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Ep 52 - Crossover Thursday + Forecast Friday - can Forest under Nuno replicate Villa under Emery?
9 Plays6 days ago
Craig from Daily Villa joins Marley and Stuart to preview the match tomorrow and the parallels between the teams.
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Global Sports Podcast Network
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Transcript
Episode Preview: Forest vs Villa
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to GSPN Daily Forest for our crossover episode ah ahead of the Midlands Derby or the Derby of the ex-European Cup winners, Forest V Villa on Saturday. Joining from joining me Stuart from the forest side, we have Marley. Marley, how are you doing? How's the TikTok series of your fair forest legends going?
Forest Legends on TikTok
00:00:30
Marley
ah going very well each video is performing better than the last which is either because people are finding it or because I keep trying different things and they keep working better so hopefully by this series I know what works what doesn't and I'll be able to bring in more viewers to not just forest GSPM but the whole of GSPN through my TikTok series because I will be doing a lot more
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's great.
Trial and Error: Forest's Strategy
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So trial and error and seeing what works. I think that maybe that's what a lot of what Forrest had been doing last year. And I think we possibly have found what works. Um, they're joining us to talk about his team.
00:01:00
Marley
Yes.
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, maybe, well, I'll be interested to hear actually if they have, have peaked or whether it's just, uh, uh, not as high as, as last year, we've got Craig joining us from the daily bill of podcasts.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Greg, how are you doing today?
00:01:13
Craig Birtwistle
Doing very well, how about you guys?
00:01:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. All good. All good for us. Looking forward to. The game had the city ground tomorrow, where of course, Forest did win both our home games like against Villa in our in our two years since promotion. But despite that, Villa have certainly had the bed the better time of it over the last two years. So talk to us, Craig, quickly about what it's like for you seeing the rise of Aston Villa, especially since Una Emery played Steven Gerrard.
00:01:46
Craig Birtwistle
Yeah, we try not to mention Steven Gerrard's name on Daily Villa. It does create a very sour note and a bitter taste in the back of the throat, but it's been very good
Villa's Rise Under Unai Emery
00:01:56
Craig Birtwistle
since then. um I'm actually very pleased with how we've gone and how we've dealt with our blip of form, I will say, because I feel like you watch Liverpool right now and you see Arnie Slott is riding high, he's doing everything right, but you always wonder when you're on the up how a manager can deal with ah when things don't quite go right.
00:02:21
Craig Birtwistle
and we've experienced that recently we and i feel like we've come out of it the other side ah stronger for those experiences to be perfectly honest so it's been a up and down season but one that i was kind of expecting i kind of used new castle as the previous year as our blueprint Obviously they got into the Champions League, they were trying to compete on championship Champions League form as well as Premier League form, trying to deal with the PSR and everything like that. So that was kind of our blueprint. So I knew this year was going to be difficult, but if we can finish again in Europe this season and as we are doing at the moment, showing a good good run of form in the Champions League, I think that would be a good progressive season.
Balancing European and League Demands
00:03:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it's really interesting because of the the difference in format I guess between the Champions League for Villa and for Newcastle because Newcastle had the old formats so they were into the old group of death and then they had Dortmund, PSG and if I'm not mistaken Atletico Madrid maybe so certainly very tough games with Villa they've had a nice mix they've had the famous wins at home against Bayern Munich during Juventus and then some away trips as well Marley, have you been watching any of Villa this season, either in the Champions League or the Premier League? and Do you think there's been a drop-off, or is it more like Craig has said? They've gone through the blip, but they've come out the other side, having to learn a lot more about themselves.
00:03:45
Marley
ah Unfortunately, I haven't seen much of Aston Villa this season. i I should probably try and watch them a few more times. I don't think it's so much of a blip. I think it's more, as Craig said, with Newcastle having to try and balance both Premier League on the weekends and European nights in midweek. It can take its toll on players, especially when a club's not done it for so long or ever.
