Aston Villa’s Loss Linked to Unai Emery’s Questionable Tactical Decision Against PSG, Says BBC Pundit

BBC pundit and former Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock admitted that an Emery tactical decision caused him confusion since the Premier League side doesn’t play this style often.

“Unai Emery’s gameplan was interesting because we are used to seeing Villa play with a high line in the Premier League and then he changed it to a deep line at the start of the game. It was working, and you are thinking how clever and what great management.

“So, I was surprised that Villa had a slightly different approach in the second half and were a bit more open. I don’t know whether that was a message Emery sent out to the players, or if the team have just got caught out a little bit, but it felt like their midfield was not as close to the back four, and the distance grew between their midfield and attack too, so they were a lot more stretched.”

Warnock added that PSG took advantage of Emery’s tactical decision-making in the second half.

“That allowed PSG to counterattack them more, and get behind their defense, compared to the first half when Villa were camped in on the edge of their own box and said to PSG ‘come and break us down’, and they couldn’t – except from a worldie of a goal by Desire Doue,” Warnock said.

“It is very easy in hindsight but I just wonder if Emery will look back at this game and wonder if he should have made more changes early on, because his team were so stretched, and bring some more energy and legs in.”