Unai gives ‘accurate’ appraisal ofVilla’s limitations
UNAI Emery was left cursing his first defeat in the Premier League since taking over at Villa.
Goals from Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and a late Stefan Bajcetic strike won it for Liverpool on Boxing Day, despite a second-half rally from Villa after Ollie Watkins pulled a goal back not long after the restart.
Here are the talking points from Villa Park as we now wave goodbye to 2022 and look ahead to the visit to Tottenham on New Year’s Day.
Mixed emotions for Emery
According to those in the tunnel post-match, Emery stormed off into his office, clearly enraged by the manner of Villa’s 3-1 defeat. Liverpool had been there for the taking with the home side great value immediately after half-time.
“I’m happy with the attitude but disappointed with the result,” was Emery’s verdict afterwards. “We deserve more from the 90 minutes. But only if we were a bit more accurate.
“We decided to keep the gameplan at half-time and we just needed one goal and we knew we’d have chances. Liverpool were dangerous on the transition, though, which was where their third goal came from which finished it.”
Emery also spoke about “tactical issues, individually and collectively” and wanting to improve “for the step up I want to make”.
Tyrone Mings, speaking afterwards, agreed that the players are still getting to grips with Emery’s way of playing, and said: “I think we’re learning what the manager wants in different positions, different phases, we’re starting to see little bits of it.
“We’re a long way off but we’re a team of individuals who want to learn and work together. It’s frustrating because we didn’t manage to put the ball in the net as much as we’d have liked but that’s not me saying the attackers need to be better because we should have defended better.”
The signs are encouraging, though, given Villa’s improvement since Emery’s appointment. Taking six points from Manchester United, Brighton and Liverpool isn’t bad going.
Too many have off-nights
Despite pushing Liverpool close for large parts, there were one too many off-nights from those in claret and blue, which aided the visitors’ cause.
“We conceded some poor goals,” said Mings. “They’re a fantastic team but every team, if you give them that amount of chances, they’re going to score at some point.
“It’s frustrating on our behalf. I don’t think it was a case of them being too strong for us, I think we maybe should have defended better for the goals.”
Liverpool, who posted an xG of 3.51, carved Villa open way too often with Mings and Ezri Konsa both far from happy with Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara in front of them.
However, from the usually everdependable Ashley Young to Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia and Villa’s two centre-backs, too many did not perform to the level expected of them. n Unai twisted too late
“No,” was Emery’s quick reply to whether he had made changes a little too late. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made four substitutions before Emery’s triple change and, for their
match-clincher, two of the replacements combined as Joe Gomez pumped it long for Darwin Nunez to chase before Bajcetic finished through Mings’ legs.
Villa’s bench had a good look to it – and it was arguably stronger and more experienced than Klopp’s – but perhaps Emery twisted a little too late with just five minutes remaining, especially given some of the rustiness on show.
n January transfer window expected to be busy
It is clear Emery will strengthen his squad. The head coach wants real quality added in the final third of the pitch and to bring in those capable of becoming match-winners.
Villa spurned chance after chance against Liverpool, which was one of the main reasons why Emery was a picture of pure frustration on the touchline, often seen waving his arms and grimacing with his players wasteful in decent areas.
January will be a busy month for Villa with as many as three, or even four, new arrivals expected, while there will be a few who head out.