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S1 E44 On the whistle Juventus reaction
15 Plays24 days ago
On today's episode Joe and Craig give their post-match thoughts after Villa's 0-0 draw with Juventus
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Transcript
Introduction to the Daily Villa Podcast
00:00:05
Speaker
sports podcast network work
00:00:11
Speaker
Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Daily Villa Podcast. My name is Joe Boone and I'm delighted once again to be joined by
Match Reaction: Villa vs Juventus
00:00:20
Speaker
Craig Burt. We're sought for a live post-match reaction to the 0-0 draw in the Champions League against Juventus. First of all, how are you Craig?
00:00:29
Speaker
I'm doing all right, Joe. I'm absolutely gutted about how the game ended, but I can't fault the lads. It's one of our best performance in in weeks, to be perfectly honest. Yeah, absolutely. And for for those who didn't catch the game, the, year the incident that Craig is referring to there is a a last minute, I think 93rd minute, correct me if I'm wrong. What was a 93rd minute winner after Morgan Rogers was turned the ball into the net, but It wasn't to be as there was a foul deemed on the Ventus Keeper, Craig. I think, you know, surely it didn't look a foul, did it?
Game Performance Analysis
00:01:08
Speaker
Joe, it's getting to the point where like...
00:01:13
Speaker
Honestly, if that goal went against us, I would not have debated it at all. I honestly feel there was very bare minimum contact on the keeper. and For me, it's getting to the point now where if you want to make football non-contact, then go ahead.
00:01:31
Speaker
because that right there has, he's got every right to get the ball. Hasn't impeded the keeper enough for the keeper to not get to that ball. And the ball has dropped to Morgan Rogers and scored, but I felt like the entire game that referee wanted that centerpiece on him. And I think it played out exactly how it needed to be because that referee wanted everything about him. Yeah, I completely agree.
00:01:59
Speaker
I mean, looking back at the the incident, I think it's Diego Carlos that jumps with the Juventus keeper in it. I think the Juventus keeper comes out, goes to catch the ball, spills it, and ultimately there doesn't look to be any foul on me. The UVA keeper there for me, I think it's just ultimately poor goalkeeping. And I think, you know, it's not the first time that we've seen, as you said there, um some some controversial, to put it correctly, I suppose, refereeing in the Champions League. so I think it's so it's such a strange one. I don't see where there can be a foul in that incident. And I think we're very, very unlucky.
Focus on Defensive Organization
00:02:36
Speaker
But on a more positive note, a better performance, Craig, I thought. Yeah, like, like I mentioned in our intro, I do feel that was our best performance in weeks. Obviously, we've got another game now about a victory. And when you look at the
00:02:52
Speaker
Juventus team, um they were struggling with a whole bunch of injuries. So this was a golden opportunity to take it to one of Italians greats, to be perfectly honest. And in ah in a sense, it seems like a missed opportunity that we didn't get three points.
00:03:09
Speaker
But when those fixtures came out, if you told me that we would get a draw against Juventus, I'd have took that. I really would have, because at the end of the day, no matter if this is not the Juventus of old, it's still Juventus. And they they carry enormous weight behind them, enormous expectations. And I think they gave as good as they got. I don't think...
00:03:32
Speaker
in the scale of things the fact that we got a draw is that disappointing when you look at the actual game because I do think Villa played well but you can't begrudge Juventus as well Juventus did some really good attacks and I have to speak very highly of Emi Martinez with pulling out one of the best saves I've seen in many many games um that was as good as a goal to be perfectly honest he kept us in the game yet again Big man, Emi Martinez. Big match, Emi Martinez saves the day. Yeah. Once again, showing why he is the best goalkeeper in the world and why we're so fortunate to have him in between the sticks for us. Such a ah leader, both in the dressing room and on the pitch. And as you mentioned, Mary, he's kept us in the game at nil-nil and ultimately led to to us leaving with a point.
