Waiting for Chelsea (Perhaps)

This very late postponement of the match versus Burnley provides an opportunity to take a deep breath and review just where Villa is at right now. However, some of what I might say must be pretty apparent to most, viz. that Villa have regained some 'form', that the players seem to be re-energised and wanting to stretch themselves, and the fact that, if anything, the future of Villa's Youth Academy graduates looks to be even more rosy.

The season seems to have been well re-ignited, doesn't it?

There is no doubt about it, the outcome of the preceding six matches is a sense of far more positivity and (for me at least) the feeling that this manager/coach has taken the bull by the horns and established an ethos and match management that has evoked a great response from everyone. There appears to be far more sense of knowing where we're going right now, which is to get better and better and to get up the table.

For me, there are improvements all over the outfield, but the two that have been under most of the spotlight these past few months - Mings and McGinn - seem to have received some kind of message that has pepped up their game. On top of that in the defensive sector, Cash has at times seemed to be playing out of his skin (though there's room for improvement), Targett has improved on his earlier play this season, while Konsa remains just the under-rated and super-cool Konsa.

Of the others, injuries have to some extent prevented a settled attacking midfield and attack from being formed, but an outstanding response has been seen in young Ramsey, while Watkins may well repeat his scoring record of last season as things stand. Beundia shows flashes of being the good player that he was thought to be by Dean Smith and will probably develop a lot more in the new coaching setup.

As for the others, I have question marks about Nakamba (yes, I know he's been doing a lot of good stuff of late) and Luiz. Essentially I'm waiting for Sanson and Bailey to come in and make their true mark. Both have done enough for me to suggest that they could both be really good. Young has shown some effectiveness and is useful to have around, despite his advanced playing age.

As for Ings, I remain unsure as to why he was bought in terms of his ability to fit in this setup.

The player situation is not all perfect, but there are fine youngsters coming through. If this improvement is allowed to continue (I'm speaking of the COVID threat on football, though not just football, of course) then I can see a top-8 finish with some certainty - maybe better.

I would, however, like to see Villa make progress in the FA Cup, and I do believe we can slide past Man U, even if via a replay. The Villa have totally underperformed in this trophy these last 65 years. When I saw Villa winning this trophy for the 7th time in '57 I would never have dreamed that I would not see them winning it again!

C'mon Villa, all I want is just one more FA Cup triumph to top-off my life-long Villa experience!

To all Villa fans out there have a very Happy Christmas and also a big hope that Boxing Day will not only see the next match being played but also third time lucky against a top-3 side since Gerrard arrived.

UTV!

Still Not Good Enough, Says the Boss

Well, it comes straight from the horse's mouth. Gerrard today said: “To take nine points from 12 is a big return from the players. They deserve a load of credit. But there’s still work to do. Some of them still need to improve".

Yes, in both of the last two games, the Villa has been far too tentative in the first half. This allowed Man City to gain a sufficient lead to help them over the line at the end and today we again conceded the first goal, but thankfully there was an immediate response in terms of an equaliser. Not the display, however, as Villa lurched into half-time feeling as though they had a second goal stolen from them, but if it had stood the score would not have reflected the balance of the play in the first half.

That Villa failed to gain the lead made it more possible to lay into the players at the break (as they deserved), and they woke up to Gerrard's tirade.

Villa cannot afford to do this 'Sloppy Joe' first-half act at Anfield next week! If they do then Salah and Mané will have them for breakfast, and a 7-2 to Liverpool (revenge day?) would be on the cards.

Gerrard and the players, however, should now know all too clearly of that possibility, and the old Villa motto "Prepared!" must be etched into their brains for this upcoming encounter.

Pleasing to see today was the play of young Ramsey - pity he couldn't steady himself with that great chance presented by McGinn in the second half. Pleasing also to see the occasional quick-switching movement to get down the pitch in better fashion than they were before. But Leicester "was taking no prisoners", as they say.

And talking of McGinn, for me he is the main player that keeps the Villa moving, and with another game or two together, he and Beundia, in particular, could begin to make a much bigger impact as a duo. As for Douglas Luiz, I remain not 100% impressed and am waiting for Sanson to come up to speed.

Anyhow, The Ownership and The Manager/Coach have all been showing the kind of class that Villa have needed for nearly 100 years. Even in the Ron Saunders' years there were problems with the board, so the fact that Ron and Tony achieved what they did was all the more remarkable.

We could now be witnessing the start of a very powerful combination that will finally achieve what Doug Ellis and Lerner and Co. couldn't.

