Saturday’s goalless Premier League draw at Everton meant Villa still have yet to score this season.
Unai Emery (right) (Nick Potts/PA)
Unai Emery (right) (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)
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Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery admitted his side had improvements to make in attack but his first job was to rebuild confidence and create a winning team.
Saturday’s goalless Premier League draw at Everton meant Villa still have yet to score this season and while they managed just one shot on target – their hosts only had two in a game low on goalscoring quality – he was satisfied with the outcome.
Emiliano Martinez returned in goal after a failed move to Manchester United in the transfer window and Emery said that was one of the positives, although he accepted there was some bridge-building to do.
“Not a bad result but a good point. We are building a team, we are overcoming some circumstances that didn’t help us again,” said the Spaniard, whose side remain second-bottom with just two points.
“For example, it was very good news Emiliano Martinez is back, we need him.
“I am so, so happy. We struggled with his situation but we have to get feelings together and feel the collective objective. Today his comeback has been fantastic.
“We have to protect him and feel him inside the group so he is comfortable and confident.”
On the general state of his team, Emery added: “Of course we are not scoring, we are not winning. Of course we will need to win but this point will help us for the next matches.
“We have to try to get offensively tactically better, help the strikers get into better positions to score, get confidence winning.
“I know the situation we have now and now we are starting to adapt a lot of players after they are working with us two weeks (after the close of the transfer window).”
Striker Ollie Watkins looked a shadow of his best self but Emery insisted he was not too concerned just yet.
“Every player has to feel comfortable,” he said.
“For Ollie Watkins, calm, keep working and try to protect him because we are not scoring and the strikers are the first point we are watching but I am not worried for him especially.”
Everton boss David Moyes saw his side’s three-match winning run – in which they scored seven goals – come to an end and he too knows they have to sharpen up.
“We had the best of it and feel a bit unlucky not to come away with three points,” he said.
“It’s frustrating but we are trying to improve. I am pleased because the players put in a brilliant performance.”
Striker Beto, who had scored in his last two matches, fluffed a good chance inside in the first two minutes and never improved before being replaced by 22-year-old summer signing from Villarreal, Thierno Barry.
“I might just chop and change (striker) for no particular reason,” he said.
“I am also introducing a centre-forward who has not played in the Premier League and I don’t want to put too much pressure on him straight away.”