Unai Emery spoke to media at Bodymoor Heath on Friday afternoon as he previewed Sunday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
Aston Villa’s head coach discussed Jacob's Ramsey return to training, what promises to be an exciting clash against Spurs, the club's away form this season, our goals record throughout the team, provided an update on the latest team news and more.
Here’s what he had to say…
On Jacob Ramsey’s return to training…
“I’m very happy when players are coming back after injury, training with the team, with the squad, and they are ready to play.
“Of course, with Jacob Ramsey, one month ago we were ready with him but he had a game and had a small injury.
“He needed one month more to be ready and hopefully after today, start training again with us, with the squad.
“He’s going for the next weeks, months and season with everything well for him.
“Of course, we will need him.”
On Tottenham…
“It’s amazing, the match we are going to play on Sunday.
“They are playing brilliant, they are really being a very difficult team this season.
“They are very strong at home and we are going to play against them fighting face-to-face, wanting, having a very good season and being with them.
“Of course, it’s a very big challenge for everybody.
“We are playing away as well so we have to be competitive, we have to adapt to them and we have to try to impose our gameplan.
“I am very motivated for Sunday. The players, as a team, I think they are as well very well motivated after the break.
“This morning we were speaking about how we can focus 100 per cent on the match and the three days we are going to prepare for it.
“I think we are ready.”
On our away record compared to Villa Park…
“We are analysing other teams in the top seven, top 10, when they are playing away; it’s more difficult than playing at home.
“It’s not an excuse, but it’s something natural.
“Always when you’re playing away, the home team are very motivated, always playing with their supporters, feeling stronger at home.
“How we can improve away is trying to be consistent, trying to create and build a strong structure with and without the ball.
“Defensively strong and try as well to impose our quality with our positions and the players.
“On Sunday, it’s a match of 90 minutes, there’s a lot of things we have to try to do well to have control of the game and impose our gameplan against one team, who have been strong as well at home.
“They have lost two matches, one is at home against Chelsea but with the circumstances they had.
“And the second they lost is against Wolverhampton away, who are playing very well at home.”
