Tigers remain unbeaten as Emery’s 200th game in charge ends goalless

0:05This is the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Thanks for joining us. Saturday Night Football featured newly promoted Hull City against Aston Villa at the MKM Stadium. This is how we saw things at full time.

0:31Well, Hull City's fantastic start of the season continues with a merited point at home. Three clean sheets in a row could have been a victory as well with a fantastic strike from Mohamed Bouloumi hitting the woodwork. But Aston Villa had their chances too, Emi Buendia were the best of them and head in hands for him. as Villa cannot find a goal at the start of this campaign. They're fruitless in front of the goal. But for Suzuki, a clean sheet, and that's Villa's first clean sheet of the season. Maybe they will take the point ultimately, considering how the campaign has begun. But for whole City, who set this side would go down?

1:15Many believed they might. Well, they've made quite the start on their return to the Premier League to prove the doubters wrong. the final score Hull City nil Aston Villa nil Rob Seb thank you very much so seven points from their opening three Premier League games for Hull City you're absolutely taking that aren't you as a star 100 % absolutely snatched your hand off for it could have been nine if Olly McBurnie right at the end the man that you really want won that spot brilliant ball from Ryan Giles just maybe took the wrong decision in terms of going with his laces rather than the side foot but listen at the start of the season absolutely snatch a handoff for seven points from the opening line.

1:54It's the first point on the board for Aston Villa, but they absolutely would have wanted more from this game, especially the chances that they had in the first half. Yeah, the chances they had in the first half, but even the chances in the second half were better ones. And, you know, I think that Emi Buendia will be looking at himself tonight after this game and thinking, I could have won the game. John McGinn as well, a player of his stature, will be thinking about that chance over and over as well on the bus. on the way I'm thinking, if I put that away it could be a totally different game. Hull were magnificent again tonight.

2:28I think they gave up possession, which we've seen a lot of times that they do that. They create chances. I think he goes to smash the ball, but it could be a side foot. As long as it goes on target, they could have got the three points for tonight. Seven points in the first three games, they'll take that. in there. And a third clean sheet as well. It is just so difficult to score against this whole City side. It is and that's what they're built on you know I think at the start of last season they were a team that were chaotic. They could score free, concede free, you don't know what was going to happen.

3:02As it got later this season Sergai had his way of doing things, calmed them down a bit, started to become more defensively solid and they've taken that into this season. Having been promoted that way why would he change? You know you're coming up to play against better teams, work from a solid base and fortunately it's gotten the results so far with obviously this one being another game that they could have obviously taken the win but again a welcome clean sheet. One shot on target for Aston Villa across three of their opening Premier League games. When you hear that, how does that make you feel about their performances at the moment?

3:33It's just not good enough. It's that simple. When you create the chances they've had especially today, you want to be hitting the target more. You see Emi Buendia there if he's not distraught he's upset with the chance and I know what he's like he's going to be thinking about that he'll be thinking the chance come up to me I should have taken it I should have scored on another day he would have done that but it wasn't like you say it's one shot on target in three games and it fell to George Embers Unai's going to be talking to the players when they have their meeting come next week he'll be saying to them we're creating chances but we're not hitting the target it's not It's simple, it's not good enough.

4:13There needs to be more. I want to see more from the midfielders that take onus on trying to play the ball through the line, risking it. They see the passes and take another touch. They play too slow. You want to see that they play it into the forward line. You want to see runs in behind. You're just not seeing it. Of course, the keeper and defence are going to be happy. They've got a clean sheet today. But coming away from the whole stadium today, they're going to be disappointed with not getting three points. Yeah, and I'm sure the owner will be pretty pleased, won't he, with the start the whole city have made.

4:45OK, so a point each after that goalless draw. So if you're watching us on Sky Sports' main event, you'll be moving over to watch Swansea against Wrexham. But stick with us here on Sky Sports Premier League because there is lots more post-match reaction to come.

