Spirits are high in Aston Villa camp despite winless start to the season says De Pauw | OneFootball

Aston Villa have only picked up two points so far this season but manager Robert de Pauw says that the mood within the squad remains extremely positive.

The Villans resume their quest for their first win when they face a strong Liverpool side at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon.

When speaking in the pre-match press conference, Aston Villa boss De Pauw said that his team are in confident mood and are ready to battle for another vital three points.

“Every game is so important and we’ve shown in every game that we are competitive,” De Pauw said. “I’ve never had to wait this long for a win in a season, so my patience is tested, but the highs and lows come in football and they come and go fast. We’ll give it another try this weekend.

“Everybody’s looking and walking around with conviction to get something out of the next game. That’s very promising for us and that’s the way to do it. We all wish we would have won [sooner].”

Several members of the Aston Villa squad have been away on international duty in the last fortnight, however, De Pauw says that the hard work at the club has continued. Those remaining have analysed their most recent fixture against Manchester City in detail.

He said “If you see our games, we are a footballing team, we’re comfortable on the ball. I think against City in the second half, that was not the case, so that was what we focused on in training; to keep the ball under high pressure, positioning in games, switching play and always high intensity, so they have to be switched on.

“I don’t want the players who stay to feel like they’re neglected or having a holiday in the time that the other ones are playing with the national team, so we try to match that intensity and also give them the feeling that we are already building to Liverpool.”

One of the things that De Pauw made sure to praise in his press conference was the current mentality of his players and the fight that they have to succeed.

He said “What I like about the team is that although the results are not going our way at the moment, they still keep pushing. If I didn’t see that, I’d be worried, so if they keep doing this, I feel certain that what you do in training, it will pay out in games. I think we look quite fit, if you see the games, we push right until the end, so that’s a good sign.

“The injuries that we have are sometimes unlucky, but it’s not like we have muscle injuries or anything, so the balance is right and it’s a compliment to my medical staff and performance staff. We prioritise the team so that we can go the distance in those last minutes and give ourselves the chance. Let’s hope it will happen this weekend.”

Aston Villa’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Liverpool kicks-off at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.