Tomorrow, Villa travel to Anfield to play a Liverpool team in crisis. The pressure is mounting on 'King Kenny' as the Reds have lost an incredible six of their last seven games, Confidence, form and momentum are non-existant at Anfield at the moment and to add to their woes, they have to contend with key players missing.
Anyone can work out that it's a good time to play Liverpool. Of course, Villa do have a poor record against them and we ourselves are without Bent, N'Zogbia, Petrov, Dunne, Cuellar, Clark, Delph, Weimann and Jenas but it doesn't change the fact that it should be a chance to pick up three points (or even a precious one), with the right attitude.
Now that word 'attitude' is key. The Liverpool team and the crowd will be nervous and apprehensive tomorrow. The best way for any opponent to go about things should be to go onto the front foot and attack. QPR did (and beat them). Wigan did (and beat them). Blackburn got a point from Anfield too. So Villa will surely attack them, yes? Surely?
Unfortunately, we know the answer to that. McLeish will set the team up to try and strangle the life out of the game and 'nick' a 0-0. The lumbering, ineffective Heskey will again 'lead' the attack and a very vulnerable and shaky Liverpool will have the opportunity to play themselves into the game. They won't be able to believe their luck as their growing superiority will allow them to pick Villa off and win by a couple of goals.
More than likely, the in-form Bolton, Wigan, QPR and Blackburn will continue to pick up points and we'll end the day not only in relegation trouble but looking LIKELY to go down. McLeish will bemoan the 'defensive errors' again and ignore the complete lack of ambition to go forward. The sizable 'Eck Brigade'; on the forums will continue to crucify those who dare to have an opinion and ........ I won't go on.
I've phrased this many times this season and I'll say it again. SLEEPWALKING TO RELEGATION. Our only hope is if we can somehow survive and McLeish were to do the decent thing and resign, as we certainly couldn't afford to pay off yet another manager.
Positivity? - NO CHANCE
posted on 6/4/12
I honestly feel sorry for what's happened to Villa this year, always had a bit of a soft spot for villa and its a shame to see one man (well two including Lerner) slowly strangling the life out of one of the stalwarts of the PL.
Sadly I think you guys will get relegated, have thought you might for a while and to be honest as ridiculous as it sounds it might have its benefits in wiping the slate clean as it did for Newcastle.
Still Good Luck Tomorrow
posted on 7/4/12
Villa will definitely stay up, if only because there's just a handful of games left and the mathematical possibilities for Villa to go down are just too remote to be too concerned with.
The big concern will be next season: will Lerner just give up the ghost and sell up? Will he cut his losses and dump 'Judas and start over? Or will he give him another season and a shedload of cash?
I rather think it will be the last option: but then again even with a pot of cash, will it be enough to entice quality players to the club, especially with such a one-dimensional manager?
Villa deserve better: 'Judas should either go back to the Scottish leagues or the lower English leagues. No way is he EPL quality. He's been found out, and he needs to be do the honorable thing and sod off some place else
posted on 7/4/12
JackSkat...Iam a long term villa supporter (46 years ) and ..yes I do think we will go down...BUT and it's a big BUT...if it means getting rid of ginger then o.k but i'm afraid that he may stay even if we are relegated....that is the nightmare.
Regarding ginger going down to the lower leagues ...i'm sorry he's not good enough ..even for the lower leagues...best send him (as you say ..back to jocko land)
posted on 7/4/12
I'm not concerned about next season. I am totally concerned about us staying up. We'll have better idea about what state we're in after today. At the moment, I still think the odds are against us going down. To do that, three of the four beneath us (ignoring Wolves) are going to have to gain the equivalent of two wins relative to us, out of the last seven matches. Although those teams are showing signs of revival, I can't see three maintaining it. But it's possible. The infuriorating thing is that only under McLeish would anyone contemplate us getting nothing or next to nothing between now and the end of the season.
One thing I'm certain of about next season. McLeish won't be here. If we've got money to invest in new players then we've got money to sack him; which in itself is equivalent to signing three good players. I can't see Randy being anything other than appalled at the state we're in, and as much as McLeish may try, I can't see him avoiding the blame. The McLeish line of "we'll have a big clear out and move forwards" (so blaming the players he's relying on to keep us up, another McLeish blunder) won't wash.
posted on 7/4/12
Every team reignites its season against us, we will just roll over and be tickled. Pathetic.