5:07So we can have a look at how the Premier League table is shaping up and this is very good viewing actually Curtis for Hull because look at that into second can they start dreaming of Europe yet? Yeah well look at Sunderland they did it so why not? Exactly so Hull into second seven points from their opening three games what a start to life in the Premier League as for Aston Villa then into the bottom half of the table they are currently in 17th just picking up their first point of the season tonight. so lots to talk about after that goalless draw what a start to the season that Hull City are having so far not quite the same to be said though for Aston Villa when we come back we'll have all the reaction and analysis to another big day in the Premier League for Hull City and Aston Villa that's coming up next

6:05Hi, it's Hannah Wilkes from the Sunday Supplement Podcast. Every week I'll be joined by some of the UK's top sports journalists to go beyond the headlines and unpick the big stories. Catch us every Sunday live on Sky Sports News between 9 and 11am with the podcast dropping as soon as we come off air. So if you don't already, give Sunday Supplement a follow wherever you listen to your podcasts. And I'll see you on Sunday mornings.

6:33You're listening to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Let's get back to the studio for more reaction to today's game. Another solid performance from Hull City. Seven points in their opening three Premier League games. Lots to be happy about then for Hull City. A point today against Aston Villa. Well, these are the full-time match stats. One of those ones that stands out though. Just the one shot on target for Aston Villa. That's one shot on target across their opening three matches so far this season. And a lot of possession for them as well. 75 % possession today, but nothing to show for it.

7:14All right, let's hear from two of the Hull City players then. John Egan and Ryan Giles are chatting with Johnny Phillips. John, you could have won it at the end there, but overall, are you happy with the point? Yeah, it's a good point. Good clean sheet, first and foremost. I think both teams had chances. They're a really good team, and we had our chances too. So, you know, I think we finished probably stronger than two teams. But overall, it's a really good point for us, yeah. Where are you digging these clean sheets from? Is it just a defensive organisation or more to it? A lot of work goes into it, you know, on the training pitch.

7:48probably started in the playoffs last year when we moved to that shape. And, you know, we have a lot of experienced players who've played a lot of games and it all helps. So, yeah, we've got lads who want to work together and defend for each other. And, you know, so far so good. We just have to keep improving. Ryan, is it a shape that's really suiting your team at the moment, do you feel? Yeah, I think so. I think it gives us a good foundation when we've got the big man in the middle orchestrating things. I think it really helps. And like you said, we've got good experience within the group. we're a tight-knit group, we work well together and I think it's showing.

8:21And the width as well, do you feel you've really got the opportunity to get up and down? Yeah, ultimately I think that's what I'm in the team to do, you know, is to get up and down. You know, my work rate for the team is what I try and thrive off and keep delivering hopefully the balls I can keep putting into the box and hopefully one of them will come off. But it was an amazing cross right at the end, is that just what it might have been? Yeah, you know, I honestly put my house on the big man to put that away but, you know, we'll let him off just this once. It was a great performance, I think, from the boys.

8:48Like I said, if we can keep off these foundations, then we'll be all right. John, it's three very different teams you've faced so far. Is it the fact that you've managed to keep the clean sheet against all of them something you can really take going forward now? Yeah, it's huge for our confidence. Coming up into the Premier League, a good start is important. We got the win the first day, and I think that gave everyone confidence. I think you see Joilow, the confidence he's playing with going forward, probably one of the best deliveries in the league. playing to our strengths. We've got good players on the counter-attack.

9:17We've got good players that can defend in a block. It's about improving now, taking confidence from every result and on to the next one. You're both excellent today, but John is the player of the match. Ryan, do the honours. It's my pleasure, Tom. This is a big one. Cheers. Thank you. Well done, lads. Thank you. Cheers. Cheers. Yeah, big smiles from both of them and rightly so as well because of how defensively solid they have been. It's going to be a big talking point about them all season but are they really becoming the surprise package of the Premier League already? They are, yeah, at the moment, I think because of the defensive solidity towards the team but we speak about John Egan there, we're speaking about him playing in the middle of the back three.

