Here's what he had to say...
Is there good news on Porro, Tonali, Maddison - is he maybe close to starting? What's the latest?
Roberto: "Porro, Tonali, Maddison, all are available to play. Normally, we have to understand the situation in terms of physical condition, but all of them are ready."
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It's a new extended international break coming up. What do you have planned? Do you have maybe friendly matches, training elsewhere?
Roberto: "We have to understand how many players can stay or not, because also the important players, I think they stay, and we have to organise the rest."
So maybe some players who need to stay, who have had long injuries, will stay?
Roberto: "For example, Udogie, we have to see if he goes with Italy or not, because I hope all my players are selected for their national team, but in case they don't go, especially for the players like Udogie or James Maddison, we have to make the right plan to work, to stay ready when the Premier League restarts."
Is it a good time to have a break or would you have liked more games coming? For you personally, you didn't have a break in the summer, you worked. Do you personally need a little week away?
Roberto: "We have to accept, and nothing more. I would work every day, but if we have to stop, we stop. Most important is the game of tomorrow. Tough game, but we have the qualities, the players to play well, because if we don't play well, we can't win. Or maybe one time per season, two times per season and stop."
You said James Maddison obviously is available. How close could he be to starting a match this season?
Roberto: "Listen, James is working with the team in the last 10, 15 days, maybe less than 15 days. Even if he's a technical player, he needs to be fit, to stay in a good condition. When he arrives to the best condition, it's very important for us as a personality, as a characteristic, as a quality, as an experience. The quality of his passes are different than the others. Maybe just Kudus, but Kudus also is not used to playing in the same. We have to see. Mateus, he can play as a number 10, but he has to be more sure in the last decision, the shot and the pass."
How important is it for you, for your philosophy and the way you want to play, to have a specific player like Maddison who is used to playing as a 10?
Roberto: "I'm very happy. I'm very happy for the squad. I have really specific players. Also, the two centre-backs against Liverpool, Senesi and Tosin, they played very well. I'm happy about these players."
Villa have only got one point so far this season. You obviously would have charted their progress so far. Why do you think they've struggled?
Roberto: "Well, they have one of the best coaches in the world. They've changed many players like us. They brought younger, but very good players. Potential, very good players. Their style is clear, even though they've changed many players. So, it's a tough game for us. I think it's a tough game also for them."
We've seen Dejan Kulusevski back in training - how do you stop yourself getting quite excited about having a player like that back involved when you've got to be so cautious with him?
In your job, you have to be like a psychologist as well, the way you speak to players. How difficult is it with someone like Deki, who's been out for so long, to kind of give him encouragement, but not too much encouragement?
Roberto: "No, he doesn't need my encouragement, because he's strong, he has a great character, and he's an example for everyone."
Talking about the international break, you've got so many players who need the fitness, need the work, like Maddison, Solanke, maybe Udogie and Kulusevski - is it a crucial period?
Roberto: "Yes, for those players for sure, but also for the others, because we started in the pre-season without a great physical condition, and the players, they have to understand the intensity of the Premier League, in Europe it's very high intensity, and the holidays, everything, but they can't lose all their physical condition. They have to work, we have prepared the plan for the individual training, because when the group comes back to us, we have to start immediately."
You're in a situation in which you're improving the performances, but the results are not what you want, yet. What do you focus on? Keeping improving performances, or just get the result?
Roberto: "We have to improve in everything, because like I said, after the game we conceded the first goal in a bad way, because we knew what was the plan in the defensive phase. One long ball on Gakpo is not enough to concede a goal. Also the second goal could have closed Gakpo better and stronger, and the third goal is an individual skill of Szoboszlai. We can improve in the qualities of the play. I think we created more chances than the other games, also because Liverpool played with more courage. There was more space to attack, to make one-to-one, but I have experience enough to say that sometimes when you are the coach of the team, without you knowing the reason, you are able to score, you can score. And other times, another situation where I think you are playing well, not fantastic, but well enough to score, enough to win, and you don't win. You have to stay calm, to be confident in what you are doing, what the players are doing. They have my full confidence. We move on and we keep going to be better day by day, but not by words, but by fact."
These first few weeks, have the players changed doing what you want to do?
Roberto: "No, why?"
Maybe performances or results – I am not saying in general?
Roberto: "No, I work more. I don’t know if I work better, but for sure I work more. Not for the results but for the improvement we have to do where we are not so good. Nothing more, but it’s football, it is like this."
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There is lots of noise about no wins in the Premier League, no goals, but you are calm. Does it feel calm inside the club as well, everyone knowing it's a process?
Roberto: "I don’t know but what I understood is I think so, anyway, I go forward with the players and I think it is not right to explain the reason why I think we didn’t start in the best way. There are many, many reasons but it is not the right place to explain. Just to take the responsibility, just to take the responsibility where we have to improve and nothing more."
You spoke last season about balance - not too high after a win, not too low after a defeat - have you seen an improvement with that during this period?
Roberto: "Yes, yes, yes for sure and you can show in the reaction we show and you can see after the second goal of Gakpo. We show a great reaction and deserve another goal. You can see the beginning of the Liverpool game, the first 10 to 15 minutes, we create two big, big chances to score. Yes, as a reaction I can’t say nothing."
Luca Williams-Barnett has been injured but fit now - is he someone you are considering off the bench in the right moment?
Roberto: "Yes, I have a big consideration because he is a good player and he is a potential top player. We have to understand when is the best situation for him and for the team also. It is a different job to manage the young, young player and especially when this young player is a potential top player, because you can’t put them in the bad condition or bad situation, but also you can’t forget of them. I didn’t forget about Luca, like Malachi, but we have to find the right moment."