Aston Villa have reached new heights recently, finishing fourth in the Premier League last season to secure a place in the Champions League. Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town’s manager, expressed his admiration for Aston Villa’s boss, Unai Emery, ahead of their upcoming match.
Kieran McKenna said “I have to say he’s a manager that I admire a lot. That was a team with fantastic structure on and off the ball and really clear patterns of play. I think the ingredients that he’s put into this Aston Villa team are similar, just probably with a higher athletic calibre of player. I really enjoy watching them play. We share some principles, I think, in terms of how both teams are set up.”
McKenna feels his side is well-prepared for Sunday’s game against Aston Villa, though he acknowledges the difficulty in facing a strong opponent. He emphasized that his team has had ample time to prepare and is clear on the threats Villa pose.
Kieran McKenna said ““We’ve had a good amount of time to prepare for this game. That doesn’t make it any easier, but I think everyone’s clear on their threats, what we’re going to have to do to limit them and also where we think we can go and hurt them. We feel like we know the opposition pretty well. It’s up to us now to do everything we can to make it a very difficult game for them. It will be a great test for us and we’re looking forward to it.”
Ollie Watkins has been a key figure in Villa’s attack, directly contributing to 57 Premier League goals since the start of the 2022/23 season. McKenna acknowledged Watkins’ qualities and the challenge he presents.
Kieran McKenna said ““He’s a fantastic striker, it’s clear what his strengths are, and the team are set up to utilise them really well. He’s obviously one of the best strikers in the league, probably in Europe, playing on the last shoulder and running onto through balls. And Aston Villa are the team that play the most through balls in the league. It’s very clear what they do and he’s a big part of that.”
McKenna further discussed the tactical balance required for Ipswich, focusing on Villa’s build-up play and the dangers of their pace and one-on-one threats.
Kieran McKenna said “It’s a balance between pressurising their build-up to try and get regains and score, but also making sure you are covered against the pace and one-v-one threats they have on the top line. That’s why they are scoring a lot of goals. It’s a good challenge for us.”
This restructuring groups the context and quotes, highlighting McKenna’s reflections on Unai Emery, Ollie Watkins, and the tactical challenges ahead for Ipswich.