00:04:10
Marley
So the players will have to try and find that fine tune and manage a lot to try and find a fine tune. The coaches, the physios and everyone will have to try to find a fine tune to balance it out a bit. And if you can qualify for Europe again next season, then I'm sure you'll be able to balance
Analyzing Villa's Player Dynamics
00:04:23
Marley
out a lot better. You'll learn how to best cope with having such a high volume of games and you'll be able to start pushing top four again more than you are this season.
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
the Probably the most interesting thing about Villa this season, certainly from a neutral point of view, in terms of how often Villa are spoken about on the national podcast of searches, John Duran. So that seems like um he's always a sub, almost always a sub. So it's not as if you've had Watkins in the league, Duran in and Europe. It's always been Watkins starting and Duran then coming on. How do you think that job share is working, Greg?
00:05:02
Craig Birtwistle
I think at the beginning of the season, Duran um had conversations with Emery first when he was like venturing for leaving the club. and But I think he's basically been told like, by your time, you'll get your opportunities, which he has, and understand that at the moment, Ali's my number nine, my favorite, my go to.
00:05:24
Craig Birtwistle
but you will get your opportunities and then obviously Ali's a doubt for this weekend for example. This is a prime example if Duran gets the start that he's got to grab hold of it with both hands because one of the things that has been very exciting as a Villa fan this past season is the competition for places.
00:05:42
Craig Birtwistle
We brought Ian Matterson in for example and it's done nothing but heighten Luca Dean to becoming one of I think at the moment one of the best informed left backs in the country at the moment in the Premier League and then you've also got like players like Duran as we were talking about who's pushing Ali all the way to the wire where it's very much a split decision with a lot of Villa fans calling for Duran to start. So this is a golden opportunity now if he does get to the start of the city ground to go out there and prove that he is the player that everyone expects him to be.
Understanding Forest's Team Roles
00:06:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, as Unai Emery, it sounds like he's successfully kept all these players happy then. You mentioned Ian Mattson as another who came in for big money, which actually resulted in us taking Alex Moreno on on loan from you because you had another um left back at the club. So how was, like, Ian Mattson or Yuri Tillamans even, how have they reacted to being not in the team? Is there a bit of discontent? Or was everyone so fully involved in buying into Unai Emery that they understand their jobs?
00:06:47
Craig Birtwistle
I think the majority of people have bought into it. Like you mentioned Yuri Tillamans. He threw his dummy at the pram last year, for example, when we had Douglas Louise in the mix as well, because he wasn't getting enough minutes. And I think, again, he's had a conversation with Emery and said, like, now that Doug is left,
00:07:07
Craig Birtwistle
you will be considered more a starter, but you've got to take the ball by the horns. You've got to get out there and prove yourself. And he's another one, just like Luca Dean, that is thriving now under that management of Emory. And one of the interesting things you said there was about successfully keeping players happy. I think it's not necessarily the word happy that I would use, but content and understanding is more that they're getting to the point now because i I'm actually one of those few fans that like if Duran gets pulled off the field and he starts punching the chair or anything like that.
00:07:41
Craig Birtwistle
I'm one of those few fans that actually enjoys that because I don't want any one of my players to not want to be on the field. So I want that fight. I want that push to get everyone ready for that game.
00:07:53
Craig Birtwistle
So I think it's just a case of they have to understand what
The Value of the Conference League
00:07:57
Craig Birtwistle
he's buying and how we're selling it.
00:07:57
Marley
All right.
00:08:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's really interesting. Would you say, Marley, that's almost been replicated at Forest? We saw Anthony Langa start most of the first 10-12 games of the season and Jota Silva was the one waiting in the wings, biding his time. Do you think that approach has been working well for Forest?