We just have the small matter of an Anfield appearance next week to see just how far away we are from really being on the 'up'.

Meanwhile, we're in the top-10!

UTV!

The Start Of Something Good?

Well, what do we call this change in the team? Perhaps a song should be written with a title something like "Mings and the McGinn" (based on the Cole Porter classic "Begin the Beguine"!). In the past two matches, I have seen the captain and his vice-captain raise both their level of responsibility and contribution to the game. Mings seems to have acquired 100% concentration, while McGinn is tackling like he never did before and eliminating all the unnecessary fouls he once gave away. McGinn's overall game has just got better.

Not only they, but Cash seems to get better and better, while Targett is getting back to his performance level of last season and Nakamba and young Ramsey have grown into their roles. In my last post I suggested that the team "basically need disciplined, firm direction and leadership", and there is every sign they are getting it.

Let's not kid ourselves, though! The fact that we have won against Brighton and Crystal Palace in straight games does not qualify for assumptions that we are going to enter Europe this season! We have to thank ourselves that Gerrard's first steps were not against Man City and Liverpool or such like, but, nevertheless, he is the first new Villa manager that has won his first two games since John Gregory, nearly 24 years ago. It restores some confidence amongst everyone involved with the Villa.

My only disappointments today were first that Bailey is still not showing what he threatened to show in his Everton performance, and, second, the lack of ball control by Watkins, worsened by his vain calls for three penalties, only one of which might have deserved closer scrutiny - if that. Against 'toughies' like Crystal Palace, Watkins was made to look rather average.

All-in-all, however, there seems to be a team emerging, aided by shrewd management. McAllister seems to like working at Villa Park no matter whether it was for Gerard or is for Gerrard! Perhaps the Liverpool connection works well - names like Ron Saunders, Dennis Mortimer and John Gidman come to mind.

This situation at least now makes me think that we have a good chance of getting something out of the next match. Yes, even against Man City.

Bring them on!

UTV!

What Now At The Villa?

One chief coach has departed leaving many club supporters with very mixed emotions, while another arrives with something of an unknown element about him. Many will be wondering just what is in store.

Dean Smith's commitment to better the lot of Aston Villa was, of course, totally unquestioned. It's merely how the job was approached once we returned to the Premier League that was the big issue for me. Unfortunately, what Dean has left behind him was a set of players that appear to have been treated as though they were members of his close family (not a bad thing in one way) rather than with a winning mindset or the honour of Aston Villa at the forefront. Nor, even, with a readily identifiable method of play; Dean spoke of wanting to develop a 'Villa Way', but I did not see much evidence of that apart from (importantly) the structure and method of progression through the club from the academy onwards.

There was a lot of good work done under Dean's remit, but I think it has to be said that what Gerrard brings to Villa Park is a mentally different approach at the very least. As a player, he is remembered for his utter and forceful commitment to the cause (perhaps occasionally straying into forbidden territory) and that attitude, of course, stems from him as a character. It will continue to be part of his makeup at the Villa as I am sure it was at Rangers.

The owners, to their credit, gave Dean substantial time to get a winning playing approach together, and only pressed the eject button when it became painfully clear that Dean was unlikely to get Villa to the position that the owners had targeted. They had backed Smith financially and structurally all the way through but the returns were not emerging. Yes, Smith was partly hampered by the exit of Grealish and lack of opportunity to get a settled side together since. However, a lot more could be said about this but I will leave it aside and remember Dean's tenure only with fondness.

One look at the remarkably successful Rangers setup under Gerrard, however, reveals that he spent next to nothing on getting a winning mentality and team together. His recruitment of players that had reached the end of their days in top English football - like Defoe and Steven Davis (remember him at Villa?) - was a prime basis for Rangers' success with their experience and strong motivation from Gerrard himself. And then we have his coaching staff which included Gary McAllister, a personality that was at Villa Park 10 years ago and stood in so well for Gerard Houllier when he became unwell. We now know that Gary is returning to Villa Park and in company with Gerrard's other senior coaches having similar traits from what I can gather.

Overall, even though Gerrard has nil Premier League management experience, his career, his mentality and the support of good coaches do impress me as pointing to a better solution for the Villa to go forward. No more will Villa players be able to be casual and get away with it. They basically need disciplined, firm direction and leadership and, as I see it, they are going to get it! 

UTV!

A Point For Steven Gerrard To Consider

Well, we now know who is next into the hot seat, and it has all taken place quite quickly. I did expect, however, that the club's owners would like a new manager to have a week to warm his seat at Villa Park.

