The Final Preseason Countdown for Villa
Fresh from their USA pre-season tour, Aston Villa returned home with questions still swirling around squad depth, tactical readiness, and how well they’re truly set for the challenges ahead.
In this episode of the My Old Man Said podcast, David, Chris, and Phil unpack the highs, lows, and eyebrow-raising moments from Villa’s Stateside adventure – from standout performances to defensive lapses that can’t be ignored.
The team break down the integration of new signings, the progress of returning players, and where Unai Emery still has work to do before the Premier League kicks off. They also examine how the travel schedule, commercial commitments, and off-pitch fan engagement might impact the team’s season preparation.
Beyond the tour, there’s discussion on the latest transfer rumours, the balance between building squad quality and meeting UEFA’s financial rules, and what Villa must do in the final weeks of the window to ensure they’re ready to compete both domestically and in Europe.
Episode Highlights:
Readiness Check – Are Villa really prepared for the season ahead?
USA Tour Takeaways – Key performances, fitness updates, and tactical signs.
Squad Shape – Is there still upside from last season’s fringe players
Defensive Concerns – Issues exposed on tour that need urgent attention.
Transfer Talk & UEFA Constraints – Balancing ambition with compliance.
Listen to the Show
Great VPN Offer with Extra Four Months Free & 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
This episode of the My Old Man Said podcast is sponsored by NordVPN. NordVPN allows you the opportunity to help get access to those 3pm Saturday or 2pm Sunday games, which aren’t available in your region, by switching your virtual location to a country which is screening it. As well as protecting your privacy and online data.
With the MOMS deal on NordVPN, you can get the Fastest VPN in the world for the price of a coffee a month, while being able to use it across 10 devices and try it risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Get your MOMS EXCLUSIVE NordVPN deal here ➼ https://nordvpn.com/moms
GET THE EXCLUSIVE MOMS PATRON PODCAST CHANNEL and JOIN MATCH CLUB
If you want ad-free advance versions of the shows and extra exclusive shows during the month and to join My Old Man Said’s 24/7 Villa community, Match Club, please do support the show by becoming a MOMS Member.
For more details and to become a member, click here: Become a MOMS Member
Follow the show on:
X/Twitter at @myoldmansaid / Threads at @myoldmansaid / Bluesky at @myoldmansaid
Also, you can join the show’s listener facebook group The Mad Few.
Credits:
David Michael – @myoldmansaid
Chris Budd – @BUDD_music
Phillip Shaw – @prsgame