielder. And although he's coming back up to Matt Sharpness, his football intelligence and his locational play, where he needs to be on the pitch and reading the game, is so good.
00:30:34
Speaker
that his physical sharpness isn't so much of a problem. That that will just come back as as the games go on. um And I think that is going to be so valuable for us when we play teams that are looking to dominate that midfield and shut us out, because sometimes I think our midfield hasn't looked as strong as I would have liked it to have done.
00:30:57
Speaker
um So it's a totally different um skill set that he provides and it really helps us when we need to shut up shop or dominate a midfield or see a game out. So I'm really pleased that he's back. And my, Emi Brandeia from Argentina, I am so happy to see him back. I was really thrilled to see him get his goal in the AFL Cup against Wickham. I think that was such a wonderful thing to happen.
00:31:23
Speaker
um And I think he brings a level of intensity that not everybody at Villa has. You can never um suggest that Emmy is not full of running.
00:31:35
Speaker
he He is all, well mind you, what surprised me that I hadn't noticed previously was Ian Maxson's intensity. has He flings himself round the pitch and that's good to see. I'm i'm a fan of the swashbuckling football as you may have seen.
00:31:54
Speaker
but um Yeah, it certainly gives us different options and it gives us the ability to close our doors if we need to control again. I'm hoping anyway.
00:32:06
Speaker
Definitely. And, and whether everyone agrees that some of them are rushed back or not, I think just this break now will just, they've, they've gotten their toes wet. They've gotten in competitive matches. They can head into this break, recalibrate, reset. And then, you know, from here on is kind of almost a clean slate. Um, they've, they've shown to the manager, they've shown to the team that they can compete. They're healthy, they're able. Um, and so I think it's, it's only positives from here.
00:32:35
Speaker
Definitely, definitely. Fantastic. And Dan, any any final thoughts? Well, as as I said at the start, I think this international break has come to us at just the right time. I am looking forward then to a rejuvenated, swashbuckling Aston Villa upon the Premier League's return and um certainly climbing our way back up the Premier League table. And yeah, let's see if we can carry on with the Champions League and qualify for that ah top eight automatically. That would be such an achievement.
00:33:10
Speaker
Absolutely. And I know Emory and the team there are already working on it. So it'll be exciting to see what happens after this break. Well, that's all for this episode of the Daily Villa podcast. Thank you again, Dan, for joining me and be sure to get in touch across all of our social medias. They're located in the podcast description. This has been a global sports podcast production. Thank you for listening and up the Villa.
00:33:40
Speaker
Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network.