I have previously expressed my fear that Gerrard will see Villa as a 'stepping stone' towards the Liverpool job, whenever that becomes available.

It's not that I simply fear that he will always think of 'Pool as a bigger club to which he owes greater allegiance, but the worry that he probably will not be able to relate to Villa in the same way as Dean was able to. As a historian, I am well aware that a Villa personality or identity was strongly built from the earliest of its days and which made the club in the first 50 years.

In the years since that core identity got dissipated, and later boards largely lived on past glories. Until the 1970s. But even then the original Villa formula did not get truly repeated but showed that perhaps that kind of core identity was not essential to short-term success (1980-82).

The fact is, though, that I see that original core identity as being the real basis for permanent success, though it may take years to develop it. And this was the biggest disappointment about Dean's departure as he was the hope of building that. Unfortunately, he was not up to it sufficiently to take it forward.

Therefore, I persist in believing and saying that the appointment of Gerrard could work against the club's long-term interests. Not necessarily, I agree, but the truly sustainable way is for the club to have a 'Villa Way' ethic or identity, and whether Gerrard will fully relate to that I am not sure.

If we want him in as a manager who will simply demand more out of his players and gain a few long-awaited trophies, that short-termism view could re-bound quite negatively when Gerrard moves on and if a Villa identity has not been established.

Having said all that, it is incumbent upon us all to get behind him and maybe enable him to see the error of his ways if he continues to lean towards Liverpool!

Just my enlarged thoughts on the matter. His appointment causes me some concern, but, who knows, it could all work out well. So long as we don't go back into another slump after he goes. Having said that we don't know yet whether he will take us to any peaks first!

Right, the matter at hand is all done and dusted (except a few details) so, with one last farewell and a big 'thank you' to Dean Smith, let's get on with the playing and getting back to winning ways!  

It's over to you Steve!

UTV!

The Inevitable Happened

Dean Smith was very nearly the ideal manager at Villa Park. His credentials of being a Villa fan from boyhood clearly endeared him to the supporters' hearts, especially after gaining promotion within one season, and a record 10 wins in succession being achieved in the process.

Since then there have been highs and lows! Getting to the League Cup Final in the first season back in the Premiership was a highlight, but that was quickly followed by a terrible defeat to Leicester that soon had relegation looming. Though it was unrequired, the COVID break gave Smith and his team some time to re-assess matters and gradually Villa eased themselves to safety. But it was a near-run thing, with the return of Grealish from injury probably being the event that tilted the course of events in Villa's favour.

Then, last season started so well (and who can forget the 7-2 mauling of Liverpool?!) but the season slid away and though Villa were, in the end, the 'best of the rest' by a mile, it was short of being a satisfactory ending to the season.

Various things have worked against Smith, in particular substantial injuries to players who might have made a difference, and VAR didn't exactly endear itself to the club in its first major season of operation. But other clubs, too, were affected by that. And then along came the summer of 2021 and the departure not only of the club's primary playing asset, Grealish, but also two significant members of the coaching staff, Terry and Kelly.

The owners dug deep and spent a fortune in bringing in what they considered to be quality players, but even as I write they had not settled in and the Villa were struggling to find a winning pattern. In fact, Villa ended up by losing badly and five defeats in a row ended the Smith era.

Injuries and absences, in general, could again be blamed for some of it, but it was also a case of some strange decisions being made by Smith, such as dropping skipper Mings on the day when a host of other team changes were also made and when central defensive leadership was so important. And then the last match of Smith's career when he had three centre-forwards on the pitch at the same time, but no creative player good enough to supply chances through a firm Saints defence. The option of bringing on winger P-B did not seem to occur to Smith, yet P-B has shown that he has the ability to provide a spark and certainly worry a defence.

The final crunch was possibly that Smith no longer had Jack Grealish as the ace up his sleeve to dramatically change a game.

Quite a few supporters would have liked to give Smith more time, but that was perhaps out of warm feelings for the manager more than anything. But football has never been much about the sentiment on the pitch. The Villa bosses in the pre-WW1 days were frequently ruthless, and hence why the club was so successful! It's the same with life I suppose. The total team approach is down to the manager (or head coach), and he couldn't seem to work it out properly.

We have, right now, a gap of less than 2 weeks to appoint a new manager and let him warm his managerial seat. But who will it be, I wonder, with Gerrard and Martinez being touted as the two most likely.

Gerrard for me is an unknown quantity, as Scottish football is not (obviously) the same as English football, as well as the fact that he would be seen as improving his c.v. to eventually take over at Liverpool. In other words, Villa Park would be seen just as a stepping stone in his career with the inference that Liverpool is bigger and more important than Villa. We can't have that!

