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S1 E39 Back after the break
11 Plays1 month ago
On today's episode Joe and Craig talk injuries and bouncing back after the international break as we look ahead to Crystal Palace on Saturday
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Transcript
Introduction to Daily Villa Podcast
00:00:05
Speaker
sports podcast network work
00:00:11
Speaker
Hello and welcome to today's episode of the Daily Villa Podcast as part of the Global Sports Podcast Network.
International Break and Aston Villa's Form
00:00:19
Speaker
My name is Joe Boone and I'm delighted as ever to be joined by Craig to talk all things Villa. First of all, how are you Craig?
00:00:27
Speaker
doing very well, happy to have the international break in the rearview mirror and ready to go all things Villa. Exactly. yeah As you mentioned there, we are back after yet another international break and it was probably a break that a lot of ah our listeners and a lot of fans would agree, probably came at quite a good time but for Villa, a loss at Anfield, extended our winless run to to five games in all competitions. And I suppose my first question, Craig, is ah quite a simple one. how do we How do we bounce back after the break?
Aston Villa's Position and Upcoming Matches
00:00:57
Speaker
I think it's just as simple as business as usual. um I think Emery is going to have us the fact that it was a dipping form. we I've been saying that we've been riding such a heavy high.
00:01:10
Speaker
um that it was going to come crashing down at some point and There's been a lot of take at the fact that obviously yes when you look at the stats that it's five Five weve without a win at the villa now. We have to go back to Champions League game against Bologna for our last victory But we're still only one point away from third place. So it really isn't crisis time. It's a game against Palace that's winnable. So let's just go out there and play the way we know we can. Exactly. Yeah. and I think that's a really important point. I think, you know, I think the momentum of kind of negative results really sort of pushed a lot of Villa fans into maybe panicking slightly too much. And I think if anything, the international break is a ah great kind of um moment of reflection for us as to kind of how this this run leaves us. You know, as you say, there was still
00:02:03
Speaker
very much in the running and we have what on paper would be a game that we we kind of expect to win against Palace. I think my next question kind of leads on, what do you think Emery will be looking to address?
Mental Attributes and Key Players' Impact
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If there's one thing you had to kind of pinpoint, what do you think his sort of main um area to address will be after the break?
00:02:22
Speaker
Um, there's two points that I thinking about with this question. The first one was a mental attributes because we've been successful since he took over and success has breed confidence and can confidence has breed success. So it's a case of we haven't really had this dip in form. He's got to get through to him. The fact that we're not invincible. We've seen that. I think the Bournemouth.
00:02:47
Speaker
last kick of the game type deal, which ended up losing, the not losing the game, felt like a loss, but we ended up tying. Really affected our mental psyche, I really think. And we found we're not invincible. um We found that we were heavily relying on like Duran to save the day. So form wise, it hasn't been a great season and I don't want to be like hounded for that comment.
00:03:13
Speaker
um But like, we've we've scraped by on some of the results that we did get. And now we're understanding when we do have a blipping form where it's an error at the back or the fact like Watkins was not scoring, that we are, we're not invincible. So it's now okay. So we've got to put the hard work in. We've got to understand that everyone's got to be involved in defending. a especially trying to organise that relationship between Kanza and Carlos, Carlos and Torres, with Maddy Cash being out for a little bit longer still. um So, yeah, I think it's about mental attributes there and also trying to soak up things at the back for me, just trying to get those chemistry back between the players. And I think if we sew up the the back, goals are within our team. McGinn is on form again. Luca Dean scored a cracker for France the other night.