00:08:17
Marley
Yeah, I do, because I think the main thing that's working with Forest at the minute is everyone knows that they have a job, everyone knows what their job is, and everyone is happy with their job. Kind of using the Alanga Jota situation that you've just mentioned as my example,
00:08:32
Marley
Elanga's known from the start of the season, his job is simply to start on the wing and to deliver, to give everything he can on that wing, quick down the wing, getting behind, cross the ball in, chipping with a goal. Jota has known that his job is that impact sub off the bench to bring pace, bring creativity. And he's also known if Elanga's performances do start to drop off and he's showing enough off the bench and in training, his job will be to come in, take that starting spot off him and put in the good performances that we've been needing. And I think that's what happened. The Langer's performances did take a small dip. Jota has been put in and Jota has more than proved his worth in that wing position for that starting role. And I don't see a Langer getting it back anytime soon, but I don't think a Langer will be too annoyed about that because he's still got a job and a role in the team, as does all all the players and all the substitutes.
00:09:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so I think with everything just about coming together, I know that we Forrest as well had a mini blip, but it this is fifth against sixth in the table tomorrow. Just before Craig, we take our first ad break. Mark at the start of our season and on the Daily Forrest podcast, he said that had a sneaky feeling Forrest might even make the conference league. ah So that's obviouslyly something you at Villa experienced last year. And now you're in the Champions League. So from you and and the fan and the rest of the fan base, how did you embrace the conference league? Is that something we should be
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
looking forward to, having we not been in Europe for a while, um or would you say it's more hassle than it's worth almost?
00:10:02
Craig Birtwistle
When the conference league was announced, I actually thought it was absolute nonsense where it was like, how can you get into Europe finishing seventh or eighth depending on co-efficiency? And then when the tournament actually got going, when West Ham won it the first year, I was actually transfixed in the fact that now there was a chance for teams like ah Forest or Villa or West Ham that can actually experience those European ties and experience that environment.
00:10:30
Craig Birtwistle
um which everyone craves, like obviously your cities, your man's cities, United, they've experienced it for years. So it's been um it's been really interesting to see those smaller clubs be able to highlight that. that that environment. and So I was actually a massive fan when we started playing it. I think it's a great opportunity for the fans and for a club like Villa who were on the rise and a club like Forest who I feel that just similar to Villa obviously weren't in the championship too long ago. I've risen dramatically and are having an exceptionally good season right now.
00:11:07
Craig Birtwistle
If you guys can get into Europe and get that added income coming in to help with PSR um And everything like that. I feel that's a really good stepping stone to build because now we even though it's now Champions League for us that conference nights really helped us get an understanding of playing on a was then a Thursday and then again on a Sunday or now a Tuesday Wednesday and then again on the weekend, so it really gets um It's a good stepping stone for a club, I believe.
00:11:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I completely agree. But I think, Marley, you'd raised on one of our previous episodes that being in the conference league would almost then distract Forrest from the league next season. But again, the villa have certainly shown that you can balance playing in the conference league with pushing on in the league to get in the fourth position. Are you turned by the conference league, Marley, or do you still rather consolidate finished ninth this season to then be stronger, even more stronger in the league only next season?
00:12:06
Marley
I do like the idea of finishing conference league this season because not only does it give us that magical experience of playing in Europe but it also as Craig says gives us that experience of playing in Europe so that if we do go and push on to finishing higher up competitions we're not still getting used to having to play twice a week every week like we did in the championship even though we've not got those players left. It's also a case of I'd rather qualify for you Conference League than Champions League or UEFA Europa League because we might actually get far in a Conference League, maybe even a final, possibly even win it. Whereas in the Europa League or Champions League, we'd be lucky to make it out of the league phase. So it would be more of a magical journey for us.
Match Expectations: Forest vs Villa
00:12:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know definitely it's all about the experience of a forest have been missing European night so even if you're in a less um competition you'll get further so yeah by definition there should be more more European nights. So we'll play our first advert now and then Craig I'd be really interested to hear more specifically your thoughts about forests as an observer and how you think the match tomorrow will will go.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
As a Craig, you were telling me before we went online that you are becoming a Zengaster customer almost in your own own private podcasting. So it's good to hear that. Who you're experiencing the global sports podcast network has been, has been a good one. So amongst you and your Villa supporting friends is what what was the, what's the feeling? Are you seeing this as a tricky tie by the banks of the trend or are you looking to get another win here to continue your to pushup back to the top four?