I would have no difficulty in settling for Martinez with his substantial Premiership experience as well as (now) international management experience with Belgium. It's possible, though, that he would need a good defensive coach to work with him.

Whoever arrives, it must surely be a manager who has shown clear vision and ability - Klopp-like perhaps - to get Villa back 'up there' in the higher placings with enterprising football.

ITV!

Saints Versus Villans

This latest showing was surely virtually a replay of the Arsenal match! In that match at the Emirates we almost came in at half-time only 0-1 down, but for that penalty. At St. Mary's it was 0-1 down at h-t, but, again, it could have been 0-2 or even 0-3. Such was the pathetic display shown in the first 30 minutes by a team led by virtually £100m worth of 'talent'.

I do feel so sorry for NSWE, the all-encompassing (forgive the pun!) partnership that almost seems too good to be true. They have stumped up wherever they have been told it was needed, but only to be let down by - I am very sorry to say - average management.

Villa' second half - as at Arsenal - was so much better, but that £100m attack was just not good enough to breach a determined and wily Saints' defence. And they had Ward-Prowse.

And the matter about Ward-Prowse is key, because the fact that Villa chased after him so hard is proof that the Villa recognises that their midfield is so short of real power. And it is. I have for so long been pointing this out. Namkamba nor Luiz are power-houses, and McGinn has his limitations, though he does give his all.

How is a £100m attack going to flourish without adequate supply? Added to which Beundia seems not to be in his best playing position.

Sanson, we probably thought, was going to provide the much-needed power to push Villa forward, but - like a lot of other Villa buys - seems to get afflicted by an injury virus, not only by sickness.

So, Dean may have some form of excuse in that he has not been able to get a powerhouse to push his team forward, but does that excuse these lame first-half performances? In fact, I was struggling to understand how Dean included El Ghazi, as he surely should have received his marching orders before half-time and did nothing else first-half. Then, like a number of other players, he suddenly woke up after the break.

Martinez - without whom we surely would have lost more decisively - said in midweek that the Villa lads had coalesced after last week's shambles and were determined to beat the Saints. But this latest first half proved to be another shambles. At least Dean seems to have given them a suitable shelling at half-time. The Villa probably deserved a draw in the end, but poor shooting prevented that.

As to Villa's defence, Mings played as well as he could but clearly missed his usually reliable sidekick Konsa. The backs did reasonably well, and although Targett is not showing up so well this season, I don't think he should be 'targetted' (sorry!) for so much blame. As for Martinez, well, he's probably the most agile and stunning Villa keeper I have seen since Nigel Sims was at his best 60+ years ago, though Bosnich had his moments.

So, there was I waiting for Philogen-Bidace to come on and create mayhem down the Saints' flank, but no. And that fact alone - the reluctance to bring on young talent with spark when spark is what's needed - helps me to further conclude that Smithy is not up to the job. Smithy will do well as a manager at lower-level clubs, or as assistant coach to other Premier League clubs, but when English managers like Graham Potter and Sean Dyche (and dear old Sam Allardyce) can squeeze the nectar out of a rock, Smithy seems to be much too easy-going.

And his team selection ideas do not seem to measure up to the need of the day. Nor does it seem that players like Mings and Sanson have been too impressed; I get the impression that there is a touch of agitation in the camp. OK, it is a manager's task to sort that out, but why inflict such unneeded trouble on yourself, Dean? There's no Jack Grealish, now, to get you out of this hole that you have dug.

Five defeats on the trot and now two weeks to let the worry fester. Can the Villa beat next-up Graham Potter's Seagulls? A draw perhaps.

UTV!

Is Smithy Up To The Job?

Five league matches against London clubs have produced 15 goals against! I don't think I want to see another London club in quite a while!

Well, was today's result more to do with hard luck? Ramsey had to go off early and then the red card matter just after half-time, after all, which both interfered with matters. Added to the bad decision in allowing the follow-up score in last week's injury-time penalty and it could be said that hard luck is the cause.

But no. I am a believer in making your own luck, and Villa's play last week in the first half was nowhere near good enough. Then the collapse the previous week has to be considered. As to today, Young was perhaps a satisfactory replacement for Ramsey, I thought, and for the red card incident, I thought that Hause was the one that should have gone off moments earlier for his crazy swipe at the West Ham player. But maybe it could have been two red cards in one breath - it was certainly such a situation with Konsa being the last line of defence.