00:04:05
Speaker
um Ali is now hopefully a bit more confident after getting the goal for England and Yeah, so I think it's business as usual Yeah, I think there's some some really great points to take there. I think the mental kind of attributes thing is is really important. I think we've showed that this is a team that do have that mental strength. Obviously, we've kind of been a team that have had to come from behind to to get a lot of our points, whether that's through Super John Duran coming off the bench or various other ways that we kind of scraped by and picked up points. So I think there is ah there's definitely mental strength in the team, but it's it's like you say, we've never had really a kind of period of sustained
00:04:43
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kind of difficult results or sort of not poor performances it feels a bit harsh to say that but kind of tough tough battles that we've had to have and and maybe haven't come out on the right side of so I think Emery's definitely got to get this this squad used to kind of of dealing with those situations I think the last thing I'm sure a lot of our listeners will want to see now is these players dipping in confidence and as you mentioned there we've had some of our players Luca Dean Morgan Rogers playing for England ah Ollie Watkins
Villa Players in International Spotlight
00:05:11
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grabbing a goal. So you'd like to think this international break has hopefully put some confidence back into a few of our are really key players um and and hopefully we can push on. And as you say, we've got Crystal Palace, which is on paper a game that we we go and expect to to kind of get a result in. I think in terms of the defensive issues that we've had, I think it's no secret that we haven't been the most strong and solid at the back. You know, we've mentioned various times on this podcast about clean sheets.
00:05:40
Speaker
and about how difficult it is for this side to seemingly ah keep the ball at the back of our own net. But I think, as you say, once that chemistry with with certain defensive players kind of takes shape, you'd like to think that the the run of games that we have upcoming will ah allow them to kind of ah gel together and and hopefully we'll start seeing those clean sheets soon. On a more positive note, we saw three of our players, Watkins, Rodgers and Conza, all in in the England squad representing the country.
00:06:08
Speaker
Is this a testament to kind of how far we've come that we now have three sort of what we'd like to hope regular England internationals? I think is the biggest testament is the fact that we're a club that is willing to send our players to England international. It's been an absolute fast this past international break that I think Jamie Kerrigus said it in spades on on one of his podcasts. he mentioned the fact that if this was March you could completely understand it as we're getting towards the tail end of the season but so many of the big clubs have pulled their players at such an early part of the season that um it's very disappointing as an English fan
00:06:51
Speaker
But from an actual Villa fan, to go on what you said, the fact that Watkins, Roger and Kanza have been highlighted for what has been a good couple of years for all three of them, to be perfectly honest, since Emory's took over, he's really developed all three players. And a big shout out for me for Rogers.
00:07:10
Speaker
i I feel at times a broken record talking about him but it's a case of this lad in the space of a year has gone from a decent player and championship at Middlesbrough to signing for a villa team where we all thought he'd be a squad player at best.
00:07:28
Speaker
to now demanding a starting lineup and now forcing him while not into the under 21s but the actual England team and when you see the likes of the competition that he's up against in order to get into that let's say foot front four with the attacking mid the wingers and the centre forward of England it's just he's come on leaps and bounds and I couldn't be more proud of the kid. Yeah he has absolutely and I think it's ah
National Duty vs Club Duty Debate
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testament to obviously the player and also to Emory and how he's been able to kind of put that trust in him and and develop him into the the player that we all know he is. I just want to touch on something you said there about kind of we've seen a lot of the the big clubs it's become a trend to to kind of pull their players from international duty and I think it's it's very much a controversial topic. With sort of villas injury problems was that something that you may be kind of expected to see us do or was it never really a question in your eyes?
00:08:24
Speaker
I think at this point in time, um with the players that are representing England, I don't think this is going to sound bad, but we're not at that level to demand a player should miss out from his country at the moment. aing We all did when we dreamed in playing in the backyard and playing at school and everything like that about representing our country. And I think for the likes of Morgan Rogers, Kansa, Watkins, it's still a big part of their game. Whereas I think for other players that have experienced the likes of winning the Premier League, winning the Champions League,
00:09:00
Speaker
representing their club on all fronts, you can kind of understand it. Like from, I'm going to say from like a Pacaya Saka sort of thing. He is through and through Arsenal. the The lad is so everything he wants is for Arsenal. So I get that. Do you know what I mean? We've signed all three of our players that we've mentioned from other clubs. So they're not all Villa, but they are all England.
