Every word Unai Emery said on Boubacar Kamara injury, Ollie Watkins contract and signing new striker
The manager spoke to the media ahead of Villa's home Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, kick-off 3pm
Is Boubacar Kamara back? What are the updates on the others?
“Kamara not available. We are waiting for his progress. His injury is more or less 10 days or two weeks. He’s not going to play tomorrow. Other players are still - Philippe Coutinho and Matty Cash - injured. Both. The same with Kamara, different injuries but are more or less 10 days, two weeks, thinking that they will come back.”
The aim was to finish in the top 10, has the target changed again now? To finish in Europe?
“We have to be very demanding and responsible about our work and be excited to be in a better position. We are doing it. From now until the end of the season we have to be consistent and strong. The next step now, the European competition. We are fighting against Liverpool, Chelsea, Brighton, Brentford. Brighton and Brentford are playing magnificently. Chelsea and Liverpool are out of their normal positions. They’re in a race. We are there, but we know we have to be very consistent, competing better than we are doing at home.
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“We won the last two at home but we haven’t improved enough [at home]. Tomorrow against Nottingham, we have to be demanding and to be critical of ourselves; looking at the good things but tactically we have to improve. That is my first idea tomorrow.
“I’m excited like the supporters to show our best tomorrow; transmitting energy and a good control of the game. My message to the supporters is we have to do it together. It’s going to be difficult to be in the position we are in now and to get up in the European position.”
There are reports suggesting Ollie Watkins is close to signing a new contract. What do you know about that?
“We didn’t speak about it because we are very happy with him. We are involved every day with our target in front, collectively and individually. He deserves to get a new contract, to extend the contract and to get more money. He is deserving. We want to keep him with us.”
What have you worked on with Emi Buendia to have him playing so well and confidently?
“Buendia I told you, Emiliano, his wishes to win. Commitment to work every day is high. His energy is 80% positive. Some days we have to stop him. He can play better. He can help us as a winger playing inside like a Jacob or like Coutinho. It is very important to us how [wingers] can understand tactically the position to get an advantage.
“His quality and skill is very important for us to try and use for an assist and to get in the box and connect with the player getting back like Alex Moreno. Their commitment every day… We create a small family inside to push and help each other. He’s one of them players.”
Traore scored on Tuesday to win the game. He seemed a little hurt speaking after the game that the club let him out on loan. Did you find that when you returned?
“Each moment is different. The circumstances can change. When I saw him here recovering from his injury in Turkey. I asked him about his situation because we were missing a right winger. We were working with a talented player, Kadan [Young], who is 16, who was training every day. I was using him in the friendly matches and, really, I knew Traore’s performances with Lyon.
“When he came here, I was aware he played well in the first season. Last year, for different circumstances, he decided to go on loan to Turkey. I spoke to him and he was very committed to helping us. I told him we needed one player with his qualities in the squad.
“The players like him a lot, he’s appreciated in the dressing room. Everyone was happy for him on Tuesday. Now he’s here, it’s not enough for us. I want the best of him for the nine remaining games with us.”
Nottingham are unpredictable, will it be difficult to set out a game plan?
“Yes and no. Yes because we have to adapt and we have to know their idea of playing tomorrow. We have analysed their last match against Leeds. Sometimes they play with a striker and sometimes not. Some players are injured.
“We have to adapt and have to watch tomorrow immediately how they start the match. We have to control the game in our style and idea. That’s the improvement I want to make tomorrow.
“It will be a difficult match because Forest, in their last matches, haven’t been good like they have been. Like every team, sometimes they play well, sometimes worse. Maybe they have some doubts now and are close to the bottom. But I know tomorrow will be difficult. We played against Wolves, Leeds and Leicester and it was very difficult, losing against Leicester [at home]. If we aren’t being focused 100% we can lose, of course.”
What has clicked for Ollie Watkins? Has there been a specific moment you feel?
“I was watching his last season at Brentford. He scores goals. We are trying to use his qualities, his commitment, his power tp try to add him to learn different ways to improve. He’s very humble to do it.
“Each session is very good; he’s the example. He wants to learn, improve. He listens to everything. He works on and off the pitch. He thinks only about football and watches clips of him and other strikers. It’s the way! It’s a very good example for me to use for other players. Ollie Watkins is 100 percent committed.”
Does it change your thinking for the summer? Will you still look for a big striker?
“We want to improve. We are very demanding but, at the same time, we are watching how they are responding, the players. We want to get to the best level as a team and as a club and individually as well, and to add players to improve the squad.
“We need strikers. We let Danny Ings leave, we added Jhon Duran. He’s young, we’re trying to get a process with him and to accelerate that. We are testing him. If we can have him taking now or the next year, performing like we will need. It is a process.
“With Watkins, we are happy now, he’s progressing. We want to keep him. But, as well, if we can add another striker to play with him to play in different competitions, it’s the idea. I want a stronger squad with two players for each position, and to add performances to get better as a team. That is based on my experiences and we can get better here at Aston Villa.”
We’ve had a turnover of managers, 12 have been sacked. Has the pressure on managers changed?
“Always I feel the same in different countries and teams. Here’s the same: never I can be happy when a coach is sacked. It’s our work. I understood. I am being in the same way now that we are always at work, for example.
“Nottingham Forest have good news that they keep him. I think Cooper did very good work. The season is sometimes different. I respect him a lot; I respect Nottingham Forest as well. They are a very competitive team with the coach, players, and owners.
“I watched one match with their supporters, their stadium is amazing. Tomorrow we play at home and I want our supporters to help us and to be with us and to try to understand to keep our game plan. At home, I want to feel our supporters pushing and helping us tomorrow like they have been doing.”
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