In Round 18 of the Premier League, Chelsea lost 1-2 to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. After the game, Blues captain Reece James talked about related topics.
On the Team’s Overall Performance in the Game
Losing at home is always disappointing. We dominated the first 60 to 65 minutes of the game; they didn’t create any chances in the first 60 minutes, but then they seized an opportunity and the situation changed.
I think we started sharply and played according to our established strategy. We wanted to take the initiative to attack in the right way, but one or two key moments in the second half changed the game. The opponents gradually gained momentum, which made it difficult for us.
Aston Villa made substitutions and may have changed their formation a bit, but this is not something we can’t deal with. We have played against them many times and know their style and tactics, but we have to look at ourselves. We wanted to win but failed in the end, and we are very disappointed about that.
On Areas the Team Needs to Improve
Stop the opponents from scoring, it’s that simple. We made one or two mistakes—one led to a corner kick, and the other led to Watkins’ first goal—so I think we need to reflect on ourselves. We made two mistakes and were punished; this is the toughest league in the world.
