In the 16th round of the English Premier League (EPL), Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest had a thrilling match. Towards the end of the match, Villa conceded a goal first, and then suffered a fatal blow from the opponent in the extra time, and finally suffered a 1-2 defeat on the road, and the momentum of three consecutive victories came to an abrupt end. After the game, Villa manager Emery faced the media and analyzed the game in depth.
Emery revealed: "We followed our pre-match plan to the letter and in the first 70 minutes we showed great execution and managed to score a goal. We tried to weaken the opponents through high pressure, they did not press too far forward, and initially we managed to control the situation. But once we scored, our opponents immediately adjusted their tactics and intensified their attacks, putting us under considerable pressure."
"We worked hard to maintain a consistent performance on the field, but unfortunately, in the last 20 minutes of the game, we were unable to keep it up. Mistakes on the defensive end cost us two goals and an offside goal, which definitely added to our regret. If we continue to perform like this, the goal of finishing in the top eight will be out of reach."
Emery went on to emphasize the current stage of the team's development: "We are in a crucial period of team building and we are committed to building a competitive and consistent team. Today's game was going to be crucial because Nottingham Forest are our strongest rivals in the top eight. Their win puts us in a much tighter position at the top of the table, which will certainly be a challenge for us."
Talking about the competition within the team, Emery spoke highly of Watkins' and Duran's performances: "Indeed, this competitive atmosphere is very healthy. Both Watkins and Duran are actively fighting for the opportunity to play and show their strength. This healthy competition helps to improve our overall strength and fighting quality."
