The Holte Roar · https://theholteroar.counterpress.media/news/now-we-know-wednesdays-strange-team-sheet-was-built-for-manchester-city-170366
Unai Emery reveals Wednesday's strange team sheet was designed around Man City
24.10.26, 15:58 Updated 25.10.26, 15:45 5 Minute Read
The story in brief
- Emery said he rested Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara on Wednesday with the weekend match in mind.
- He joked Nicolas Jackson had been shooting "like in rugby" earlier in the season.
- Villa had just two shots on target all afternoon. Both went in.
Wednesday's experiment was for this
On Wednesday night, Villa started a Champions League match without a recognised full-back. João Gomes played at right-back and Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara were left on the bench. Emery said afterwards that he had rehearsed the plan in training and on video, and that one purpose was to "keep as well some players playing out of match a long minute, like Cash, like Kamara".
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SJA and AIPS member. Aston Villa In-Ground correspondent for Opta. Football writer and commentator. If you are coming to Villa Park, you will always find me on seat E12 in the press box.