My Old Man Said — An Aston Villa Podcast

Aston Villa host Viking FK at Villa Park in the Champions League league phase, after the weeks back-to-back wins - a 6-0 win over Fenerbahçe and a 1-0 win at Newcastle United on Saturday. The show's warning is simple: this is the kind of game Villa are expected to win, and Scandinavian sides have a history of punishing complacency.

The team news is a mess on the left. Matteo Ruggeri is out for around two months, Aaron Wan-Bissaka for several weeks and Johan Manzambi sits this one out as a precaution. Ian Maatsen is back in training and touch and go. Taylor Harwood-Bellis is now registered in the Champions League squad under UEFA's 60-day injury rule, so the show asks who plays left-back: a managed Maatsen, Tyrone Mings or Pau Torres, or even Lamare Bogarde.

Viking, the show argues, are not a makeweight. A well-drilled side who like to play on the front foot, score freely and will offer a test for Unai Emery's recent work on his defensive unit.

Empty seats and the club seemingly dumping tickets on the secondary market, prove that they were wrong to have prices up to £99 for members for such a game. Plus there's December fixture changes, and the latest press reports on Manchester City's sanction.

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Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd - @BUDD_music / Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

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Two away wins in a row and two clean sheets in a week raise the question this episode asks: has Aston Villa's defence turned a corner, or has it only met two weak sides? Villa beat Newcastle United 1-0 at St James' Park, showing plenty of resilience, as Johan Manzambi’s header from a João Gomes cross in the first half gave them the win.

The show weighs the evidence as to whether Unai Emery has fixed his defensive issues: Matty Cash's late recovery to stop a clean-through forward, Zion Suzuki's save, Victor Lindelöf's growing seniority, Tyrone Mings against the high balls, Boubacar Kamara looking like himself again and a calming cameo from Leon Goretzka.

It also marks where it still frays. Ross Barkley's timing, despite positive displays, Ibrahim Mbaye and Nicolas Jackson both failed to square for a teammate, and the left side is thinning with Aaron Wan-Bissaka's hamstring, Matteo Ruggeri out and Ian Maatsen only just back in training.

Speed Demon and Lazy B*stard return, with a new Villa season record. Unai Emery has his 100th Premier League win, and the show makes its case that the rebuild is ahead of schedule, before Viking and Manchester City ask harder questions.

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Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd - @BUDD_music / Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT
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Aston Villa beat Fenerbahçe 6-0 at Villa Park in the Champions League league phase. It was Villa's biggest European win and Unai Emery's biggest as Villa manager. Johan Manzambi opened the scoring on his 21st birthday, Nicolas Jackson added two, Ross Barkley scored twice inside a five minute spell, and Tammy Abraham made it six at the death.

The post-mortem starts with the clean sheet. After weeks of worry about how Villa defend at home, Emery's own half-time talk about the mid and low block is a good place to begin, and the show asks why this team looked so much better in transition once the second half got going. It also looks at Fenerbahçe's lively start, the saves from Zion Suzuki that kept it goalless, and why an older side faded.

Jackson gets the attention, his brace supporting the argument that he is the replacement Villa hoped Ollie Watkins would be. Plus, Manzambi's role and his impact as a hybrid forward who can move between positions is covered.

The rest is about depth: Barkley, Abraham, Alysson, Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left-back and Leon Goretzka's Villa debut.

A great night at Villa Park

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Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd - @BUDD_music / Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aston Villa drew 2-2 with Brentford at Villa Park in the Premier League, leaving them still without a league win at home this season. Unai Emery went with Tyrone Mings over Pau Torres to deal with Brentford's set pieces, which seemed the right move in the first half, as the long throw-ins rained in, until a misplaced pass put a question mark over Villa's ability to play through Brentford's press.

Brentford certainly arrived with a plan to rough Villa up, the referee let it happen, and Villa's attempts to fight fire with fire keep looking petulant. Nicolas Jackson and Johan Manzambi impressed despite being up against it, as Brentford swamped them, before Ibrahim Mbaye's pace off the bench hinted at a better balance.

Most of the worry though sits further back: Boubacar Kamara still looking off the pace after injury, an Ezri Konsa-shaped hole in the defence, no fit left-back and Taylor Harwood-Bellis not even on the bench. Leon Goretzka, still absent, could be the answer to the defensive balance of the team or a complete red herring - hopefully, we'll get a chance to find out soon.

There is also the Speed Demon and LB segments, and North Stand musings.

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Restock on discounted Adidas Originals stock and last season’s shirts – Use code MOMS10 for an extra 10 % off here
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Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd - @BUDD_music / Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aston Villa host Brentford at Villa Park in their first game after the extended international break, still looking for a first home league win of the season. With the Bees currently fourth in the Premier League table, built on set pieces, and with a decent recent record against Villa, it'll be a good test of where this new Villa team are at.

There's a look at how the break went for Villa's new signings and who is still missing: Matty Cash's dead leg for Poland looks like a scare rather than a problem, but Leon Goretzka remains absent and is ruled out for this one.

Champions League ticket pricing takes a proper hammering, as the price point fails to sell out to members for the first two home games. Emery's Clipboard turns to EA FC 27, where Villa's squad rating has dropped off, but the metrics involved tell several other stories.

The Three Points cover the Football Leaks whistleblower still waiting on his crowdfunder, a Highland League club's thank-you to Stephen King, and a Concacaf Nations League match in which a footballer's hair took two opponents with it.

The show also gives its verdict on Manchester City's guilty finding, with firm opinions on the punishment, and the MOMS Pools panel disagree three ways.

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Restock on discounted Adidas Originals stock and last season's shirts - Use code MOMS10 for an extra 10 % off here
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Join the show’s listener Facebook group The Mad Few.

Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid | Chris Budd - @BUDD_music / Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.