Will Spurs be Cock-a-hoop Again?

Until two games ago, Spurs were looking unbeatable having achieved six successive wins scoring 15 goals in the process: Leicester appeared to be in serious risk of losing their top spot. But suddenly Leicester have again started to look as though they are very difficult to catch.

However, although their run has been interrupted, I would not expect Spurs to take too much time to get back into their groove. After all, they have won nine, drawn two and lost two in their last 13 matches. And in Kane and Alli they have two potentially dangerous players.

Villa, sadly, have to look back to the days of John Gregory for a period of sustained success against Spurs, and although we managed to win at their ground last season, that match interrupted a run of 12 matches since Villa had previously beaten a team that has for many of the years since the War been regarded as Villa’s ‘bogey’ team. I begin to feel quite depressed to think that record is not going to change in our favour this coming week-end.

There have been matches over the years when Villa have surprised our forthcoming opponents. Villa’s 5-5 draw at White Hart Lane in 1966 (when Hateley scored 4 and Villa could have won it at the end), and 3-3 at home the following year were two great Villa performances, and then there were the fine ‘DD’ successes in 1962 (a brace from Derek Dougan) and 1998 (Dion Dublin’s brace on his debut). There have been other Villa successes but for the most part it has been Spurs who have taken the laurels over the last 70 years. There were some brutal defeats inflicted on Villa by Spurs in the 1950s and 1960s, including two 6-2 results and several where they scored four goals, all in the days when they had ex-Villan Danny Blanchflower parading his wonderful skills for them.

So, having conceded 15 goals in their last four league games (including 9 in two home games), just how much chance do Villa have of even getting a point? On the face of it, it looks like a daunting task and – like many – I’m beginning to think that ditching players of the ilk of Hutton and Richards might give Villa half a chance. But just as I remember that full-back Stan Lynn used to liven things up a bit when played as the lead striker, perhaps throwing Richards into the front line might not be a bad desperation tactic!

Oh dear, it would be nice if the season could just end now. Can it get any worse?