“I think the way the game panned out was exactly how I expected it to be, if I’m honest. A very even game against a very good Villa team, set up very well by [Villa manager] Unai [Emery], where I think we performed quite well. What is, [a performance that’s] maybe not through the roof – I’m thinking what is through the roof is that totally dominating Villa, which has been a very good team in the last couple of seasons – clearly a very good team with good players.
“But I think we dominated in good spells, I think we came out with very good intensity, very aggressive, I think we were good in high pressure. I think first half especially we wanted some very good times and broke and had four or five very good moments where [they were] good transition opportunities, got in front. [That] continued in the second half, actually created some good opportunities, we could have scored both the 2-0 with Mo [Kudus], ruled out for our side and the Wilson [Odobert] chance. And defensively I think we were excellent.
“There are a couple of things you can look into when you look defensively. We gave away eight shots, I think, not even across, more or less. Very, very low xG and Vicario didn’t have to make a save. So we’ve done that and then you’ve done well. We gave two goals away, that were in a position outside the box with a lot of players behind the ball, where you said to me before the game, ‘they will shoot from there, Rogers and Buendia, [in] that situation,’ I’d say, ‘yeah, of course, no problem, it’s not dangerous.‘ But a fantastic quality shot from Rogers. So in those nothing moments or very little moments, they had more quality than they did.
“… I think Villa defended well, which we know they in general do. I think that’s something we worked very hard on, tried to improve. I think the most disappointing thing is the area I’d like to improve a little bit better, was these four or five very good transition moments where we are in good positions, could have done more. And I mean it, I think we performed a good game without being through the roof and part of it was we could have had a bit more offensively.
“… I think we defend with 11 players. We also attack with 11 players. I think it’s the whole team. Of course, it will always be, let’s say, the front four. Today, Wilson, Mo, Xavi and Mati. That is the main guys that will be judged on it, which is fair. Other players coming on from the bench. I like Xavi’s personality today, especially in the first half. I think he wanted to get on the ball, he wanted to create. I think he was very aggressive in the pressure. I think it was a fine game. I think I need to remember it myself when we judge players and they come into a new club, a new country. I know it’s part of football. We judge them with a very small sample of games. I’m not in doubt that it will be good for us. Today was an average-plus game.”