Aston Villa host Manchester at the Villa Park on Sunday, 8 November, in what will be new manager Remi Garde’s first game as Villa manager. During the goalless derby draw at Manchester United a fortnight ago, Pellegrini opted for caution in the closing stages to secure a point after realising United had nullified his usual attacking game.
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Speaking to the Official Site following the game, he explained.
“It is a mixture of relief and regret”, Wenger said in his post-match press-conference, conceding “we were a bit on the ropes” but that “every time we have a disappointment, we respond well”.
This positive start from Villa kicked City into gear as they began to stamp their authority on the game with Fernando lashing his effort over Brad Guzan’s bar from a corner.
Having been confirmed as Villa’s new manager on Monday afternoon, Garde attended Villa’s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane that evening, which kept the club rooted to the foot of the league table, with a mere four points from 11 games played.
It was far from a dramatic turnaround with regards to Villa, but they did show, at times, that quality passing football exists among a squad who have been so thoroughly in disarray in the last few weeks. We tried to make a breakthrough.
“Fabian played at Villa for a long time but he’s a professional player and now plays with us”.
In their first match under new manager, Remi Garde, the home side made a bright start, with Idrissa Gueye making the most of a strong spell of possession to launch a 20-yard strike towards the City goal, but the finish was just wide. They changed their system.
The former Les Goners player brings with him the reputation from the Rhone-Alp es region of France of being able to cope under enormous pressure after witnessing an exodus of talent during his spell as Lyon manager when, due to financial difficulties, Miralem Pjanic, Jeremy Toulalan, Dejan Lovren, Lisandro Lopez and the most expensive teenager in world football Anthony Martial left the club. I always say if you can’t win, don’t lose. You need to kill the game.
Villa signed 13 players in the close season, with Sherwood, chief executive Tom Fox, sporting director Hendrik Almstadt and director of scouting Paddy Riley all involved in the recruitment. Absolutely hilarious and I honestly believe it helped the team get over the line. “I had a big chairman, a chief executive, a chief scout as well (at Lyon)”, he said.
Upon being asked the question of what he said to Delph before he came on, it was pretty simple really.
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“Unfortunately Bony has that injury and it was hard for us to replace him without Kun [Aguero]”, Pellegrini concluded.
