‘I could sleep’ - West Ham and Newcastle United stars pour scorn over unusual Unai Emery Aston Villa tactic

Newcastle United and West Ham United stars poured scorn at the news that Aston Villa boss Unai Emery can subject his stars to gruelling 90-minute tactics meetings.

Villa defender Matty Cash opened up about the Spaniard's meticulous attention to detail this week after the side's 3-1 win over Luton Town. Emery's side now sits fifth in the Premier League table as a strong start to the season doesn't seem to be relenting any time soon.

Speaking about the boss' managerial style, Cash said: “It’s completely different. When you win games, the manager almost makes it feel like we have lost them when we come in and have meetings [the next day].

“That’s the ambition he’s got. You win the game and you are on to the next game and it is like it has been forgotten about. That is why we are doing so well. We come in from a win the next day and it is done. You put it to bed and move on to the next one.”

Newcastle United and West Ham United stars Callum Wilson and Michail Antonio were asked how they felt about the lengthy meetings on this week's BBC Sounds' Footballer's Football Podcast, and it's fair to say neither player was that attracted to the idea of the sessions.

Replying to whether he'd prefer longer meetings, Antonio said: "Definitely shorter! 100%. 30, 45 minutes... max. After that, you're in a dark room, it's warm, you're falling asleep. You get tired in there. 30, 45 minutes needs to be the max.

"Man is getting tired, you're yawning, trying to keep your eyes open. Normally it's before training so you're jaded. Oh god! The shorter the better! I haven't fallen asleep but I've seen people in the back. I normally sit at the front so I can't fall asleep. At the back, next to the wall, I could drift."

Magpies man Wilson was less adamant that Emery's long meetings wouldn't be for him but did admit that he was a player who took in more information while learning on the training ground.

Wilson was asked where he liked to sit in meetings, and whether he'd put himself at the front like Antonio. The Newcastle forward said: "In the mixer. In the middle. We've got tiered seating, it goes up in stages. I'm slap bang in the middle just getting on, listening to the information.

"Our meetings are never that long. My attention span switches off, I'm more of a learner when I'm doing stuff outside. If I'm in the meeting room I need the information quick then I'm gone and I can sustain it."