• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Unai Emery has already explained why Aston Villa use genius plan that left Man Utd 'baffled' in first half

Home> Football> Premier League

Updated 21:25 26 Dec 2023 GMTPublished 21:18 26 Dec 2023 GMT

Unai Emery has already explained why Aston Villa use genius plan that left Man Utd 'baffled' in first half

Emery has detailed the tactic.

Ryan Smart

Ryan Smart

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has already explained how his side worked on the gameplan that left Manchester United struggling to create chances in the first half at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag's side went into the break 2-0 down against Villa, who scored through John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker.

McGinn's goal came following a '1000 IQ' piece of play from Villa star Leon Bailey, who stood behind Andre Onana before the free kick was taken only to sprint away from goal as the Scotsman stepped up.

Dendoncker then put Villa 2-0 up after Clement Lenglet's flick-on, with fans and pundits left with questions about the marking in the lead-up to the goal.

Advert

Ten Hag has some major work on to rescue anything from the game and prevent his side from recording a fourth Premier League defeat in six matches - despite a promising beginning to the second half.

But one remedy is to respond to a nightmare statistic in the first half, that saw United record more offsides (six) in a single half of Premier League football this season.

Worse was to come for United early in the second half, when Alejandro Garnacho thought he had pulled a goal back for his side only to be adjudged offside.

Advert

Speaking prior to Villa's 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on Friday, Emery explained how his side manage to employ such a high offside trap to prevent opposition attacks - a trap Ten Hag's side fell into on multiple occasions in the first half.

Prior to that game, Villa had trapped their opposition offside on 82 occasions, 26 times more than Tottenham and double the amount of any other team in the Premier League.

He told Sky Sports: "I always work at it. But not always at the same height. Sometimes we are higher, our back four trying to hold the line and be aggressive, sometimes less.

"When I arrive here, I started working the same way I work always.

"The players, progressively, were feeling good. Sometimes, the players were higher than I wanted. Why? Because they were feeling good, they were feeling comfortable, they were feeling confident.

Advert

"But I tried to work a lot at it, because we had to be clinical, we had to be demanding in doing it, and trying to make the excellence defensively while doing the high line."

In a separate interview with Sky Sports, he revealed the origins of the tactic: "When I started as a coach 20 years ago, I started off so high at the beginning.

"Sometimes we were struggling and I changed it a bit. But always I was managing higher rather than lower.

"We were doing it at Villarreal too but not like here, where we are so high. When I arrived here and started working with the players, they were progressively getting more comfortable being high."

Featured Image Credit: Getty / Premier League

Topics: Unai Emery, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Premier League

Ryan Smart
Ryan Smart

Live in constant hope of the top flight as a Preston North End fan. Written in the past for SPORF, GiveMeSport and more.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    Ex-Chelsea wonderkid tipped to be 'football's next big thing' announces shock retirement from football

    The player made seven appearances for Chelsea and was once compared to Eden Hazard.

    Football
  • 3 hours ago

    Alexander Isak 'cut price tag' revealed as Liverpool deal with Newcastle 'in play'

    The Newcastle United forward has attracted interest from several top clubs this summer.

    Football
  • 5 hours ago

    Xabi Alonso has found the new Luka Modric for Real Madrid and it could be the signing of the summer

    The Real Madrid boss could be set to replace the veteran midfielder, who will leave the club later this summer.

    Football
  • 5 hours ago

    Odds slashed on Lionel Messi's next club as clear favourite emerges after huge news drops on Inter Miami star's future

    Lionel Messi has been linked with a move away from Inter Miami.

    Football
  • Unai Emery speaks out after controversial refereeing decision prevented Aston Villa from qualifying for the Champions League
  • Unai Emery involved in 'flare up' with Aston Villa star after seeing something he 'can't accept'
  • Ollie Watkins’ future takes new twist as favourites emerge to sign Aston Villa striker amid Unai Emery fallout
  • Unai Emery goes on extraordinary rant at Anthony Taylor and VAR over Jhon Duran red card and it's even shocked Aston Villa fans