"THERE'S LESS PRESSURE!" Gabby Agbonlahor UNHAPPY with Alex Crook's claim about PRESSURE at Villa!

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Jackson faces less pressure at Villa, and Unai Emery's squad depth can handle a twin-track campaign

The segment focuses on Nicolas Jackson's revival after swapping Chelsea for Aston Villa, arguing he is under far less pressure at Villa and could hit 20 goals this season. The panel also discusses new signings Manzambi, Tammy Abraham and Ross Barkley, the younger squad, and previews a tough away trip to Newcastle.

Sam Matterface, Alex Crook and Gabby Agbonlahor discuss Nicolas Jackson's recent form at Aston Villa. Subscribe: https://youtube.com/c/talkSPORT?subconfirmation=1 🏆 Ready to win? Check out the latest prizes at talkSPORTwin.com Enjoyed this YouTube video? 😍 🖥️ talkSPORT's Website: https://talksport.com/ 📲 talkSPORT's X/Twitter: https://x.com/talkSPORT 📷 talkSPORT's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talksport/?hl=en 👤 talkSPORT's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkSPORT/ 📱 talkSPORT's Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talksport ? 🔴 Download the talkSPORT app HERE! - https://talksport.com/apps/ 🔎 Want to see if you feature on our YouTube channel? Check out our Best talkSPORT callers playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFVMnSsi04LGLa9pS9xDvme-Gjmlu2 talkSPORT PremierLeague astonvilla