But let's get back to basics. Having failed to dismantle 5-3-2 before last week, Dean Smith then decides to drop Captain Mings in a week when he plays a totally new midfield and attack. Too much change in one go, I'm afraid, Smithy! Particularly with Sanson, Luiz and Ings all non-available for sickness reasons, I believe.

Is Hause a better player than Mings? No.

Do Villa have a player better suited as captain than Mings? In my opinion, no again.

In today's match - no matter what gaff or two he's committed of late - Mings should have been out there from the first as both defence and leadership was obviously something that Villa would have to rely on against a confident Hammers. Hause for Mings did nothing other than make Mings feel punished for his misdemeanours at the detriment of the team as a whole. Hause is a very useful player who sometimes rises above himself, but he, also, shows the odd deficiency.

So. what do I say is the root cause of Villa's problem? Unfortunately, the manager. His stubbornness in holding on to 5-3-2 for one week too many has cost the Villa a lot of confidence. And today's debacle puts us too close to the bottom three, partly as a result of Smith's stubbornness. In my opinion, of course.

From the time of relying so much on Jack to raise the Villa's performances, to these latest gaffs in team organisation, I'm afraid he now gives me doubts as to his suitability as a Premiership manager. If Graham Potter can do so well with a Brighton team with such little resources at hand, why cannot Smithy do equally well? Look at West Ham, as well. Why did Villa start to play better today when they were down to 10 men?

I have wanted Smith to succeed, but I am feeling - particularly after today - that his tenure must end if Villa is not to be relegated or at least finishing in the bottom half again. I'm sure the owners are thinking the same thing. 

Villa have a good enough squad to be in the top-8, and we should be showing that level by now, player absences or not. If you want success then you have to have the right manager to take you there.

Sorry, Dean. And I mean that - you're a decent feller and you have tried.

UTV!

London Teams Should Be Relegated!

Four visits to London in the league have not only produced 'nil points', but 11 goals against in those matches!

It's a historical fact that until London teams started to appear in big league football (ca. 1905), the Villa was regarded as the country's greatest club - even by Londoners. But that is by the way except to say they have been a nuisance ever since, though mainly since WW2!

But it's more than all that isn't it? Having seemed to have succeeded with the 3-5-2 system against Everton, with an impressive 3-0 win against a hitherto unbeaten team (but was it more to do with Bailey's appearance on the pitch?) and then that much-vaunted success at Old Trafford (but was it more to do with playing a team of prima donnas?), a different set of opponents came up.

Spurs were itching to find themselves when Villa arrived at their home, and we lost. OK, we were probably willing to take that, but to throw that game away against Wolves after being 2-0 up was a bit much - especially playing at home. And now the latest humiliation at Arsenal, when Villa were really wiped off the pitch in the first half. Again, Arsenal were being pushed to redeem themselves after a horrendous start to their season.

What is certainly not acceptable is how John McGinn is suddenly vilified for his sub performance at Arsenal when only last week people were saying he was back to his best! Fickle? Well, that's football supporters - and journalists too.

For me, I have to point the finger mainly at the manager. Sorry Dean, but we have come to know you a bit now after three years, and what comes across is a feller that's often rather stubborn. It's a trait that is not always bad, of course, but I think that after the Wolves match everyone was expecting the 3-5-2 system to be dropped - at whatever cost - and yet it took until half-time at Arsenal before the penny dropped in Dean's head. Perhaps.

Even in the second half, it was still not a great Villa performance, but it was hugely better than the first half, and in my view both Watkins and Ramsay had late chances to reduce the margin further, or even equalise! But that would have been something that Villa hardly deserved after a first-half without even mustering one shot in 45+6 minutes. I shan't talk about the Gunners' late, late first-half penalty except to say "Get rid of VAR!" But they were worth a 2-goal lead, so let's let it be.

Well, perhaps Dean thought that the 3-5-2- system was good enough to keep Villa going until Bailey was back in action, but is this another Dean Smith weakness, of relying on one player to lift the Villa to success? Dean says not, but with Beundia, Watkins and Ings not yet fully 'there', it does look like a one-player hope from Dean.

The great downside is that the Villa has now lost three on the trot and the goals against column has taken a hit, while worryingly sliding down the table. It's now almost "We have to win the next match!" And what have we next week - another London team fixture! We haven't won against a London team yet!

All I can say is ... Get Up, The Villa! ...

UTV!

Hunted Down By Wolves!

Ouch!

Well, let's perhaps write this off as one of those derby matches that was - a derby! They are always unpredictable as to how they turn out, but it was really a game that should have been well and truly in Villa's pockets before half-time. Villa - in my estimation - should have been leading around 3-1 by then.

