Amazingly, the defeat last week at Leeds brought out quite a lot of frustration in many Villa fans, they seeming to think that all is wrong still at the club. All because we lost, and against one of the better managed clubs in the Championship, and, they say, because the team selection and the tactics used were strange. Well, so strange that (having put a good chance over the bar in the first half) Leeds did not get an attempt on target until past the hour mark. Unfortunately, that attempt also resulted in their opening goal, Villa's 'keeper seeming to be asleep on the job after an hour of mostly inaction.
Villa's side of the story is that they, also, were restricted in attempts on goal, but they did seem to be more likely to score, particularly when Albert wonderfully tricked his way through to a one-in-one situation on their fine veteran keeper (Green), who diverted the attempt away from goal. Somehow the referee gave a goal-kick!
And even after Leeds had scored, I felt that Villa would come back to gain a point. But that was not to be, and the score-line at the end became exaggerated.
Well, Villa had to lose a game at some point, and my feeling is that they should not lose more than another two or three all season. If that proves to be the case then there's every chance Villa will finish in the play-offs for the third promotion spot.
So, what's next but an opportunity to clear our heads and put the fans into better spirits with the visit of Wigan.
Villa had never played Wigan in any league until 2004, and Wigan's sojourn in the top tier lasted 8 years until they went down at the end of the 2012-13 season. Villa's record against them in that time (of 16 matches) was Won: 5 Drawn: 6 Lost: 5, and never were they considered to be rank pushovers. In fact they did not get relegated with a whimper, having beaten Manchester City in the FA Cup Final that very same season. And even from the Championship they reached the semi-final of the FA Cup competition in 2014.
But this week finds Wigan in a relegation position in the Championship, and although they should still not be regarded as a pushover, they are clearly down in the bottom set for a reason. Villa have beaten all the teams around them (Rotherham, Blackburn and Cardiff) so, surely, this match should be a 'cert' - shouldn't it?
My view is that if Villa fail to take advantage of Wigan's plight and not put them to the sword it will be a lost opportunity to regain any spirit lost at Leeds. And I can't imagine the likes of Codger not wanting to get back on the scoring trail. Besides, Jack will be starting in this game - won't he?
To finish, I would like to state that I would agree that all is not yet perfect at Villa Park. How can it be after six long years of poor management and the awful incompetence and malaise that was allowed to develop? But I do think a recovery is under way and there's more chance of us being more cheerful at the end of the season. That in itself would be a heck of an achievement after our fears earlier in the season of further relegation.
Villa's side of the story is that they, also, were restricted in attempts on goal, but they did seem to be more likely to score, particularly when Albert wonderfully tricked his way through to a one-in-one situation on their fine veteran keeper (Green), who diverted the attempt away from goal. Somehow the referee gave a goal-kick!
And even after Leeds had scored, I felt that Villa would come back to gain a point. But that was not to be, and the score-line at the end became exaggerated.
Well, Villa had to lose a game at some point, and my feeling is that they should not lose more than another two or three all season. If that proves to be the case then there's every chance Villa will finish in the play-offs for the third promotion spot.
So, what's next but an opportunity to clear our heads and put the fans into better spirits with the visit of Wigan.
Villa had never played Wigan in any league until 2004, and Wigan's sojourn in the top tier lasted 8 years until they went down at the end of the 2012-13 season. Villa's record against them in that time (of 16 matches) was Won: 5 Drawn: 6 Lost: 5, and never were they considered to be rank pushovers. In fact they did not get relegated with a whimper, having beaten Manchester City in the FA Cup Final that very same season. And even from the Championship they reached the semi-final of the FA Cup competition in 2014.
But this week finds Wigan in a relegation position in the Championship, and although they should still not be regarded as a pushover, they are clearly down in the bottom set for a reason. Villa have beaten all the teams around them (Rotherham, Blackburn and Cardiff) so, surely, this match should be a 'cert' - shouldn't it?
My view is that if Villa fail to take advantage of Wigan's plight and not put them to the sword it will be a lost opportunity to regain any spirit lost at Leeds. And I can't imagine the likes of Codger not wanting to get back on the scoring trail. Besides, Jack will be starting in this game - won't he?
To finish, I would like to state that I would agree that all is not yet perfect at Villa Park. How can it be after six long years of poor management and the awful incompetence and malaise that was allowed to develop? But I do think a recovery is under way and there's more chance of us being more cheerful at the end of the season. That in itself would be a heck of an achievement after our fears earlier in the season of further relegation.
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