Team Balance and Versatility
00:04:26
Speaker
Looking at the the lineup that we went into the game with,
00:04:29
Speaker
Are there any surprises in that starting 11 for you going in? um The biggest surprise for me was, and it was a positive surprise, was the fact of seeing Maddie Cash back. And I have to say that from a defensive point of view, I thought we were the most organized we've been in a while. And I think it's because the balance was right. Me and you, Joe, spoke recently about creating that balance in that back line where we we negotiate whether it should be Nedelkovich, whether it should be Bogard in there.
00:05:00
Speaker
Both of us not realising that Cash was so close to being fit to be perfectly honest, that one was kinda kept under wraps as far as I can tell. So Cash coming back into the team definitely provided us a lot more balance. And I was very pleased with that. I thought Carlos and Torres had decent games. Kept us really organised in the back. It's so good to see Kamara back. um Especially with missing Onana. And I think Kamara was solid. Tealemans was a little bit shaky for me. um I don't know if the early yellow card kind of disrupted his play.
00:05:34
Speaker
a little bit but he definitely didn't do a bad job by any stretch of the means. I just think we've seen more from Tealumans in recent weeks and I feel like and that organization behind the back was keys to keeping Juventus out at times and touch on wood.
Clean Sheet Importance Against Chelsea
00:05:52
Speaker
The counter-attack didn't look as bad as it had against Palace and against Liverpool. Yeah absolutely and I think that the point you made there about the defence is really important. I think that The balance that we had in that back line is so, so significant for this ability. And, you know, I think Cash coming back in shows exactly what having a experienced right back at right back can can bring and for all his flaws. And we know we've been very critical of him at times on the podcast. It almost feels I suppose the word is kind of it feels so important and so crucial to have a right back at right back, which is it seems silly to say, but it's something that we haven't been ah blessed with.
00:06:33
Speaker
Yeah, the funniest thing about the way you say that, Joe, is the fact that as a team, I feel like we're being very demanding now that we're going after Champions League football, after qualifying for Champions League football last year. And the biggest thing that we've screamed about on this podcast is give us a right back to play right back. doesn It doesn't look like we're asking for the world, really, does it? It's just the case of We're looking for that stability, that balance at the back. And let's let's be honest, a clean sheet at home um against one of the Italian giants. It's got to be a boot going into Chelsea.
Player Critiques and Consistency
00:07:11
Speaker
Absolutely. Yeah. I think that the clean sheet is the big thing for me that's been few and far between. And as I say, we've mentioned it many times on this podcast, our inability to keep the ball out the back of our own net. And we've done that today against
00:07:23
Speaker
an Italian giant, all being a Juventus side, probably not reaching the heights that they'd have hoped in and the Serie A, but they're still Juventus and they still post and possess loads of players that will hurt you, loads of danger men, and I thought they had a couple of players in that team that looked dangerous at times, but we you know we weathered the storm and ultimately, I think, as you mentioned there, it's one of our best performances in in the last few weeks and definitely a promising sign, I think, going going to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Moving kind of further up the pitch from the defence, looking towards the attack, we with those wide players, Bailey and on the right, and seemingly McGinn and Rogers seeming to kind of drift in and out of that that left side, what did you make of of the the kind of wide men performances?
00:08:13
Speaker
um It's a tough one because I'm going to be heavily critical of him still, but Bailey had one of his best performances of the season. He was steadily consistent, is the most positive I can say. This still wasn't the bail of all taking on players and running at people, but I do think he provided more than he's done in previous weeks.
00:08:37
Speaker
I thought McGinn had an OK game. um I think it would have been exceptional if he would have took that so glad chance, that Fally's way, that um would have been a golden opportunity for us to take the lead. And I think Juventus
Tactical Approaches and Strategies
00:08:52
Speaker
got slightly lucky with like a deflection off the defender and the keeper at the same time to keep that ball out the back. But you could tell by McGinn's reaction that he knew he could have done better with that one. um Rogers wasn't great today, I don't think, I think he had his moments but he disappeared in large portions of the game so that was a little disappointing but he did pop up at some of the right moments to create some good chances and
00:09:21
Speaker
So yeah, so, and it was interesting seeing how we were less of a four, four, two they this week more than a four, three, three with a rotation of the attacking mid and the left wing. So Rogers and McGinn, as you said, kind of interchanging positions. I don't know what um the thought process there was as if like they targeted Savona as being like a weakness on the right back, trying to like isolate them.