9:54He's the manager on the pitch, he talks to everyone, he makes sure everyone's in the right positions because it is the defensive line in terms of the back five but it's also that four in front. You see the way they work, see the way they all work for each other. I think when you're on a promoted side, you know the strength is in the group. There's going to be no one individual that's going to make you win things or going to cost you. So as a group, if you can get that togetherness and that unity that they have in their defensive work, it's going to go a long, long way this season. We know that they've brought in quite a lot of new players as well, but how important has that continuity been in the defence, especially to be able to hold on to three clean sheets to start the season with?

10:30It's vitally important. If you want to build in this Premier League, you've got to have a solid back four, back five. they've got that they started it last season the playoffs they changed to the back five so they knew what they were doing but like John Egan said there this is something that's worked on daily in training you do it in training we've done it in your units at times it can be boring but do you know what when you get three clean sheets it pays off and that's exactly what they've been doing it's buying isn't it it's buying into what a manager wants to do and obviously this isn't it's not coincidence we've obviously we see here in the shape you know playing in a back five you know with only one man up against them as well, let's remember.

11:10They're able to keep their shapes, able to keep their units nice and tight. And the gift to it is just the gaps in between rarely happen. You know, someone just pop out of the hole, they all shift together. And this doesn't just happen. You know, you can get really honest players on the pitch, you can get really, you know, defensive players on the pitch. But if it's not organised, this doesn't happen. And, you know, they end up just forcing Villa back, just taking their time. And, you know, they end up backing their own half and having to start again. I think you've heard Ryan Giles speaking then about John Egan orchestrating talking it through when you've got someone that's right in the middle that can talk to everybody around him but the ones in front of him as well it helps I know as players in the centre midfielder if you've got the centre half that's behind you telling you left or right making it so simple for you it's so easy for you to shuffle and you get Giles to go out they stay still in the back four still so they don't leave spaces, they don't leave the gaps.

12:07Like I say, it's been worked on, but one will step out, the next one will then step out, but they know exactly what each other are doing and I think that's key to it. Is that the main thing, Curtis, I suppose? When you want to play this way, and we've seen obviously they're not holding on to the possession very much, is making sure that every single individual player knows their role and exactly what they need to do on the pitch at that moment. Yeah, exactly that. And then it's that side of it where having the defensive unit that can keep the clean sheet. But then you do need the other side of it as well.

12:36You need those front players to be able to potentially create or to be clinical. You know, that's why Oli McBurnie right at the end, he's the man you wanted, Johnny on the spot, just missed that chance. You know, we saw Sorba Thomas come onto the pitch and show great energy. But it starts from this space. It always has to start from this space. Because again, when you are a new promoted side, if you can keep clean sheets more often than not, teams are going to slightly open up more and more as the game goes on. And like we saw towards the end of this game, although Villa had so much possession, Hull City right near the end could have nicked all three points.

13:05We've seen obviously that Aston Villa managed to get a couple of opportunities in this game, but how difficult is this actually to play against, to play against a team like Hull City? You know, in training you'll do, you know, 10 v 8, and as the 8 you've got to make sure that the 10 don't get in behind you. It is, it's so much communication between the back line, between the midfielders, that so much goes into it on the training pitch. But when it comes off and, you know, you get a clean sheet, It's such a good feeling. But like I said, you will be doing that non-stop, training day in, day out.

13:39And I think that Hull know what they are. They're going to give up possession. Aston Villa have had 75 % possession. But they're created chances. And at times, of course, you're going to give up chances. It's not easy to play in a whole team when you've not got the ball. It's hard work. And you feel it after the game. But you're so happy with getting a clean sheet that when you do get that, you're like, this is why you do the work during the week. This is why, because you come to the games at the weekend, you get a point, you get a clean sheet and you get the pats on the back from it. Yeah, and they'll be pretty pleased with the fact that there's just only three teams on here and they're one of them.