00:14:12
Craig Birtwistle
um I always feel Forest is a tough game because even though we're not local rivals, there always has been that kind of like history ah between the two clubs. So I think it's always a game that both sets of fans are up for. um This season in particular, Forest look like a very strong team. I've been very impressed with how organized you guys are from um from every aspect of play, whether you were in possession or out of possession.
00:14:41
Craig Birtwistle
I love the way you guys defend in a mid block where it's kind of like a 4-2-4 when pressing from the front. as you As the team progresses through the field you slip very conveniently into like a 4-4-2 with organisation.
00:14:48
Marley
Sorry.
00:14:56
Craig Birtwistle
I feel like you're one of those few teams that play out from the back. but understand the difference between when to go short, when to go direct, and very rarely get caught in possession, as opposed to like Southampton, who we played recently, for example. So I think Nuno's got you guys ticking. I think one of you guys, I think Marley said it earlier, just very organized and a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities within the team. So yeah, I would say this game is a very tricky game going into this weekend.
00:15:30
Craig Birtwistle
and I honestly see this being a draw written all over it.
00:15:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Marley, what's your take on the Craig's quite in-depth scouting report? It seems he's certainly a c seen a lot of us. let
00:15:46
Marley
Yeah, ah quite accurate, really. is That is how we've been playing. And my personal opinion on the game itself is, i'm goingnna say that I just don't see us losing because I think we're in a unique position where we would be the happier team with a point, believe it or not, being at home. We're a position above you on the table. You were more expectant to be up here than we were.
00:16:10
Marley
and we've just ended what was a little dip in our form so i think coming into this game we are happier with a point so you'll be more needed to go at us we'll be happier just sit back let you come at us catch you committing too many men forward and snatch all three points and in terms of villa worrying me your backup striker worries me more than your starting striker that is weird and um The other thing that worries me a lot is Moreno not being able to play, but Nico has been holding his own. I think the only two mistakes for his mate usually are either commit being caught committing too many men forward and being caught quickly on the break, or we'll switch defensive too early, which massively worries me tomorrow because I think if we go 1-0 and then 75 minutes on the clock, we switch to a back five, hold out defend, it won't work against Aston Villa. ah
00:17:07
Marley
because they have the super subs, they have the opportunity to turn it around and they will, we need a two goal lead before we do that. um But my honest opinion is we'll snip it one nil.
Potential Lineups: Forest and Villa
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
you I think I completely agree, Marley, that a draw would be probably what we'd go into tomorrow playing with, even though, yeah, it's this weird juxtaposition that we're at home, we're both that are in the table, but we can't disrespect Villa. They are a Champions League team. They are a team in Europe for a reason, which is, yeah, a why I think that when we looked at this run of fixtures, so after the last international break up until Spurs at home on on Boxing Day, I think we all did our a points tally and we thought due to the difficulty of the run, it might only be five or six points from the seven games. And because we've got the three points
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It depends on what your thoughts are on how well Amirim has done. Three points unexpectedly away united. It takes the pressure off again for for Villa tomorrow, which is why I think we could maybe even, we've talked about it a long time, see that back three from the start to see a Moreto trusted in the start. So Craig, I'll take your predicted lineup first and then Marley, I'll hear yours. I'll be interested to see Marley. You'd quickly change your mind based on what Craig says about the what the Villa 11 will be.
00:18:26
Craig Birtwistle
Yeah, I think there's not going to be many changes from our game midweek. um I expect Martin S to start in goal with a back line of Kanza, Torres, Luca Dean and Diego Carlos.
00:18:40
Craig Birtwistle
I expect ah a former player of yours, Maddie Cash, to continue his run at right midfield with a midfield of Tillamans and Kamara. Potentially O'Nana could get a start, but I think he'll end up on the bench. I would then go with McGinn on the left and Morgan Rogers, and I believe Obid Duran will start at the weekend.