00:09:24
Speaker
and I think they're all in there not to say that they don't represent us well because they certainly do but it's not ingrained in their body as a villa fan. um I know Morgan Rogers does come from Birmingham so that is a um ah definitely step in the right direction in that terms but That's what I mean. It's like, I don't think any one of them would turn away that chance for England. I think Emery knows it as well. If he had an idea that Watkins didn't care ah about playing for England, I think he would definitely probably convince him not to go when we were suffering with injuries. But at the end of the day, him going on this does seem to have benefited us if he comes back with high confidence.
00:10:06
Speaker
Yeah, exactly completely agree. I think it's important for some of the players across the squad to to go away with their ah with their countries and hopefully pick up some some positive results. I think it, you know, it sort of stops the rut in their mind about kind of.
00:10:20
Speaker
be it some of the negative results they've had for the Villa over the past few weeks and hopefully they come back kind of revitalized with that ah kind of positive result or momentum under their belt ready to kick on for Villa.
Post-International Break Challenges
00:10:31
Speaker
We're going to be back to discuss a growing list of injuries off the back of some of those international games after a short message courtesy of Zencaster. Do you have a story to tell that the world needs to hear? Have you struggled with reaching new audiences who are engaged with your story?
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00:11:21
Speaker
Welcome back. and Once again, the injury list seems to be ever growing as Esri Konda, Pal Torres and Amadou Ohnana all suffered injuries on their international duties. That's three big players that are going to be potentially doubtful for the Palace game. We don't know the exact extent of all three of those injuries at time of recording, but saying they are going to miss that Palace game, where where does this leave us, Craig?
00:11:47
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um Uppercreek without a paddle is the way I would look at it when you look at those names. The fact that I've been very skeptical about how Kanza has been used recently was shifting me out to write back.
00:12:02
Speaker
It does mean if Kanza is missing, then we have to go with one of our younger lads in the right back position, whether it be Nidalkovic Bogard. I think it would be Nidalkovic that will be given the nod. And at least it's a game where I don't expect him to be worked as as hard as other games. That's not a slight on Crystal Palace, but if it was against like a Bakaio Saka, if it was against like a Cole Palmer, it was against any of the of the top players, like a Liverpool or Mo Salah or anything along those lines, I'd be more worried. I do think he could handle it, Nidalkovic on there. um He did recently play against Palace in the Cup and obviously the score didn't go well with us there, but he had a decent showing.
00:12:48
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um But I do think out of the players that were named, I think Hans is the more likely to start. um It does seem like his injury is not as bad as the others. And Sores as well has also been now classed as a mine.
00:13:04
Speaker
a might is doubtful rather than being out but losing Onana we've got Mattison it was doubtful as well Ramses out for a few more weeks so is Cash, Barkley as well the list is growing um but also on the on the other front Palace are missing some key players as well they they are missing Ezu They're missing Nikita. They're missing a few actually, but those are the two big um names that could cause us some trouble. So it's not all bad, but
Squad Adjustments and Player Performances
00:13:38
Speaker
and hopefully those players aren't out for long. Yeah, exactly. I think they're they're three of probably our biggest and arguably most consistent players. I think we're two of those with Konser and Torres.
00:13:51
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even it's very open in a back four that we are kind of needing to gel and a back four that needs time to play together and kind of understand the way that each other functions. So with those two being out I think that's only going to delay that process and hopefully you know Emory has the kind of the answer of of getting those to gel as as quickly as possible. The Onara thing is really a big blow and it's something we're going to touch on a little bit later but I think it just leaves that kind of that sort of double pivot in midfield very very light in terms of numbers and not only in terms of kind of just bodies in there but also the the attributes that he brings he's a player that kind of has ah a style and a presence that we don't really possess especially in the midfield his physicalities, aerial abilities, tackling kind of qualities are something that we don't have in in kind of various players throughout the squad so I think he's going to be a a huge loss for us and it'll be interesting
00:14:46
Speaker
to see how Emory kind of works around those if they are all going to miss the the ah the Palace game. Obviously, as you mentioned there, there's a ah few that are kind of doubtful rather than and confirmed to be out. So we're going to hold on to that hope here and and hope that that that they can kind of at least feature in some capacity, whether it's starting or coming off the bench in the Palace game.