Cash had three good shooting chances over the whole match and put them all over the top (clearly why he's not a forward!) and Ings could possibly have done better when put through by Beundia. Apart from other scoring chances that were put wide or over.

But, straight after half-time, despite the rather worrying danger of Adama Troure (how did we let him go?!), we went into that overdue lead and then a second goal when the Wolves defence was beginning to look all at sea.

What happened next turned the match around completely on its head. They made key substitutions, while we made lesser ones ... and they then made their own luck, with the Villa defence looking somewhat loose - as it had throughout the whole match, in fact, but which Wolves failed to capitalise on until late.

Anyhow, that's as it may be, but surely there are lessons to be learnt. Aren't there, Dean?!

I like our manager, but sometimes I wonder whether he's too soft with the players. They very often seem to drop from their true ability, and I thought that showed in defence, though Traore was clearly causing panic just by his own efforts.

Tuanzebe seemed to lack confidence and early on took a crazy free-kick across his own penalty area, giving Wolves a big chance. Konsa looked short of his best self, while Mings was doing things like giving away one or two unnecessary corners. Cash seemed lost in his defensive work (probably because of Villa's wing-back strategy with him as a major part of that).

Well, we may have Bailey ready to be launched, and I liked Beundia's play, though I am expecting him to make a greater impact. But Watkins seems to be looking a bit lost without JG, and a combination with Ings does not seem to be doing that well just now.

The attack may well sort itself out, but the rearguard (apart from the goalie) and midfield are not quite there, for some reason. Maybe it's the three centre-back formation that's causing a problem now, but if so, why did it look so commanding against Man U? Unless that was because of Man U - as was seen yesterday with such big names looking like prima donnas.

I fear that we have a way to go before a good team really gels. We probably have the players, but for how long can McGinn play as he is before he gets wallopped? We do have both Bailey and Sanson still to start league matches this season, and they may both develop and be the key to Villa's success, aided by the others.

Hey ho! Now to win at Arsenal...

UTV!

Super, Super and Superlative!

From the goalkeeper to the two strikers upfront, the Aston Villa performance today was one of superlative and well-knit teamwork. Every player did his job, was exactly the right bolt size and put in the same, calm, mental and physical work.

The only drawback was that Villa had three gilt-edged chances to be leading before centre-back Hause showed his attackers how to finish with a wonderfully-contrived header. Did they, the players concerned that missed the chances, have nerves that they might actually score at Old Trafford?

Today's Villa performance was surely an indicator that the coaching at Villa Park must now be at an equally superlative level, providing the answer to every nuance on the problem of Aston Villa's poor history at the Reds' ground, and against Man U in general.

Villa's defence was virtually 100% watertight, the midfield moved as though it had been oiled with the best olives, and the two-prong attack strove with all their well-honed skills, though not - yet again - scoring. Well, just to keep them awake in that respect, young Archer came on late - all of a quiver! - to reward him for all his good work in the League Cup this season,

If we wondered why Hause had not been given a proper chance in the League this season after some storming games in the last campaign and at Chelsea on Wednesday, surely he cannot be left out yet again next week? 

I doubt that Tuanzebe - had he played - would have played better than Hause, whose only deficiency for me is his slowness in distribution on occasions. And he also scored his fourth goal for Villa - not a bad record for a defender with limited playing chances. Konsa, in contrast, just can't seem to get his headers on goal.

What was ironic was that Hause was adjudged to have handballed within a minute or two after his goal, a decision that would never have been made in the old days. Hause did not have time to think when it hit him. But justice was done when their erstwhile remarkable penalty-taker blasted high and wide deep into injury time.

Well, the writers were getting ready to write-off Dean Smith's future at Villa Park a couple of games ago. Now those writers have to find something else to write about!

The Villa is on the way up! No doubt about it.

UTV!

Sharp shooters? We've Got 'Em!

Kerpow! Five blistering goals in five matches by five different players seem to be the main reason for the hope that Villa will finish high this season. I can well imagine a certain colourful Villa supporter and video commentator in Canada raising a glass of Bailey's!

McGinn, Ings, Beundia, and now Cash and Bailey have shown they know where the goal is in no uncertain style and now, after weeks of not having a full squad available to him, Dean Smith can perhaps begin to relax a little that it might just all be starting to come together. Already the hatchet writers were sharpening their quill pens while waiting to see if Smith's team were going to drop a lot more points over the next 3 weeks. But at least - against high-flying Everton - the Villa have started on the right foot in facing up to this tough group of matches.