14:14All right, there were a couple of penalty shouts, I suppose. There was one in the first half, which we had a look at at half time. But let's have a look at this again, because both of you weren't really having this one. No, like we said, we both thought it would have been soft, but like I say, the only reason is because of VAR. you always just wonder if they're going to have a look at it and they might look at it through a fine tooth comb go through it with a fine tooth comb and find it to be a penalty but he just took the risk because Jackson was slightly ahead of him but I think that would have been soft and I think, Ash, what about this one?

14:43This one here, I think, you know, Mendy's he's got away with one again I was saying to Curtis, you know, off camera that, you know, he's gone with two hands anywhere else on the pitch if you push someone in the back say Cash is the forward further up the pitch, halfway line and he puts two hands on his back, I think a referee's going to give that. So I think he's been lucky. I think Cash's dive might have saved him, but I don't think he's going to give it as a penalty. And it's Michael Oliver's position, I think, is why VAR don't even look at it, because he's right there, he sees it with his own two eyes.

15:15They're not going to try and overrule his decision, but yeah, I just think it was a clumsy one to use the two hands. Like I say, as a defender, you know, as soon as you put two hands on somebody, you're running a risk and, listen, yeah. It's minimal contact. However, you know, naturally, if you're running towards a ball and someone just gives you a little nudge, you can go flying. But I think he maybe got away on that one more so than the first one. OK, well, we spoke a little bit about the Aston Villa chances. They had some good ones in the first half. You thought they were even better in the second half.

15:44Let's have a look at some of them, because John McGinn had a really good opportunity here. Yeah, he did. And, you know, Ross Barkley's done well here. Quick one-touch play by Emi Buendia and Jackson. and Guinea coming in off that right-hand side. I think that he's wanted to put it over the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper's done fantastic to come out and put him off. But I do think that he's got to at least hit the target. This one here, what a ping by the goalkeeper, by the way. Absolutely. It's crazy. But Hemmings takes a great touch. He gets down by the byline. And Emi Buendia, I've seen him so many times in training.

16:21He scores that. He could score that without even looking. and he's going to be so disappointed that it didn't go in. He's going to feel that he should have scored, and unfortunately, this was his reaction, and hopefully he ain't broke his wrist. Yeah, hopefully he's OK after that reaction. Right at the end of the game, we saw Hull City getting some really good opportunities, which I suppose is testament to how hard they'd worked defensively to try and keep Aston Villa away, but then it opened up for them, and I tell you what, some of the chances they had right at the end. Yeah, it does, and this is Sorba Thomas coming on and just injecting that bit of life into the team, you know, direct, running at Wan-Bissaka and then an excellent ball into Oly McBurney, just a clever layoff.

17:02And yeah, unfortunately, Obi just hits it straight at Suzuki. And, you know, from this one, Jailo, we know his ability to cross that ball in. And as it lands there, Oly McBurney, it sits up perfectly for him. And you're just thinking safety side foot into the back of the net, waiting for it to bulge. And he goes with the kind of outside of the boot, laces, doesn't he, and just gets it all wrong. I think it's the, you know, the excitement of, Obviously, when you're sitting into the team and you get a chance like that, your eyes go bright and you think, this is my opportunity. The excitement comes, he goes to smash it to score.

17:32And I think if he looks back at that opportunity again, he's going to think, if I go side for it, I've got more of an opportunity to score. Yeah, let's have a look at it again because he will want to have a look at this back. I think it's one of those, if Oli had already scored this season, he absolutely buries that. It's just because, again, he's putting pressure on himself. He was the one that carried the team over the line in terms of the goal in the final. so many big goals in these kind of games where they're on their back foot he gets one chance and he scores it so yeah listen I'll give him benefit of the doubt because of how much he did last season to get him here however he knows himself that he should score that goal this has to be the best chance of the game doesn't it?