00:09:49
Speaker
Um, so kind of that might have been the call, but I did kind of like it. I kind of liked more of the four, two, three, one. Um, and I think if we weren't so wasteful in front of the final, in the final third, it might've been even better.
Strategies for Direct Play Style
00:10:05
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's really interesting. You mentioned the kind of the fluidity and the versatility of those, those wide men and then begin.
00:10:12
Speaker
whether he kind of where he plays in in that kind of that three behind Watkins. Do you think that's something that we're going to start to see more often since we have players that can kind of drift in and out of those positions? We've seen him again play on the right and kind of cut in on his left foot. We've seen him out on the left putting crosses in. Rodgers can obviously drift out wide. Bailey might have better fortunes on the left. Do you think that versatility is a strength for us?
00:10:36
Speaker
I do. I think the fact that players can interchange positions and do, as you say, with fluidity um is a big sign of good things to come. um When we made the sub for Duran to come on the field, I was a little disappointed that he didn't take Rodgers off, to be perfectly honest. And that's one of the ones that I've been echoing earlier on in the season that I didn't want to see. I wanted Rodgers on there with Watkins or Rodgers on there with Duran because Rodgers gives us that like that extra man in midfield likes to drop into the hole and then does a good combination play with the front when we're playing say the 4-4-2 with Rodgers in behind which makes it a bit more like a 4-4-1 but in this this position today I've been screaming at the fact that
00:11:24
Speaker
As you say about those interchanging of positions, I would like to see Watkins and Duran be used, especially in the 4-2-3-1 because if you dropped in what Duran instead of Rogers into that formation where we got Bailey on the right, McGinn in the middle, Rogers on the left,
00:11:43
Speaker
you could have and then you'd have uh with Duran up front and you take Rogers out and you put Watkins in there because Watkins naturally drifts out to the left if Watkins and McGinn and Duran were basically alternating positions across that front three uh front attacking three I should say um I think that would draw defenses out and it would be very difficult for them to deal with so I was a little disappointed that Ali and Ram weren't given the last few minutes together. But at the end of the day, I'm not the boss and I'm not going to criticise him too much. Yeah, absolutely. I think that that kind of that rotation, especially as you mentioned there with Watkins being able to drift out wide is
00:12:28
Speaker
running in behind could be really dangerous in those wide areas and I think you know we've called out Emory a couple of times for maybe not having a plan B or not making those those tactical changes in game I think that's definitely something you could explore with Watkins maybe playing a little bit of kind of almost in the half spaces as ah drawing defenders out for Duran or Rodgers or whoever it is on that far side to kind of give them space to run into so I think that's definitely a really interesting kind of um style of playing that hopefully we'll see explored in the Premier
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00:12:59
Speaker
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00:13:08
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Match Statistics and Player Confidence
00:13:48
Speaker
Welcome back, and we're going to be going through some of the stats from the Villa vs. Juve nil-nil draw in the Champions League. And Craig, the big one that sticks out to me straight away is Villa having 11 shots with three of them on target and Juventus having eight shots with two on target. Now, you mentioned it briefly in the ah in in the kind of first segment of the show.
00:14:11
Speaker
But 11 shots with three on target. Does that show that we're maybe not being as as kind of clinical or not creating chances to ah to a high enough quality? Yeah, I think it's more about being wasteful more than anything because we are creating opportunities. We're getting into those right areas and we just don't seem that clinical in front of goal at the moment. I feel when we were at our heights,
00:14:34
Speaker
um like to A few games ago, just before Bournemouth really, I think some of those chances go in. I think it's built on confidence. I think there's got some players in the team that are low on confidence at the moment and it just takes one or two of those to go in for the come the complexity of your season to completely change to be perfectly honest.