00:19:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was interesting for me that Matti Cash is back in midfield because he started off as ah as a midfielder initially, then he was converted into that flying right back for our one year under Sabri Lamucci. We've got him his his big move for Villa, but I've always heard he was maybe not quite as defensively up to it in the Premier League, so definitely it's interesting that he's now got his spot back into midfield which you wear where he started off. So Marley, how would you counter counter that team that craigs Craig suggested?
00:19:33
Marley
For me, it's just a case of put out our strongest line-up and try not to get beat. So I would personally pretty much not change the team. I'd start with Matt's sales in goal. He's been rock solid recently, made a good save against Man United to tip her Bruno Fernandez free kick onto the crossbar. Back four, picks itself again. Nico Williams and Ollana at full back because Moreno can't play due to being on loan from Villa.
00:20:00
Marley
And both of these fallbacks have just been solid in their own right this season. Ola Ina has been one of the best in the Premier League, I'd go as far as saying. And and obviously, Murillo and Milankovic back in the centre-back pairing for another game. They've been outstanding this season and can't see us ever conceding three goals again with those two as our centre-back pairing. Midfield, I think I'd go for Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez.
00:20:25
Marley
Obviously I'd be tempted to go for Elliott Anderson, but I think it's Aston Villa would just be way too open with him instead instead of Dominguez. So I'll bring back Dominguez to add a bit more defensive solidity in that midfield and keep Morgan Gibbs white in a 10 roll. And my front three would stay as Chris Wood through the middle with Hudson and Doy and Giotto Silva to each side of him.
00:20:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, I sort of mentioned the back three only to the devil, but almost purely because I do really rate Morato, who is our closer or who's our finisher off the bench, but he's still yet to make a Premier League start. And we mentioned players being content at the start of the episode. I'm sure he understands why he's only at a finisher at the moment, but I'm sure he's content in us. He will slowly be ebbing away as he gets into December of his first season and he has yet to yeah to make a first start but I had the rest of the team with Pierre Dominguez in in for Anderson again I agree with that as well to give that more energy and work rate to the midfield too and it puts Elliott Anderson on the bench which along with Elanga, Thao and E it's a very we've certainly got got our options if they are are tiring after the exertions in in Lightning League midweek. So what's your thoughts Craig just before we take another short break on that forest team I mean Chris Wood is
00:21:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
What third or fourth top scorer in the league is he someone that worries you or do you think you have the the right profile of defenders to to cope with him?
00:21:49
Craig Birtwistle
I think his form worries me. I didn't expect him to be so successful this season and I am actually more concerned about Gibbs White. I think Gibbs White for me is one of those players when he plays for you, you love him. When he's on the other team, you absolutely hate him. um I think he's a very big handful. I think he's got the same sort of players and Morgan Rogers likes to draw players out of position, which is like Chris Woods is benefiting from attacking the half space and so on. So I think if we get caught on the counter, I think that's going to be our biggest worry. We've noticed that it goes against Liverpool, against Leverkusen because we play such a high line and because our defense has been
00:22:35
Craig Birtwistle
in and out all season with multiple injuries. I think that that could be an issue for us, especially against a forest team playing a gun in front of a lively city crowd. If they hit us on the break, I think that could be a very dangerous for the below.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so there will be opportunities
Parallels and Managerial Changes
00:22:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
there. I think we're we're showing each other a lot of respect, which is, I think we we should. We are, yeah, clubs slightly similar. You guys may be a few years ahead of us in our development, but we've both had that experience of being in the EFL, having dodgy owners at first, but then being ah rescued by um better ones. So we'll take another short break, then we'll talk again a bit about the nostalgia side of the forest and the villa.
00:23:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it went viral this week, the Premier League table from positions 5th to 10th with the joke that this is the championship table 2017.
00:23:52
Craig Birtwistle
I mean, technically, for the kids to get to town, they jump in my system, and I check my chance of technology, and it's a lot of different principles.
00:23:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it was Forest Villa, Fulham Brighton and Bournemouth. So the jokes were 11th Bristol City, 12th Preston. That could be just ah a championship league table. um As well with the three years in the championship like for you Craig, there's the famous 5-5 draw between the two of us. um If you guys was it, let's get out of here as soon as possible or was there a bit of enjoyment and a bit of pride to see the likes of Jack Grealish blossom in that team?
