The new Premier League season promised a fresh push for Champions League places, but two games in and Villa are yet to score. In the latest episode of the My Old Man Said podcast, we dive into the concerning signs already emerging.

Villa’s limp 1-0 defeat at Brentford felt all too familiar — predictability in attack, questionable tactical tweaks, and a severe lack of aggression or width. Despite boasting over 75% possession, Emery’s side struggled to break down a Brentford team who’ve promoted their set piece coach as manager and had key players stripped out over the summer.

UTV

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David Michael - @myoldmansaid

Chris Budd - @BUDD_music

Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

My Old Man Said - https://www.myoldmansaid.com

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Aston Villa kicked off their season with a goalless draw against Newcastle, but behind the clean sheet lies a more intriguing story - one of financial recalibration, tactical caution, and squad transition.

In this episode, we dive into the key takeaways from the Villa Park stalemate, including:

• The £40m Jacob Ramsey sale - smart business or soul-sapping necessity?
• Why Villa’s multiball fine and ban sums up modern football’s absurdity
• Bizarre debut: has Emery found a keeper he can finally trust?
• Our new Speed Demon and Slow B*stard stats feature (guess who’s who)
• Tactical tweaks, red card fallout, and what the draw really tells us about Villa’s squad depth

We also discuss what it means to juggle UEFA’s squad cost ratio, PSR restrictions, and supporter expectations — and ask: has Emery quietly solved a major squad weakness while the club trims the financial fat?

As mentioned in the show:

Retro Football Manager – 2025 Aston Villa Challenge

Relive the glory days of Championship Manager with Retro Football Manager, the free-to-play mobile game that ditches the fluff and brings pure football management nostalgia back to your fingertips.

Step into the shoes of Unai Emery and take control of Aston Villa in the 2025 season. With European football on the horizon and a squad brimming with potential, can you mastermind a route to glory? Balance the books, beat the big boys, and take Villa all the way to European greatness – without the annoyance of PSR.

Built for the true football romantic, Retro FM delivers the pixel-perfect thrill of old-school management with none of the modern-day nonsense.

Free to play download it here - https://rfm25.onelink.me/AFls/moms25

GET AD-FREE SHOWS and JOIN MATCH CLUB

If you want ad-free advance versions of the shows and extra exclusive shows during the month and to join My Old Man Said's 24/7 Villa community, Match Club, please do support the show by becoming a MOMS Member.

For more details and to become a member, click here: Become a MOMS Member

Follow the show on:

X/Twitter at @myoldmansaid / Threads at @myoldmansaid / Bluesky at @myoldmansaid and join the show’s listener facebook group The Mad Few.

Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid

Chris Budd - @BUDD_music

Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

My Old Man Said - https://www.myoldmansaid.com

This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Aston Villa gear up for the 2025/26 Premier League opener against Newcastle, the latest My Old Man Said podcast dives into everything that’s gone down in a spicy pre-season finale.

From the emergence of summer signing Guessand and the Buendia conundrum, to the practical madness of DNA sprays and rule tweaks that’ll reshape the season—David, Phil, and Chris dissect it all. The trio also touch on Mings’ unlikely moment of unity against Marseille, the club’s clever (if forced) moves in the French market, and what Villa’s average attendance says about their historical standing.

With final verdicts on where Villa might finish, which players could shine, and how Emery’s “control over chaos” approach stacks up against a fiery pre-season, this episode sets the tone perfectly for what lies ahead.

Listen now – it’s the calm before the Geordie storm.

UTV

As mentioned in the show:

Retro Football Manager – 2025 Aston Villa Challenge

Relive the glory days of Championship Manager with Retro Football Manager, the free-to-play mobile game that ditches the fluff and brings pure football management nostalgia back to your fingertips.

Step into the shoes of Unai Emery and take control of Aston Villa in the 2025 season. With European football on the horizon and a squad brimming with potential, can you mastermind a route to glory? Balance the books, beat the big boys, and take Villa all the way to European greatness – without the annoyance of PSR.

Built for the true football romantic, Retro FM delivers the pixel-perfect thrill of old-school management with none of the modern-day nonsense.

Free to play download it here - https://rfm25.onelink.me/AFls/moms25

GET AD-FREE SHOWS and JOIN MATCH CLUB

If you want ad-free advance versions of the shows and extra exclusive shows during the month and to join My Old Man Said's 24/7 Villa community, Match Club, please do support the show by becoming a MOMS Member.

For more details and to become a member, click here: Become a MOMS Member

Follow the show on:

X/Twitter at @myoldmansaid / Threads at @myoldmansaid / Bluesky at @myoldmansaid and join the show’s listener facebook group The Mad Few.

Credits:

David Michael - @myoldmansaid

Chris Budd - @BUDD_music

Phillip Shaw - @prsgame

My Old Man Said - https://www.myoldmansaid.com

This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.