00:14:56
Speaker
And the the fact that, I do like the fact though that our XG was quite high. Our XG was 123 to Juventus is 0.44. So it just shows that we are creating more. Our possession was less than Juventus, which does surprise me a little. um It was 54 to Belis 46. So it just shows we're doing more with less possession. So that's another thing to highlight as well.
00:15:26
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. And I think looking at the ah way that Villa tend to play, we were a team that expect to have more of the ball, expect to play with quite a much slower tempo, move the ball round and kind of build our attacks up slowly. With this style of football that that seemingly we're having less possession, but being a little bit more direct and creating a few more chances, having a few more shots than we may be used to, do you think that is the kind of the MRE plan B, as it were, being a little bit more direct?
00:15:56
Speaker
Yeah, a little bit. um I feel like the what I felt was a positive today was that it did feel like a plan B. It did seem like an alteration to the formation, the shape, the style of play, the system of play, if you will. um So that that was pleasing. And I think at times it might actually suit Villa to have less possession and do more when we break.
00:16:20
Speaker
because what we found recently and I mentioned earlier about being better on them ah defending the counter this week but when the other team has more possession you're less likely to counter and you're more likely to get more numbers behind the ball yourself in order because the other team has the ball you get organized behind it and I feel at times especially against Palace for example. I think we were so skeptical, and not the right word I'm looking for there, we were subject to being caught off guard when we lost the ball. ah We were a little bit asleep, didn't really react quick enough and then that's when they beat us to it. So I think sometimes that plan B of not worrying about dominating possession
00:17:07
Speaker
Doesn't really matter and it's always nice to have those stats and everything. But at the end of the day, if you don't win, you don't lose and keep them ball as much as possible. It doesn't really matter. Yeah, I completely agree. And I completely agree with what you say about the plan B. I think we've got the players to play a slightly more almost counter-attacking style. We have a lot of pace going forward. We have runners that can get in behind. We've got good passes of the ball in that double pivot, whether it's Tillamans, whether it's Ross Barkley coming in there.
00:17:37
Speaker
whether it's Camaro who played today, they're all more than capable ah passes of the ball and hopefully kind of implementing kind of what we've been vulnerable to in recent weeks, which has been balls that have kind of cut the back four open and players running onto them. I think that's definitely something I'd like to see moving forward as that kind of that plan be a little bit more direct. um We spoke about the shots earlier, Craig, and one of those shots rattled the bar, a Lucadine free kit, just how close was that to go in and also how handy is it to have a player with that sort of free kit quality in his arsenal.
00:18:13
Speaker
Yeah, it was definitely a good free kick. It did hit the top of the bar, so it would have still taken a little bit more of a drop for it to actually go in. But hes he showed his quality when he scored ah a similar type of goal for France in the international break from a free kick. So it's definitely good to have that. I was a little upset that Gerand took the ball off, Dean, at one point and when he took a free kick. Not Gerand, sorry, it was Bailey.
00:18:38
Speaker
when Bailey took the ball off of Lucadine to take the free kick and was absolutely wasteful. um I don't know if that is a plan from Emery, if Bailey is one of those free kick takers, but I don't remember him being in and around the ball any time recently. It's always been Lucadine or Tillamans,
00:18:59
Speaker
um around that ball looking to take those free kicks so i don't know if that was bailey just saying listen i need this in order to like maybe win over the villa park faithful maybe build his confidence but i think it went the opposite way i think the villa fans like myself were annoyed that we he took the ball away from someone who as you say has the quality to score that free kick and also now that he's missed it it didn't build his confidence either so it's uh it seems like a lose lose situation but to go back to your recent point having those people that are dead ball specialists are huge and when you put in Austin McPhee into the mix as well that can utilize these set pieces then obviously we're on to a winner and it's just unfortunate it's hit the bar this time yeah completely agree and I think the the bailey point is is really interesting I think there's a few players in that start in 11 or in that wider squad that that almost feel like they need a goal to kind of kick start
00:19:58
Speaker
their ah their their form as we've had a couple of players who have looked a little bit lethargic. I think Ollie Watkins scoring against Palace did him the world of good, although he wasn't exactly the most kind of um effective today. I think moving forward, hopefully that goal against Palace has given him some confidence. And as I say, I think there's a few players in there that could really, really benefit from a goal or a great performance because there's a few who are ah dipping in form.
