<p>What does Aston Villa actually&nbsp;<em>play</em>&nbsp;like?</p><br><p>It’s a question people keep trying to answer with labels. Possession-based. Pragmatic. Ruthless. Transitional. And it’s a question that keeps missing the point.</p><br><p>This main show uses the goalless draw at Crystal Palace, the looming FA Cup trip to Spurs, and Villa’s broader winter form to step back and assess the current questions. Not just results, but method. Not just systems, but intent.</p><br><p>There’s discussion of why the Palace game told us very little that we don’t already know, why defensive control is often mistaken for stagnation, and why Villa’s ability to adapt matters more than any single tactical identity. The FA Cup conversation strips away sentiment and focuses on priorities, squad depth, and realism in a congested season.</p><br><p>Kamara’s structural importance, Tielemans’ influence, Watkins’ contradictions, and Villa Park’s growing authority all feed into the same conclusion. This is not a team chasing an aesthetic. It’s a team executing a plan.</p><br><p>The Lovers Walk Unlimited Orchestra also return for the new year to celebrate Villa's winter and their midfield maestro.</p><h3><br></h3><h3>Get a Great NordVPN Deal</h3><h3><br></h3><p>Get a cracking deal on NordVPN with four months FREE &amp; a 30 days money-back guarantee here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nordvpn.com/moms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>nordvpn.com/moms</strong></a></p><p><br></p><h3><br></h3><h3><strong>GET AD-FREE SHOWS and JOIN MATCH CLUB</strong></h3><p><br></p><p>Get ad-free shows and extra shows, and join My Old Man Said's 24/7 Villa community, Match Club.</p><br><p>For more details and to become a member, click here:<a href="https://www.myoldmansaid.com/moms-patron-membership/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Become a MOMS Member</a></p><br><p>Join the show’s listener facebook group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1856530967778349" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Mad Few</a>.</p><p><br></p><h3><strong><em>Credits:</em></strong></h3><p><br></p><p>David Michael -&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/myoldmansaid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@myoldmansaid&nbsp;</a></p><p>Chris Budd -&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BUDD_music" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@BUDD_music</a></p><p>Phillip Shaw -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.twitter.com/prsgame" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@prsgame</a></p><br><p>Music production &amp; creation - David Michael</p><br><p>My Old Man Said -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.myoldmansaid.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.myoldmansaid.com</a></p><br><p><strong><em>This Podcast has been created and uploaded by My Old Man Said. The views in this Podcast are not necessarily the views of talkSPORT</em></strong></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>