Unai Emery: Stick to the Aston Villa plan
Frustrated boss Unai Emery has told Villa’s players they must stick to the script as they look to bounce back from Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to Arsenal.
Emery declared himself “embarrassed” by his team’s third loss on the spin and felt they had deviated too far from his gameplan, with the Spaniard explicitly criticising Emi Martinez’s decision to go forward for a stoppage time corner, which led to Gabriel Martinelli scoring the visitors’ fourth into an empty net.
Villa next go to Everton on Saturday and Emery said: “I told them and I am going to tell them in the next few days, we have to be consistent in our mind, controlling our emotions and the gameplan we prepare.
“We were focused to try and win the match but not in the right way, not in the style and the idea we are speaking and working on in training.
“Why? We are winning 1-0 but not taking any risks. In the second half we were wasting more time than I wanted. We will progress by trying to impose ourselves, being responsible and being protagonists on the pitch.”
The defeat was also Villa’s second 4-2 loss at home in a fortnight. They have led twice in both matches.
Emery added: “I am frustrated but at myself because they are not doing the gameplan I have in my mind and which we are working on in training.
“They are working and being confident on the training ground but here, for 90 minutes in front of your opponent, is the time to do it.
“It is embarrassing for me to lose two home matches 4-2. It is not normal and I don’t like it.”
