Unai Emery urges Nicolas Jackson and Aston Villa players to show restraint

Unai Emery has called on Nicolas Jackson and his Aston Villa team-mates to show greater emotional control after a series of yellow and red cards raised concerns over the club’s discipline.

The Villa manager wants his players to show more restraint and respect towards referees and opponents after several disciplinary incidents at the start of the Premier League season.

Aston Villa have already collected eight yellow cards and one red card in the league this season.

Emery’s concerns come after Villa suffered another defeat last week, losing 2-1 to Nottingham Forest despite responding well after falling behind.

Jackson, who joined Villa as their major summer signing and started as the club’s main striker, was unable to complete the match. The forward was replaced at half-time after being booked.

The incident was among those reviewed by Emery as he assessed the team’s emotional management.

“Mentality encompasses many things; it’s a very important aspect. One of those things is individual emotional control. We analyzed the red card (to Joao Gomes) received in Brighton as well as Jackson’s yellow card (against Forest): we need to learn to control ourselves. On Wednesday, in Coventry, Wan-Bissaka also received a yellow card; that’s not normal. We discussed emotional management in the dressing room. It’s a crucial element of the mentality we’re trying to build ,” Unai Emery emphasized in his press conference on Friday.

Emery believes the problem goes beyond individual players and has urged the entire squad to adopt a calmer approach during matches.

He wants his players to concentrate on their football rather than allow situations on the pitch to affect their focus.

Before continuing, he added: “We must respect the referee and our opponents, while controlling our emotions to limit red cards—but also to avoid some unnecessary yellow cards. Last week, Jackson and Wan-Bissaka—two experienced players—should have shown more composure.

The entire team needs to adopt this mentality: focus on the game and avoid disrupting the situation as happened. We need players focused on the match, not on the problems that destabilize us or impair our concentration.”

The Villa boss believes emotional control is an important part of the mentality he wants to establish within the team.

For Emery, reducing unnecessary bookings is not simply about avoiding suspensions. He also wants his players to ensure that disciplinary incidents do not interfere with their concentration or affect the way they approach matches.

Jackson’s booking against Nottingham Forest and Wan-Bissaka’s yellow card against Coventry have therefore become part of a wider discussion inside the Villa dressing room.

Emery has made it clear that experienced players are expected to lead by example, while the rest of the squad must adopt the same approach.

With Aston Villa already having collected eight yellow cards and a red card this season, the manager wants greater discipline as the campaign continues.

His message to the players is that controlling their emotions, respecting officials and opponents, and maintaining concentration must become part of the mentality they are trying to build at the club.