We didn’t play good – Unai Emery felt Villa did not deserve Brentford point

Posted Sunday, April 23, 2023 by PA

Unai Emery admitted Aston Villa got more than they deserved after snatching a late point in a 1-1 draw at Brentford.

The Bees dominated the clash in west London and were leading through Ivan Toney’s 20th goal of the season.

But they were pegged back two minutes from the end after Douglas Luiz lashed the ball home following a frantic goalmouth scramble.

“I usually analyse the match trying to be focused on how we play. Today we didn’t play good, but it’s a very good point,” said Emery.

“They are a very competent team, they have only lost two matches here, and I knew before the match that to win here was going to be very difficult.

“At the end, to draw after they scored first is even more difficult. Of course we are not happy for how we played but we have to be happy with an important point.”

Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had to go off at half-time with a stomach virus, but it was Bees boss Thomas Frank who was left feeling sick.

“Isn’t that the beautiful thing about football?” said Frank.

“Things like that can happen. Of course, when you sit here and don’t win I have a few emotions in me and I try to control them.

“Part of it is the determination and drive to want to be better and keep going, and in a moment like this they’re bubbling inside me.

“The calm, cool part of me looks at the performance and thinks it’s close to a complete performance, except for a blip; three or four ricocheted shots in the 88th minute.

“We’ve given one half-chance away against a team everyone is praising as absolutely fantastic. If you’re only leading 1-0 it can happen.”

Ollie Watkins had a quiet game against his old club apart from a late header over the crossbar.

“I guess we were pretty prepared for him,” added Frank with a smile in stark contrast to his angry reaction to the equaliser on the touchline.

“That was more at myself, not my team. They’ve been fantastic and have been very unlucky not to have more points. I’m feeling more for the players, they put an unbelievable effort in.”

Brentford should have been out of sight before Villa’s dramatic leveller but Bryan Mbeumo, Kevin Schade and Frank Onyeka all missed big chances.

“Do we need to be more ruthless? How do you train ruthlessness?” said Frank. “If someone has that magic formula I would buy it.”