00:24:24
Craig Birtwistle
I think it was a sense of relief um at first because when we went down, I think we were the the most gracious team to go get relegated. There was not a tear in the crowd. We basically is held signs up that no one should be crying. We're going to go down with a party because we knew we We really didn't belong at that time in the Premier League. We were being beaten handsomely. um We'd flirted with relegation for three to four years prior to that. um As you mentioned, like bad ownership, bad direction, and bad management, ah just everything in its time was there. And when we got relegated, it was nice, I'll be honest, as a Villa fan to start experiencing some success.
00:25:09
Craig Birtwistle
And then we were saved by our owners, but we were also signed by Dean Smith. Dean Smith is a ah folk hero at the Villa now for what he did for us to get us back into the Premier League. And if you would have asked me like three or four years ago, like when we were down in the old rooms, if there was a chance we could ever get to where we are now, I would have said absolutely not. ah Not for like 10, 15 plus years.
00:25:37
Craig Birtwistle
I didn't personally think I would see Villa in the Champions League till my kids were grown up. So and now I've got a 13 year old, a 10 year old and a three year old. So thankfully theyve they've been able to see Villa back at the heights of professional football.
00:25:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's definitely her great for them great for you as a family that you're able to enjoy it and it's something they will maybe not the three year old but certainly the 30 and the 10 year old they'll enjoy the first time they saw Villa in the Champions League and hopefully not, not the only time.
00:26:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
but mary i think comparison that Craig mentioned of being forever thankful for Dean Smith. So Dean Smith is Villa's Steve Cooper, guesses out the Premier League, keeps them in the Premier League the first time, but then gets replaced by a more progressive manager. Okay, you had the unmentionable Craig, but let's say he went straight from Dean Smith to Unai Emery, that'd be the equivalent of us going from Steve Cooper to Nuno. Thanks for everything you did, Steve Cooper, but Nuno has got it from here.
Fan Support and Managerial Stays
00:26:35
Marley
Yeah, it's some it's been quite magical and I do have a theory, which I'm not going to get into on a crossover episode. It's better left for ah another episode, which many Forest fans will disagree with at first, but they'll they'll see the light eventually. And that's that there should be a third manager in that conversation. But yeah, ah newno ah Nuno from Cooper is, yeah, Cooper was a fan favorite and he did so well with our club, but it did feel like his time, it does feel like his time was up.
00:27:06
Marley
e He's taken as far as he could take us. And Nuno's really taken over in the best possible way. He's coming to a team that the fans aren't turning toxic or anything. We're not turning against the club, against the current manager. The fans have been ready to accept him in and he's just taken in his stride. And after a preseason, he's iss just working a dream, working a tree. And I think it was not turning sour when things weren't going our way. Really, really is the,
00:27:35
Marley
the epitome of what's brought us this far as well, because Nuno didn't have to try and turn the crowd back on his side, he already had the crowds back in, I'm not sure if I was the same when Emery took over ah Craig, but I guess, would you like to have a say on that?
00:27:50
Craig Birtwistle
Yeah, for the majority of other fans, we understand the process and where we've come from. But I'm sure it's the same with every club, including Forest. We've got that like small handful of fans that are very loud on social media. And that's why we refer to them as being very fickle.
00:28:09
Craig Birtwistle
Um, we've got a bunch of other fans that even after a couple of losses, they were calling for Emery's head, uh, which is ridiculous. Whereas the most level headed fans and like the fans that we have on our podcast, uh, understand that it's going to be ah a, a kind of peaks and troughs as simple as that. But thankfully there's been a lot more peaks under Emery and we hope for those to continue because he's our manager. Um, we haven't quite built the statue yet, but there's definitely planning permission.
00:28:39
Marley
Okay.