Yes, it's going to be tough up in Ronaldo country next week, but I can see the Villa making a real fight of it.

As to yesterday's match, there were things about the Villa in the first hour that gave me some hope, but there were so many times when attacks broke down because the final pass just wasn't aimed quite right, and we only had Mings's fine header to look back on as a near goal.

Then McGinn had to go off, and despite his valuable industry I actually thought that Villa looked more smooth with the combined midfield probing of Luiz and Ramsey. Luiz, further forward, looks as though he could be very valuable. I just wish he would shoot more often, as he did in his earlier days at Villa Park. But it was his sublime slide-rule pass, well anticipated by Cash, that brought the house down with the first goal.

And then there was a not-so rum-do with Bailey's clever corner finding its way into the Everton net off their skipper's head. And, wow, what a third goal to then seal off a 10-minute spell of bombardment of the Toffees' goal. Even Ramsey cleverly got the ball off a defender and looked all the world as though he was going to score his first goal. That really would have been a treat.

Watkins and Ings? Yet again, no goals coming from either in their second match together. But they made themselves so valuable in all the other work they did in leading the attack. And Ings's well-delivered ball to Bailey was key to the third goal.

Defence-wise, Villa looked fairly comfortable after a worrying first 20 minutes, but the fact that Everton had key attacking players out did help.

Bring on The Reds!

UTV!

"Questions Will Be Asked"

Incredible. The Villa today had 5 (five) first-team players on the injury list, 2 (two) players that were having to isolate because of COVID precautions, and another (Watkins) who only came on the pitch late as he has only just found his fitness. 

On top of that, another (Targett) is still playing himself in as a result of injury through the summer. That is a total 9 (nine) first-team players that have impacted Villa's start to the season and have caused three quite distinct teams to be put out in three league matches. Another (Luiz) had to miss the first match because of Olympic Games duties.

And then we have the business of Beundia and Ings getting used to a new team. "Which team?", I ask! Bailey is still to come but his cameo in the first game was mouth-watering. It nearly made me dream of European Cups!

And if the list is not already long enough, Konsa went off injured in today's match and whether he will be fit for the next match remains to be seen.

Now, bearing all that in mind, and that is data that is quite accessible to the pundits and journos, this website said, after the match today, and after reporting on Dean's view of the match and his team: 

It still seems to be taking some time for things to click, and until they build consistency, questions will be asked of missing their former captain.

Just what are they trying to stir up? Why am I wasting my time reading this kind of tirade?! I suppose as a Villa fan I should be used to it as there are plenty of people that don't want Villa to succeed and they know full well that a sizeable section of the Villa fanbase can be whipped up into a frenzy.

So, thanks for allowing me the two-minute rant!

Instead, let's look at some positives.

And it's all about the youth. We had a basketful of revelation and joy in the middle of the week at Barrow, let alone the FA Youth Cup win earlier in the summer. And today's circumstances forced the successful appearance of the young Chukka brother as a starter in the first-team line-up. This after Jacob Ramsay has shown that he definitely has the talent after his start against Newcastle.

On top of that, young Archer almost came on to shoot his arrows today but was thwarted by the injury to Konsa that necessitated another defender to be the last sub.

As to the future at Villa Park? All I can say is that it is a great pity that today's bottomless pit of great and potentially great players weren't in place when I was a lot younger. And there's more to come! Phew.

The future is bright! At last!

UTV!

We're Off!

Wow, Mings to Ings and then ... wham!

If nothing else, that goal surely eclipses any worries about the Villa - at least for the time being! With the addition of a full Villa Park attendance, it was almost like the best of the old times.

Last week was something of a sh... week - a shock and a shambles. A shock to see Targett all at sea after such a strong last season. A shambles as the team was obviously not playing like a team - until after half-time when some semblance of teamwork creaked into gear, very much aided by the substitutions.

Even with two of last week's more impressive subs out injured, today it was a lot better. Not perfect, but at least there was some fire in the belly and signs of cohesion, with Beundia, Ramsay and McGinn all playing a similar kind of game and all working their socks off. But Luiz still gives me the eejy-beejies when it comes to his defensive work.

However, we certainly have a striker who knows where the goal is and he and Watkins (when fit) are surely going to worry a lot of defences. They, aided by the new players Bailey and Beundia, and with the young players looking so promising, give me some confidence that it should be a good season.