00:15:08
Speaker
And when you mentioned it there, the the right back situation is now ah becoming critical if the Konza injury consza injury sorry is as kind of serious as has been reported um alongside obviously an existing injury to Mati Kash. You mentioned there Kosta, Nedjilukovic and Lamar Bogard. We've seen them both in kind of cameo appearances. Obviously Bogard played Leicester and Everton, I believe. Nedjilukovic came on against lastly. Also, as you mentioned, they're featured in the Cup.
00:15:37
Speaker
You mentioned kind of, you you think Kostar Nedjilukovic was probably going to get the nub there in terms of the qualities that they've both shown so far this season. What's what's the kind of but thoughts behind going for Kostar over Bogard?
00:15:51
Speaker
um Mainly because if I'm picking between the two, I believe Bogard's better as a centre back. And I think he's way down the pecking order to become a centre back at the villa. So I think he's naturally trying to transition out to being a right back. But what we don't want is a transitional centre back to a right back who's young and inexperienced. um So I do think Nidalkovich gets the nod. I think one, he's He's had some decent showing since he's come on. He has pace that he can deal with because the front three, and I say front three, it's not really a wing system. It's like two attacking mids that they play at Palace. So I think our full backs are going to have to tuck in and and stay tight rather than pushing high a lot more in this game. And I think any space if Nadelkovich is caught out of position, I think that pace is going to be a big advantage to us in order to counter attack.
00:16:49
Speaker
their transitional play? Yeah, i'm I'm a really big fan of Nadelkovich actually. I think he's he's the kind of the he's got the ability and the potential, he's only 18 years old, to be kind of moulded into exactly what Emery sort of wants him to be. I think there's still, you know, yeah he's he's obviously ah ah quite a raw talent at the moment, being as young as he is, but I thought that the performance he showed at Arsenal, particularly having to kind of deal with Gabriel Martinelli um down obviously asked was left out right one of the best wingers in this division and he kind of he did really well actually so he didn't look out of place he didn't look like kind of a young lad filling in he he kind of stood his ground and and and did really well in that that game at international level as well he's been relatively strong I remember he made headlines for how he kind of contains Spain's Nico Williams in in on international duty and that again is
00:17:40
Speaker
one of the the kind of bright young wingers in the world that he's been able to kind of stand up against. So I think there's a lot of potential there and I think it's something to be excited about rather than and kind of the fact we're missing two of our starting right backs. To go on that point, I actually feel that if you if you put Kansa's performances together where he's played right back,
00:18:05
Speaker
I don't think any one of those performances outwised Nidalkovich's against us. So that's why I'm still very surprised that we keep shopping chopping and changing our back line when Cash gets injured, rather than just giving this young lad some various minutes out. And I'm not going to be one to criticize Unai very much because he's done a fantastic job. But for me, I do think that we play better with Kanza in the middle, whether we're organizing defense or whether we're pushing up in attack.
00:18:36
Speaker
So I think Kanza pushing back to the middle and this might end up being a brilliant thing. If Kanza can't play and he has to go in the Dalkevich and he gives us performance of his season, maybe you'll convince the boss to give him a bit more. Yeah, exactly. And I think it's something I've mentioned, I think, on the podcast before in terms of every sort of trust for young players. He kind of almost half trusts people, like we say, but Bogard and Nadelkovich have both kind of made cameo appearances. They've been trusted in certain moments, but not really given the chance to really show what they're about. So I think as you say there, hopefully this could be a little bit of a almost a blessing in disguise in the sense that if Konza is out, Nadelkovich fills in at right back, has a really good
00:19:22
Speaker
kind of performance there and then really stamps his kind of um he ground on that position and then further down the line, you know, we're not exactly sure how much Emery trusts Matty Cash, hence why Konzer is often shifted out to right back. It could be a very financially beneficial decision if Nadelkovich does stamp his authority on that right back position, especially looking long term as he is so young. Onana is another one that we mentioned who is likely to miss the Palace game after he picked up an injury.