00:28:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think if i the rumors are true, Emery turned down by Munich in the summer. um So based on his negative experiences at Arsenal and PSG, do you think at Villa he's found his permanent home and when we're doing the Forest Villa crossover episode in two years time, five years time, we'll still be talking about Emery as your current manager, or is there a worry he might might be tempted into one last big move or is Villa big enough for him?
00:29:07
Craig Birtwistle
I think it's more a case that he's got more control out of Villa than he would anywhere else. I think there's certain, like when he was at Arsenal, for example, there's a lot of restrictions there. yeah People forget how Wally did it, like PSG and Villa Real and so on.
00:29:21
Marley
Yeah.
00:29:23
Craig Birtwistle
So I feel the difference with that Villa, he's been able to work with the owners, work with the recruitment, really get his hand in every deal and within the club and got that control. Like a lot of people aren't aware that um he he has like his own club that are connected with Villa now as well. His son plays for the Villa. He's definitely fully invested in staying with a Villa. so um I think the future is very bright and I think it's it's under Emery all the way.
00:29:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's it almost an old fashioned way then if he is able to have that power to be the manager controlling everything rather than just the head coach, it seems to be very popular these days, Marley.
00:30:06
Marley
Yeah, take a look at the clock. This might be my last take of the episode, but I just want to say that tomorrow I think could be an easily be a ah take of what's to come in for us for the villa over the next five, 10 years, because just like you don't see Emory going anywhere anytime soon. I don't see Nuno going anywhere anytime soon. He's, he seems invested in the club. The fans love him. He's, uh, doing really well with forest. I honestly think he's going to be the first manager to, I know we would have said this about Sabri would have said it about Steve Cooper.
00:30:36
Marley
I think he's going to be the manager to finally stay with Forest us for years to come. And it'll still be Emery versus Nuno in five years time.
Score Predictions and Final Thoughts
00:30:43
Marley
And honestly, I think Forest and Villa are going to become very similar teams again now. Obviously we were playing each other the championship. It was the, I'd say the biggest game the championship's ever seen with three European cups in it. And, um, I honestly think it's, we're going to go back to being giants of Europe soon. Not as big as we once were, but we'll both be in Europe regularly. So.
00:31:05
Marley
Please be an entertaining game because I'd love to see more crackers like the 5.5 at Villa Park.
00:31:12
Craig Birtwistle
I don't know if my heart would take another 5-5 though, to be honest.
00:31:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a realistic prediction, so none of us are going for 5-5. Let's finish off with score predictions, Greg.
00:31:23
Craig Birtwistle
I'm going to go for 1-1. I hope I'm wrong. I hope we can snatch a win, but I do respect Forest. I think their season is really good and I don't think a draw away from home would be a terrible result for the Villa.
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Molly.
00:31:38
Marley
And the last two seasons, the results have been 1-1 at the city ground, 2-0 at Villa Park. 2-0 at the city ground and 4-2 at Villa Park. and So there's no real pattern of whether there's a lot of goals. The only pattern is we're both unbeaten at home to each other. I don't see that changing tomorrow, as I've said. And so I'm going to stick with my sneaky 1-0 win prediction.
00:32:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll finish up with 2-0. At the start of the episode, I said Forrest had won both games. I completely forgot that I remember the Dennis goal. That was part of a 1-1, not a 1-0. So I misremembered a Forrest win at the beginning of the episode.
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think we were at my prediction for tomorrow instead. um So we were going to talk about Forestly Aspen Villa in the 90s, which is my first ever game. But I think we've enjoyed you having having you on so much, Craig, that we can save it for but for for next time. There's lots of interesting names and in both both team sheets. So we'll watch this space and we'll talk about that next time. um So Marley, Craig, any any final words ahead of the game game tomorrow?
00:32:46
Craig Birtwistle
That should be an enjoyable game.
00:32:47
Marley
the one you read.
00:32:48
Craig Birtwistle
We'll do it.
00:32:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good morning Raz, thanks all for listening. You can follow the rest of Marley's TikTok challenge on our TikTok at gspnforest4, as well as all his updates live from the game. Thanks for listening and we'll be back soon.