18:05I think it definitely is and you know I was questioning whether it was going to be a cross but to be honest the way you see him hit that ball he's definitely meaning to shoot here and it's such a great strike it's a great strike that you know I've put some of them in myself to be honest Arsenal wait too yeah exactly that might have been a couple but seriously the way he just puts it bends it you can tell that he's trying to score and it was very unfortunate yeah I mean what a goal that would have been if that went in alright then plenty more still to come when we come back after this very quick break we'll be hearing from both managers wonder who will be the happier of the two it's been a very good start to the season for Sergei Jekirovich what will Unai Emery have to say after their first point of the season.

18:49That's coming up after this.

19:00The Sky Sports mobile app is the place to be if you want to be kept up to date with the latest news across all your favourite sports. You can choose to stream the live action on your mobile or tablet, receive breaking news straight to your device, or be notified when highlights are available to watch, so you don't miss a moment while out and about. And this season, you could also watch vertical clips of the best Premier League action. Next, we're heading back to the studio for more from the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Not quite the evening Unai Emery would have hoped for, but his side have managed to get their first point on the board.

19:38We can hear now from the Aston Villa manager, Unai Emery, chatting to Johnny Phillips. Unai, a first point of the season. how do you reflect on the game as a whole? Good evening. Positive. Positive. The result is not enough. But how we planned and how we played and how we created dominating some chances to score, I think we deserve more. We avoided as well some mistakes we made before. We avoided their transition. we avoided to have corners offensively or free kick where they can feel strong and through our positioning, through keeping the ball position, stopping them, we tried to dominate and through it to have more chances and then to win.

20:35Of course they are being motivated, excited here at home with the supporters and they have shown options, but overall in 90 minutes, I can feel comfortable how we are progressing. Not enough with the result, but we must try to understand and to accept how we are again building the team. So was that a game where you felt you had control? You obviously had a lot of possession, but it was maybe just the clinical edge, the finishing at the end? Yes, yes, yes. We weren't clinical. We had four very good chances to score, and of course if we were scoring, the match can change. And when you are not scoring as well, you must always care defensively about the transition, about the long ball second action, and maybe some corners defensively.

21:27But overall, understanding how we started the season, how we are adding players to try to get our structure stronger and stronger, is one step forward more than we did today. So, not completely happy, but I think, and I told the players, we must understand this is the way, how we did before. We did before our way here with the players we had, with the players we added, and now with the new players and the players that were here, try to guide everybody in this direction. Will the fans have to show patience then, do you feel? Because you want goals and you need goals to win games but they haven't really looked as if they're coming so far as you said, the clinical aspect of it We worked for years in the same structure tactically and idea and we were more or less feeling comfortable and the supporters were more or less happy how we did it And now we need time and someone maybe is not passionate, but we must be passionate.

22:39And then, of course, to win matches, we need goals. But we created chances today to score and we must improve. Being clinical in some action we created. And then as well, try to exploit progressively better and better set pieces. do Aston Villa deserve patience because of the summer that they've had with the amount of players that have gone and the players that have come back in where he says they need a bit of time to be able to you know understand that that football the way he wants them to play I think when Unai come in to the football club it was even then that the fans had to you know be patient and take time he's got a way of how he wants to play and fans didn't really understand that to begin with and it took a bit of time for them to actually understand the philosophy that he's had.

23:33Unai's there talking about obviously new players have come in he's taken the positives out of today's game they created chances today only one shot on target of course they created them chances it's a work in progress I think for what he's done for that football club the fans will be on his side You can't not be on his side. They won the Europa League last season. They've been in the Champions League. You know, they've been at the top of the table for years. I think seventh, fourth, sixth, fourth. You know, that's fantastic for the Aston Villa team in where they were in previous years. So I think Uno is definitely right.

24:09And I think that's a lot of, you know, Villa fans will be thinking, well, we've only had one shot on target in three games. You know, you look back to last season, you know, they had three points in five games. things will start to get better. I guarantee they'll get better once the, you know, the fluidity in between the team and, you know, the players, obviously new ones have come in. Once that starts to be built in on the training pitch, then I'm sure that the goals will start flowing. You know, you get confidence from each other and then the players will go out and produce performances that will get the wins.