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Aston Villa the boss This is Emery feels his side can blow away their chances of automatic qualification to the last 16. Champions League.
Villa could have kept one foot in the next round if they had beaten Ligue 1 side Monaco, but they succumbed to an early goal from Wilfred Singo and could not find a way back.
The 1-0 defeat, just the second in seven matches in a brilliant debut season, means they must win the ‘Battle of Britain’ against Celtic next week to have a chance of finishing in the top eight and earning direct cash. Qualification to the last 16.
They have already secured a place in the play-off round and Emery thinks they can go there.
“When we’re playing games like today, it’s important to get the three points because I think we missed the chance to get into the top eight,” he told reporters in Monaco.
“Today was the key.”
Emery was also reminded why he prefers not to play striker Ollie Watkins And John Duran together
When we’re playing games like today, it’s important to get the three points because I think we missed the chance to get into the top eight. Today was the key
This is Emery
Duran, who was the subject of a bid by West Ham during the transfer window, came on as an early second-half substitute to play with Watkins and Villa lost all their fluidity.
Emery added: “The last 20 or 25 minutes, when we played with two strikers, we lost our position. This is the first part of my summary. Then it’s about building the team in the mindset I want.
“We are being demanded with our players and some are not following the plan we are planning. That is my goal now, we are gradually building the team with the mindset of making it as strong as possible.
“It was my fault when we played with two strikers because we lost positions.”