Champions League Standings Discussion
00:20:24
Speaker
We're going to be back once again after a quick message from the Global Sports Podcast Network to talk about where we go from here. This podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, women's football and fantasy football. A unique listening experience that puts the fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team.
00:20:52
Speaker
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make us your first listen every day the global sports podcast network every club every day Welcome back once again and the draw against Juventus now leaves us just outside that famous Champions League top eight with the new system on 10 points from five games and Craig what are your thoughts as to to where we sit in that table at this point and Very happy. At the end of the day, if it wasn't for the crazy moment where Ming's handballs it and concedes the penalty and we lose against Bologna, we've basically taken nearly maximum points in all of our games. We got a good draw against Juventus, which, as I say, when that draw came out, if you said you get a draw against Juventus, I think everyone would have took it. I think the only disappointment was Bologna.
00:21:47
Speaker
And I do think maybe the top eight might be a stretch too far now. um It seemed possible when we'd won the first three, for example. um But I think the Celtic game is going to be an extremely tough game. Leipzig's going to be a tough game. If we can just get in that top 16, I'll be a very happy person. Yeah, I think I totally agree. I think there's There's a lot of teams battling for those kind of those last two or three spots in that top eight. Looking at the table here in front of me, there's ah six teams all on 10 points from five games, Villa being one of them. So there's a lot of teams battling for probably two or three spots in that eight. So as much as I'd love Villa to be one of those, I think you have to kind of, like you say, work out where our expectations are. And I think it is it's more than likely now that we will be in that that kind of second bracket between, I think it's ninth to 24th.
00:22:42
Speaker
um But what an achievement that is, you know, I think if you'd have offered me the kind of top end of that bracket before a ball was kicked in this competition, I think most Villa fans definitely would have taken it because it just goes to show kind of where we are and in Champions League football. And I think with the ah players we've got and some of the moments this competition has ah has kind of given us, um I think there's there's not a whole lot to to complain about with without our Champions League form, most definitely.
Chelsea Match Preview
00:23:09
Speaker
um where some of the complaints could come though is our Premier League form and we obviously now have to look ahead to a huge game on Sunday against Chelsea. We will have a ah crossover with the guys from Daily Chelsea coming very very soon but Craig where do we go from here looking at looking ahead to that one?
00:23:27
Speaker
That's going to be an extremely tough game for me. I feel like Chelsea have finally figured out ah how to use their enormous squad um because it's taken a very strong manager with ah very strong opinions to basically say, listen, I know we've got a squad of 44.
00:23:44
Speaker
but this is going to be like my 22 I'm going to use and at the end of the day if you're not in that 22 you can either get on with it and just train until you get the opportunity to leave the club or when it gets called upon then you've got to show me your performance because Chelsea look like, I'll be perfectly honest, I don't think it's their time this year, but they look like a team that could be competing for the league, in my opinion. I think they are an extremely strong team that has a very good balance now. I know we've all made fun of them for basically they need like four changing rooms to the whole team to change.
00:24:21
Speaker
and stuff like that but I do think now they're finding the balance and I would truly put put their name in the hat for next season and basically say if they can suss out getting rid of the dead wood in that team I think they would stand a very good chance of challenging at the top next year so Having said that, when they come to ah Villa Park at the weekend, it's the fact it's going to be extremely tough for Villa. We're going to have to call upon, as I said in the last podcast, those big big time Charlies in the team that always stand up for a big game like Diego Carlos, Emmy Martinez.