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Talking to me about Nicholas Jackson, £65 million, record signing to replace Ollie Watkins after his 50 million pound move to Alhillo. >> Four goals in three games, five for the season. Five in eight all told since arriving. Did Ollie Watkins do them a favor by going off to Saudi Arabia? >> I wouldn't say do him a favor because it would have been nice to have both of them, you know, um pushing each other as far as they can. Ollie Watkins was a great servant for the football club. Nicholas Jackson younger worked under the manager before and he's come to Aston V and he look like looks like he's polished his game a lot you know his first touch looks a lot better his movement and what he does that Ollie Watkins never done was he took on players he receives that ball and he likes to get past the player and run with the ball and some of his goals have been outstanding his goal against Spurs I mean that touch that turn quick finishing to the corner two goals against Fenabachi from um just outside the box or just inside the box three in the Champions two in the Premier League. I think he's going to be um on 20 goals in all competitions end of the season. And you need a quick striker in the Premier League, I feel. >> I mean, I know that you like to put people to to to bed as soon as as they fail once. But actually, he's improved, matured, and got better, hasn't he? He's making better decisions. >> Yeah, I just think that move to Chelsea probably came too early in his career. If you remember, he was close to joining Bournemouth at that stage. There was a medical issue. Um and rather than >> That was previous January, wasn't it? >> Yeah. and then the following summer he ended up at at Chelsea instead. So it was a it was a big leap that he made but obviously the big bonus for him at Aston Villa is he's playing under a manager who knows him having worked with him in Spain and and there is less pressure when it comes to playing for Aston Villa than there is at a club like Chelsea and even Bayern Munich where he didn't pull up too many trees on loan last season. >> Well, there's even less pressure at Bayern Munich and Aston Villa than there is at Chelsea. >> No, no, there's less pressure at Aston Villa than there is at Bayern Munich and Chelsea. >> You agree with that? >> No, I don't. Aston Villa not playing in the Champions League rookie fighting at the top of the table. >> The expectation level is not the same as it by Munich. >> Really? No, no, not Bayern Munich. Chelsea Chelsea. Well, the same. Yeah. >> In recent recent seasons. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think there's less pressure at Aston Villa. >> You love a comment like that about Aston Villa. This guy was enjoying the dig. >> He was enjoying the corporate Aston Villa. >> You disagree that number nine shirt at Chelsea can weigh heavy. >> Yeah, but he didn't wear it. >> No, but you know the center forward position. >> I listen I thought I I didn't think he was that bad at Chelsea. You know that. You used to call him Nicholas offside. >> I said Nicholas Jackson offside cuz that was his basic name. No, but it's true. He can still be offside. He's got better at that. But he scored 30 goals in 81 games for Chelsea. He's got a good record. >> So what guys, if you look at this Villa side as well now players are coming back from injury. >> You know Kamar and Barkley started midweek. You got Jiao Gomez who's who's in and out the team. Fantastic midfielder. Man Zambi he's the one for me the stand out. He looks like he's a good Morgan Rod replacement. Actually, he don't seem want to pick him, does he? >> He He hasn't he hasn't picked him much, has he? But he did get on, didn't he? Did he get 10 minutes against anachi ball? >> Change your mind yet. >> Hold on. Hold on. There's a lot more to that. Didn't he spend most of the international [clears throat] working with him? Yeah. >> And didn't he play in a behind closed doors game against or he scored against Sevilla? I think the managers probably thought, you know what, it's a perfect 3-week break to like make every player understand this is how I want to play the game. M by started against um Fenabachi on the left hand side. He's going to be an outstanding player. Both feet quick gets past the player. Aston Villa now have got more pace than they've had in their side for a number of years >> and a younger team. I was going to ask you that question. Is it a change of style this season? Because I was at Villa last weekend. I thought actually Brenford looked the more complete package at this stage. Villa played a little bit of moments, but Sean Dich was with me and he said on more than one occasion Villa were playing like the away team soaking up the pressure. I think Brenford have more possession which is unusual for them and using that pace on the counterattack. Is that going to be the way? >> Yeah, I think there's different stalls that he'll do with different games and different personnel. You know John Mcin is again having a fantastic season but it's the options. He's got the young Allison who come and got the assist for Tammy Abraham. It's good to see a Tammy Abraham getting goals as well because he's been low on confidence and it's competition for places now. You look at Brenda didn't start. I don't think he'd come on against Fenachi. He's going to have competition. >> He was excellent last weekend. Exactly. Emmy Pend has had a sort of almost phoenix from the flames reincarnation, hasn't he? It wasn't too long ago that he was being farmed out to buy a lab who's not being used and was surplus to requirements. All of a sudden, Central is what they're trying to do >> 100%. And like I say, it's competition for places in that position. Brenda likes to play Manzambi who's coming for what 65 million. >> I told you at the beginning of the summer, he was fantastic. I told you last year when they played Friber, you know, he was going to be a superstar, that kid. And he he looks like it was his birthday the other day. Yes, birthday. >> He enjoyed it, didn't he? >> What about um defensively? Because Harwood Bellis, you reckon that's another another player that's going to have to take his time and learn exactly what the manager wants. >> Don't you think that they all have to take their time with Una because he demands so much and he has specific instructions and until they get onto his wavelength, it takes a bit of time for all of them to adapt. I mean, you you the benefit of Jackson is is that he knows exactly what Uno Emory is going to ask for because he's worked with him before. the others that are coming in don't know exactly what he wants and it does take time to get >> what what I love about the manager as well is he said to Ross Barkley you've got the highest percentage of scoring penalties if they're practice penalties you're taking a penalty so Jackson was on a hat-tick and wanted to take it and Barkley said to him if I let you and you miss the gaffer's going to go crazy and he didn't let him take it which is good >> you would have kicked off if you were Jackson wouldn't you >> I would say it's fine I spoke to him it's fine give him [laughter] >> no butley scores the penalty but Emry as well earlier on in the was Forest game where he took him off at Halime because of his temperament. He'd been booked earlier on in the season. Nicholas Jackson, the manager knows him so well and he hasn't lost him. Next game you're back in Jackson had that habit when he was at Chelsea as well. Getting booked and then suspended stupid things. >> Goalkeeper as well. Fantastic. Suzuki some of the saves again midweek. >> Good bit of recruitment. >> Exactly. So as much as losing Roger's hurt, losing Tieleman's hurt, Martinez going, Blocking's going, I feel like the players that are brought in once they get jailed in, if we're forgetting Gretka, he come on midweek, he's going to be pushing to be started in the team. >> It's a bigger squad, isn't it, this this year than it has been? Is that is that by design? >> I think so. Yeah. And it's a younger squad >> had a high that was by design. But did he want more players now? I think so. >> Previously, did he? >> No, but I think he's probably looking at positions. I think that's a fantastic signing. He played left back midweek when you're playing for instance Barcelona and PSG. Aston have got look at the wingers. So it wouldn't surprise me if Rambaka plays left back against PSG and Barcelona. >> Ju just on Nicholas Jackson if he's there for you know a few seasons and puts down roots. Are you concerned that's another player who's going to go past you in terms of Villa's Premier League goal scorers? >> I know. Imagine that. >> You might drop. >> You got say and Villa's third alltime goalc scorer. Nice cookie. Thank you, man. >> He would have gone past it a lot faster if he was allowed to take [laughter] the penalty. Um Gabby, forget the uh Villa Commentary are the highest ranked Midlands club in the country. Play up Sky Blues. Pride of the Midlands Ricky in Bals Common. >> He's right. >> And we got to commentary live on Talk Sport on Monday nights. They go away to top >> Lampard sent him a message, spoke to him after the game said it was >> well done, Frank. >> He was very happy after. >> Yes, he was happy with the performance >> and so he should be. They were brilliant, I thought. But didn't I see as well an interview where he said that like was there a few not digs but players that weren't happy to come on? >> Yeah. >> And did you see as well crooked? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Is there a bit of friction with some of the players maybe new signings coming on and helping the team because they're not starting they're sulking? That's what I got from it. >> I think he was I think he was pretty pleased afterwards. He seemed pretty pleased afterwards anyway. Uh absolutely not. I am not having Aston Villa's dire form being excused by having one stand being rebuilt. Not a good team with a bang average manager says. >> Oh, bang average. >> It's a bit of a hot take, isn't it? >> Interesting. Few Fridays. >> Griff says if any other team were using the excuse of an empty stand, Gabby would be slating them. I don't know if he's using an excuse cuz I did put it to him after the game and and then he listed a load of chances they create at that end. >> He doesn't really He doesn't really make excuse. >> I think it's a tough game Sunday though. Newcastle away. I think that's a very >> You always say this. I think you can win there. But they should be able to win there. I mean, we're absolutely >> our our record though. Yeah, I know you've told us this before. >> Won three out of 29 trips to St. James's Park in the Premier League era. Lost 18, drawn eight. So, we we we always struggled there, >> but they've conceded more goals than anybody else in the division. >> But after losing 4-1, will you see >> on a Monday night? >> Will you see um Newcastle with a a bounce maybe? >> I think they can win there. >> Well, they bounced back against Hull, didn't they? They started only >> Well, started well, but then started brilliantly, didn't they, in that game. They they came back in the first goals. I see goals this game. struggled later on in the match, but >> I think it'll be an open game because I don't think they I mean they're very easy to play through at the moment. Newcastle, that's something they've got to sort out. So, you listed all those new brilliant signings that Aston Villa have got. As one text says, I take it Gabby won't be moaning about PSR now. >> It's PSR >> exactly [laughter] 03123. >> Never heard of it. Double four. This is talk sport. We got a champion jockey on next.