Unai Emery finds positives in Aston Villa's Carabao Cup exit

Unai Emery felt there were positives to be found as Villa exited the Carabao Cup at Bournemouth.

Wednesday night’s 3-0 fourth round defeat brought an end to another largely forgettable campaign in the second domestic cup competition.

Villa are still to advance past the fourth round since Emery joined as goals from Amine Adli, Lewis Cook and Alvaro Rodriguez saw the Cherries secure a deserved victory.

While admitting disappointment at the result, the Villa boss took encouragement from the game-time given to several players.

Midfielder Leon Goretzka made his full debut, while Brian Madjo started for the first time since the European Super Cup.

Emery said: “Playing Marco Bizot, playing Taylor, playing Leon Goretzka, playing as well Brian Madjo.

“I think it is positive to play some players and they play well. We need players.

“We are playing a lot of matches, so we need them adding to us their qualities and their capacity with the experience to grow up with us.

“Bournemouth is difficult. We played here four times and four times it has been very difficult.

“We needed to be clinical and in defence. We needed it today as well but we didn’t.”

Emery acknowledged his players had failed to match the intensity of their hosts at the start of either half.

Adli opened the scoring inside seven minutes and though Bizot made several good saves, he was at fault when Cook doubled the lead just after the break.

An error by Lamare Bogarde then allowed Rodrigues to net the third.

“Bournemouth are very intense with their supporters, feeling strong,” said Emery.

“We needed to play with the same intensity they were, compact when they were attacking.

“And then progressively to get our chance to control the game, creating chances and being clinical.

“We have to accept it. We were motivated for this competition because it was a way to add some players our understanding, our idea, getting fit, but competing as well in a difficult place like this.

“We are out. I have to accept. The players did everything they planned but the intensity they had in the first 15 minutes of the first and second half was the difference.

“We created chances and we were clinical. The second half we created chances but did not score.

“Being disappointed, we must try to get this match to get some positive issues with how some players were getting better.”