00:19:50
Speaker
He joins Ross Barkley, who's also injured. And that leaves a gap open in that double pivot of midfield, sitting next to Yuri Tillamans doing the slightly more physically defensive job. Who do you see fitting into that role? Because there's there's not a kind of plethora of names that can come in and and fill in that position.
00:20:08
Speaker
Yeah, there's not really a like for like switch for O'Nana. Even when Barkley's fit in my opinion, Barkley's definitely a good second person to bring on in terms for O'Nana if O'Nana's not playing particularly well or it just needs resting or whatever. um We do have Kamara, we do have McGinn that can push inside. So I personally would go for McGinn in the middle.
00:20:34
Speaker
and I would like to see McGinn part the Tealemans just because I think it's going to be very important the physical battle at the weekend in that midfield Palace traditionally play what looks like a 3-4-2-1 with like two attacking mids behind their centre forward so that centre midfield with those four can be very compact so I think we need to be able to Maybe that's even counts more for McGinn being on the right, but we need to be very compact with tucking in and making sure we don't lose that number advantage in the middle. But I think if we give Bailey a shout out wide, we put McGinn and Thielemans in the middle.
00:21:15
Speaker
um Morgan Rogers dropping in when needed into that hole. I do like the way he plays as a 10 between the midfield and the nine. um So I think that midfield battle is going to be really important and there's not many people I would trust more so when it comes to having to do a physical battle than John McGinn.
00:21:36
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. I think that's a ah really interesting kind of technical analysis because I think it's exactly right. I think the midfield battle is going to be huge. I think we have to flood that midfield and then to kind of stop the way they play, linking that midfield to those kind of two attacking midfielders that kind of sit, as you mentioned, slightly narrower than a traditional winger would.
00:21:54
Speaker
I think McGinn is a really good shout I also think obviously we've got Kamara who's probably a little bit more defensive we're not entirely sure how sort of match sharp and and match fit he's gonna be but I think he's he probably suits that Oh Nana style more in the fact he's a bit more of a stopper in terms of good in a tackle probably slightly more mobile than than Oh Nana but maybe not as kind of physically strong and good in the air. I think mcggun I kind of expect to see McGinn in one of those wider roles. I think he's, as you say, somebody who can naturally drift into the middle, provide a bit of support kind of in flooding that midfield and making it really difficult to for Palace to play kind of between those those midfielders and and maybe those midfielders that sit deeper for them.
00:22:35
Speaker
I think the Rodgers thing's really important. He's going to have probably a little bit more defensive responsibility than he's maybe used to, because he's going to have to drop in and and support the midfield. I think the winger thing's really interesting, whether we'll see kind of Bailey or Philogene or somebody like that. Obviously we know Ramsey is is nursing an injury. With Bailey's performances before the international break, obviously he's now had a chance to kind of um regroup and and kind of assess things. Do you think he's going to come back with a point to prove?
00:23:04
Speaker
I think he's that type of player anyway. I think when I've heard him in interviews and everything like that, I wouldn't say he was cocky, but definitely brash. He thinks he's a Champions League player even before he was. That was one of the things that he like demanded from the villa that he needed to be playing, otherwise he wanted to be off, his dad being the agent and everything like that. um I was watching the old clips of him at Leverkusen the other day and what a different player he is when he's on
Trust in Young Talent at Villa
00:23:34
Speaker
four.
00:23:34
Speaker
um I really hope he can. um He knows himself. He's not playing too well. He's admitted it. And at least he's honest about it. He wants to come in. So I do think he will come good, um but it's going to have to be quick because otherwise I would really be happy if Philogene started playing some more games. I think he's got a bright future as that lad, but Bailey has to try his best to keep him off, just like Lucadina has done with Madison.
