Every word Unai Emery said about transfers, Louie Barry, Andres Garcia and mentality
Unai Emery sat down the media at Bodymoor Heath on Friday afternoon ahead of Aston Villa's Premier League clash against West Ham on Sunday.
Villa come into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat in Monaco, which followed two strong results away from home against Everton and Arsenal. Here's every word Emery said to the media...
What further business will you be doing in this window?
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“We are open to trying to improve the squad until the last moment, and as well, we are open in case someone is leaving. Of course, Diego Carlos left in the last week, and we have to replace him, and of course we are as well focusing on which players could be potential players to replace Diego Carlos.”
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What do you expect from West Ham?
“Very important, those three points on Sunday against West Ham. Very difficult, because all matches in the Premier League are very difficult. Of course, West Ham, they are not being consistent, but they have now a new coach. Tactically, they are going to improve, playing matches, and they have very good players as well.
“Maybe they have some important players as well, injured, but for us, Sunday is very important, how we can face them, how we can prepare the matches as well as possible to try to be consistent like we are at the moment at home. The most important [thing] for us is the Premier League, and to be in the table’s top eight positions, and of course, always close to try to have the opportunities in the future in the table, to try to threat the top four or five positions.”
Can you elaborate by what you meant by 'we need it' regarding the mentality of your side?
“It’s a process, because when we arrived here, the mentality was more or less to be in the top 10, and after Aston Villa played in the Championship, of course always remembering that moment to be in Premier League was the first objective they had.
“Of course, for the history of Aston Villa, to try to be a contender, building the team, getting the structure stronger, trying to be contenders in the future for trophies as well, is another objective we have to add. And of course, to play in Europe was another objective. In that moment, difficult, we needed to have in our mind, and we are in this process.
“We started two years ago, and we are in this process we planned, but the process is through the players, through the mentality as a team. In our objective, we can be demanding, setting very ambitious objectives. We have a lot of players with very good mentality, and a lot of players, they improved a lot, being demanding in the right mentality we want, but there’s still work to do.
“In Monaco, I was feeling something from some players, lacking it. But, of course, I know the players, they are following the messages we are sending, we trying to set in the dressing room, and as well, the club. And of course, we are more than less being successful in our way, and even in this season, we are being consistent. Not the consistency I want to achieve, but more or less, we are being consistent.”
What persuaded you to sign Andres Garcia?
“He is a right full-back, potential, young player. He was progressing so quick, and I knew him before. I know how he was doing, as a person as well. We decided to sign him because we were thinking it was a good opportunity, just in this moment, a really good opportunity, how he is progressing so quick in his career.
“And of course, being a potential young player, we are not in a hurry with him. Hopefully, with Andrés García, we can progress quick in his adaptation, and how he can understand everything in the Premier League about the level we have.”
You play five of your next six at home...
“Consistency is our objective, and we can improve on it, only facing each match and focusing on each match. If we are not winning Sunday, again, we are not being consistent at home.
“We lost in Monaco after two very good matches we played at Everton and Arsenal. The consistency we have to try to get, there is still work to do. It is thinking each match, and focusing each match, and trying to work every day, transmitting this message with the players and with the club and with the supporters and with every worker we have here at Aston Villa.”
Have you made a decision on Louie Barry's future?
"We are very happy with Barry. We have one plan with him and that is to extend his contract because we believe in him and then he must continue his process as a player. It is to go on loan and continue getting minutes, getting confidence and getting his success playing at another club. How we worked with him last year and with him now is the right way for him."
