Aston Villa’s Matty Cash on why hard work is the key to getting back on track

Right-back Matty Cash says it is a case of back to the drawing board for Aston Villa after the abject showing at Newcastle United.

Cash’s marauding runs down the right have been a feature of his time at Villa Park, but both he and his team-mates were strangely subdued as an attacking force as Villa went home empty-handed following defeat to Eddie Howe’s side.

However, Cash says Villa’s attitude should not be questioned – it was more a case of a ‘bad day at the office’ for the mid-table visitors.

“We prepared the same as we always do and we prepared well as we always do, but we just turned in a very disappointing performance,” Cash told avfc.co.uk.

“The first half was really bad. In the second half we played better football but still didn’t really do much. We weren’t good enough, so we need to go back and work hard in training this week to put things right.”

Massive game

Whilst Villa are comfortably clear of the relegation picture – sitting ten points above the drop zone – and the same points margin away from the European places – Cash says it is vital Steven Gerrard’s men do not let their season peter out as they enter approach the final third of the campaign.

The 24-year-old Poland international knows a big summer is on the horizon at Villa Park as the club’s owners and management look to bridge the gap to the Premier League’s elite and Cash realises players must avoid many repeats of Sunday’s performance level if they want to keep their places in the side.

Cash added: “It’s a big week ahead for us now because we’ ve got a massive game on Saturday (at home to Watford).

“We’ve got to be much harder to beat. It’s a big game coming up to get back on track and only lots of hard work will get us where we need to be.

“We all need to be much better than that (against Newcastle) moving forward.”

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