Every word Unai Emery said about Barkley injury, Martinez return and Aston Villa's FA Cup chances
Unai Emery sat down with the media after Aston Villa's 2-1 win over West Ham in the FA Cup third round.
Morgan Rogers scored the winning goal five minutes after Amadou Onana equalised in the second half following Lucas Paqueta's early opener. Here is every word Emery said in his post-match press conference...
Unai, your thoughts on the performance and win?
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"We have to respect the opponent and they started performing well and we conceded an easy goal. We had to accept it. Our challenge in every match we’re facing is to try to defend our goal better.
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"After their goal we started to dominate the match better than the first 25 minutes, not really creating very good chances to score but stopping them in the transition. We were pushing them in their build up and then we needed to be patient to try to impose and be consistent in our attack.
"I think it’s good because today we were trying to play for this anniversary, 150 years, and with the supporters trying to share this moment. This club won this competition seven times. We need to be proud of our past but be protagonists in the present and the future. It’s very hard to get to the final and win this competition, but we have to focus on each match and really face each team and show our wishes to do something here and now we’re happy."
How is Martinez?
"He was injured. It’s a small injury. He was not 100 per cent ready to play. We decided to play Robin Olsen."
Do you expect him back next week?
"I think so, but we will need to check him more."
What about Ross Barkley?
"He had a small injury in his calf, hopefully not a lot. Tomorrow we will check him but normally two or three weeks out."
You went from back to front very quickly for that second goal…
"We are trying to be clinical in our process in case the opponent faces us, sometimes we can’t get into the attacking third quick, sometimes slow. We always have to be comfortable in how we can control the game, we can score with two passes or 20 and that’s really important for us.
"Try to dominate with keeping ball possession as long as possible. This is the most difficult way to choose for the players on the field, we are trying to be demanding how we want to dominate and then try to play with this idea strongly. "
What did you make of Graham Potter’s first game in charge of West Ham?
"I think he had one day with the team and his idea we knew before with Chelsea and Brighton. He’s not a new coach for us, he has had these experiences and work before and he will do the same here, he can have the same impact here."