00:25:00
Speaker
if those players can be on top form. We have every every right to be able to take on any team in this Premier League, but I do think it's going to be a tough battle. And I wouldn't be surprised if Chelsea came and got the victory, to be honest. Yeah, I do agree with that. I think, you know, there are a side that really found their feet in this division. And I think the influence that Mareska has had there has been really, really um really crucial for their kind of revitalization is getting them back to where they should be which is a top four team. The players they have especially in the wide areas Mariska likes to use a really wide kind of system getting balls in behind to their wingers and I think it's so good now that we we have Matty Cash back in that right back slot because I think if
00:25:46
Speaker
more than most games I think we would have really been found out in those wide areas if we were playing a centre back at right back so to have him back in and hopefully he's sharp enough and fit enough to to make the Chelsea game on Sunday because I think that's going to be a really kind of important and significant area of the pitch um in terms of where Chelsea will look to attack.
00:26:07
Speaker
I think in terms of where Villa go from there, I think that I don't expect to see wholesale personnel changes. We know that Emery likes to stay loyal to a lot of the players that EE puts in there. I'd like to see Philogene. That's probably the only one that I'd maybe shout for. I think Bailey's inconsistency doesn't seem to be improving on ah on a rapid scale. And I think that Philogene coming in could could really make an and and make a difference in that one. I don't know how you feel about that, Craig.
00:26:34
Speaker
I do, I would really like to see Philodging at the start. And i I'm not exactly pushing for it, but I wouldn't be upset at seeing Barkley start a game as well. I think in recent weeks, he's came on, he's done a good job. I think he did a good, never a good job when he came on for Kamara tonight as well. So if Kamara isn't quite ready for two long-term big games in a row, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Barkley come out onto the field as well.
00:27:03
Speaker
This weekend we only realistically have as long as nothing went wrong this evening. We have Ramsey out and we have Oh my gosh, I'm drawing the bank. I'm seeing no Nana. Thanks. Yeah. Those are the only two casualties that we should see for this weekend. So as long as everyone's fitness rates are up, but I do agree. I don't think we'll see wholesale change. I don't think knowing Emery that he will print for the genie, uh, this time round, but I would like to see it. And it'll be a flip of a coin really. I think whether we'll get a Kamara back out there or Barkley coming in.
00:27:42
Speaker
Yeah, I really like Ross Barkley. He's obviously somebody you know, Stanford Bridge very well from his time at Chelsea. He's somebody who gives us a little bit of something different in that midfield in terms of his ability to to to play balls over the top if if that's something we're looking to do on the counter. He's also been a golfer in recent weeks. He's picked up a couple of goals from midfield, which is something that we haven't really had from many of our, especially our deeper midfielders so far this season. So yeah, I really wouldn't be opposed to to a Ross Barkley starting that game. modi um My only sort of theory on that is that Kamara might be brought in to kind of deal with Cole Palmer, who will kind of sit in between our double pivot and our midfielders further forward. So that would be the only real reason I could see Kamara starting over Barkley.
00:28:28
Speaker
maybe for a little bit more of that defensive solidity, which obviously keeping a clean sheet against Juventus, we've shown that we we can do tonight.
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:28:37
Speaker
Craig, any final thoughts as we look ahead to Sunday? No, it's going to be an important battle for us. I do think that it depends what Chelsea turns up. Obviously they they just got a loss against Newcastle. um they Apart from that, before that, they've had some really impressive results. they They got a draw against Arsenal, a draw against unit United. They they beat Leicester 2-1. They had that really crazy 8-0 win in the yeah in the Europa League, or Conference League, I should say. So obviously that's way below their standard, if we're perfectly honest. So I think it's going to depend what team stands out. But like they've got so much threat in there, like Maduke and Parma.
00:29:26
Speaker
Felix Jackson you could name a whole bunch of those Chelsea players that are going to be dangerous and I'm very excited to hear your crossover episode that you'll be recording soon um because that's going to be a real interesting tale of the tape. It certainly is and that will be coming out at the end of the week ahead of that huge clash at Stamford Bridge and that is pretty much all we have time for on today's episode of the Daily Villa podcast. Thank you very much Craig for joining me Be sure to check out all the socials which are available in the podcast description. This has been a global sports podcast production. Thank you for listening and as always up the villa.