00:24:03
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think of the Liverpool game of Bailey kind of receiving the ball and and looking like he didn't really have ah an idea what his plan was as to kind of how to attack down that ah right hand side, obviously at Andy Robertson, very tight to him in that game. And he just looks sort of He looked lethargic, he looked kind of out of ideas and I think that the break, but for him personally, has come at a really good time for him to kind of, as I say, reassess things and and and and look to stamp his kind of his stamp he's his ground on that position. I think, you know, he's a ah player that is, as you just mentioned, we know the quality that he does have, we've seen it. We've seen it both for Villa and obviously in in his pasta at Leverkusen.
00:24:41
Speaker
And I think the self-awareness of him knowing that he's not playing at these kind of peak level is is really important. And I think that's something that has come with maturity through his game. And Emory will also be very quick to kind of give him a kind of analysis on and his performances so far.
00:24:58
Speaker
um Philogene, as you mentioned, has a really bright future and I think it it kind of links back to that right back role of Emory, really trusting those young players to kind of take on the responsibility and um um and see themselves as kind of a true part of this first team. We're going to be back shortly after a message from the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:25:23
Speaker
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00:25:52
Speaker
We're now going to look ahead to the Palace game on Saturday. We'll have a ah kind of full preview later in the week, but obviously they have already dumped us out of the EFL Cup in very disappointing fashion. And so how do we ensure that we kind of take revenge against Palace and get back on track?
00:26:10
Speaker
The interesting one about this game for me is how the two formations are going to compete against each other with essentially our 4-4-2 against their 3-4-2-1. In attack I really think our wing wide play can really stretch that back three and also pull back their kind of like wing backs to creating like a back five. So I think we'll see a lot of the ball. I think it's going to be hard though once we see a lot of the ball we'll be pushing them back a lot. There's going to be very little space to get in behind and I think as we've seen in the past when Villa play against teams that sit in I don't necessarily see Palace sitting in but I just see that's how the game will manufacture.
00:26:54
Speaker
it'll like get to that point. So I think out breaking the lines and trying to get in behind is going to be an issue. So for me, I think trying to get back on track is going to be those individual battles around the whole of the field. um So, like, is Bailey going to be used on the right? Is Nedalkovich going to be on the right? Is Kanza going to be on the right? The right hand side is very debatable, basically because of Kanza. If Kanza's fair,
00:27:23
Speaker
He's not traditionally a right back, so he'll be more inverted. And if he's more inverted, then we need more of a wider player on the right. So we need someone like Bally to stretch that team out. If we go with Nidalkovich, maybe he'll put McGinn on the right, because now Nidalkovich can get further forward. So McGinn will naturally come on the inside. and Because on the left, the reason McGinn has played a lot on the left-hand side is because Luca Dean likes to get forward.
00:27:50
Speaker
And Ben McGinnett offers you more of an inverted player for depth to switch the play and to coverage in case you get beaten. So I think the fact that we've got a lot of question marks in those teams is going to make it hard for us to kind of predict that lineup because one dictates the other.
00:28:10
Speaker
so I think it's a case of now to get back on track those individual battles are going to be key in order to triumph upon the victory and to get back on track realistically we need a win this weekend. Yeah we do absolutely I think it's going to be as you say a very interesting tactical battle. Glastner is you kind of had them playing really good stuff at the kind of back end of last season and we've already seen how he can kind of manufacture a result. Obviously, we saw that in the Cup. As you mentioned earlier, they are missing some some key players as a commander, I think, were the the two that kind of stood out to to me as kind of those attacking the builders that can really hurt you. But I think it will it kind of is an interesting one because we won't see necessarily the same personnel in that team that Emery has kind of stayed loyal to, purely due to kind of wear and tear and injuries that they've sustained.
00:29:03
Speaker
it kind of leaves for a little bit more rotation in that that first 11 and it's going to be really interesting to see exactly who Emery goes with, who he kind of trusts in what's going to be a really, really important game in kind of getting us back on track and getting that momentum going for for after the break leading into the the very congested Christmas period. That's all we have time for on today's episode of the Daily Villa Podcast. Thank you as ever to Craig for joining me.
00:29:31
Speaker
Be sure to get in touch across all the socials that you can find in the podcast description. This has been a global sports podcast production. Thank you for listening and as always of the better.