Aston Villa's Matty Cash has given insight into what Unai Emery's tactical meetings entail
Aston Villa's Matty Cash
Aston Villa's Matty Cash(Image: PA)
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Matty Cash has offered insight into what Unai Emery’s famed tactical meetings involve and how the Aston Villa manager has helped him become a better player.
The right-back has arguably been the club’s standout performer this season, featuring in 37 of Villa’s matches, scoring three goals, and providing four assists across all competitions.
Cash, who joined Villa in the summer of 2020, remains a key figure for the club and is committing his prime years to it after signing a new contract earlier this season.
Speaking with Stan Sport Football, the right-back discussed his relationship with Emery, his coaching staff, and the detailed nature of the manager’s tactical meetings.
“I do a lot of personal work with the coaches, but we have had some long video sessions with him,” Cash said. “At least 80 or 90 minutes is a standard one. You tend to find that the longer videos happen when you are winning.
“Normally you’d think that when you are losing the videos would be longer, but actually it’s when you are winning. They are good because you learn from them, and we are doing them every week.
“A standard video would be the night before a game, and it would be the last game we played. It would basically be the whole game.
“It would include every single action, when we are attacking and defending. He will go through it himself, detailing what we should have done at that moment.
“If we are on the attack and we have played a pass, but it's not the right pass, he will stop the video and put loads of arrows to where we should have put it.
“It improves you because you think that next time you’re in this position, maybe last week you played it there, but then after he shows us, you respond to it.
“That’s why we are where we are, because he is so meticulous with it, being so on point with what and where we need to improve.”
He added: “I have a really good relationship with him and the coaches. Ever since he has come in he has been really honest and upfront with me - telling me where I can improve and how I can improve.
“The coaches have helped me do that as well. There’s been a lot of work on the field and off the field too to improve.
“He is really good to work with. He is really demanding and challenging, so every day you need to be focused. No late nights!
“He has changed my whole view on football. I am a better player and person after he showed us how we have to be to compete at the top. He has bettered everyone for sure.”
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