There's one worry just now. That concerns Targett. Just what went wrong last week? Did he see Ashley Young as a threat and tried too hard to impress as a result? Who knows. But I am happy with Young doing what he's doing. He still has some ability and with his experience it should keep the team well-grounded. Except when they're heading the ball!

UTV!

Jack Will Go - Won't He?

Well, the day seems to have arrived when Jack will decide that Manchester is bigger than Birmingham. There's a chance that a Manchester downpour might scupper the process, but that is unlikely.

The situation opens up emotions in different ways; only last year he had been so convinced by the owners and chief exec of their plan to build a successful Aston Villa, and the previous talk of Dean building a team around him, but it seems that Jack has been swayed by the glib talk that a money-fuelled business tends to generate. 

The picture painted is that it's always so much greener on the other side of the fence. Is that right? Having missed so many games last season could he not have given his boyhood team one more season to see what was developing at Villa Park? Surely the signing of Buendia must have excited his ambitions for Villa?

On the other hand (and there is another perspective, of course), the Villa will gain £100m and we can purchase more quality players, as well as the team not being so reliant on one player. But the downside is that this is the sort of disruption that can slow down Villa's progress - unless the new players' gell quickly and win something before the other players start to get itchy feet.

On balance, though I wish Jack well, I think this could be more of a sad day for the Villa, because the media (who always think they're right) will chalk this up as proof that the Villa are not to be compared with the so-called big teams in Manchester and London.

The Villa have a lot of proving to do - still.

All we can do is provide the emotional energy to keep Villa - this great club - making progress.

UTV!

The Villa Connection Of No Help To England

Yes, we lost. But I did allow myself about 15 minutes' worth of hope following the start of the match that perhaps, after all, Aston Villa's former captain had galvanised the right sort of attitude and action from his players, despite his team selection. 

Then Italy, perhaps inexorably, started to take over. 

With committed Villa supporters Prince William and Son both being present, a former Villa captain in charge of the England team and our own current captain in the England squad and raring to go, the story should have ended in a better fashion. But it didn't.

It is actually a sadder story than it looks on the surface, for there is no doubt that the great plus of Southgate's achievement is welding together a strong team spirit, and with such a spirit (and, indeed, the talent available) I feel there should have been a better outcome. 

England had, I think, only one worthwhile shot on goal in the entire match - and they scored from that.

Southgate was better known as a centre-back (and a good one at that), and I feel that his experience and approach stems from that fact. Organisation at the back of the team always seems to be his prime focus. Indeed, he had excellent players in that department and they all played well, but how crazy was it that for a lot of the time they also seemed to be the prime attackers! England's goal, courtesy of Shaw via Trippier from a deep-seated Kane being the glaring early example.

The England attack was not much in evidence. Where was the supposed brilliance of Mount? Where were the tunnels to light that Sterling was trying to bore through? And just where was Kane (apart from the first two minutes and his free-kick winning ability)?

Just when England clearly needed someone - anyone - to come and unpick the lock late in the second half, substitutes came on. But no, the lock-pickers were not amongst them; only two more of the same mold that was previously on the pitch.

Jack came on with 20 minutes to go and, arguably, demonstrated more positivity from forward midfield than anyone else in the previous 110 minutes.

But then we came towards the finale, and the bringing on of two players - both from Manchester United - who were, of course, good for the penalty shoot-out. At least according to Southgate. They both missed their penalties, and who can really blame them having found themselves untrusted as outfielders but saddled with the biggest responsibility instead? A responsibility that many much more experienced heads would not have wanted.

I am sure there are many parks teams' coaches who have a better idea than Southgate, it seems to me and from my experience. I am so sorry to say it, but if England ever achieves anything under him, it will not be due much to his talent as an England manager. Unless he learns from all this.

I wish I could even say that I enjoyed this European ride. But I didn't. Alan Shearer's "command and control" gloating after the Ukraine match made it worse. If any team knows anything about "command and control" then it is Italy.

A further matter: BBC newscasters were talking of how England had brought much-needed smiles back to this COVID-hit country - as though the UK is the only one affected. Italy, who of course won the trophy, has arguably sustained the worst COVID devastation in Europe over a longer time. They also suffered more booing from the England fans. I wish Italy well. 

One last thought. Jack looked very pensive at the end. He wants a trophy and it slipped through his hands. Will he re-think about a move from Villa? I continue to think that won't happen - yet. But Villa have to find their success boots if they're going to keep him more than another year. He's 25 now and time is moving on.

UTV!

About England

Ha! Sancho gets a start while Jack doesn't get a look in!

Well, our Gareth certainly plays an interesting selection game, keeping everyone on their toes.

It makes me wonder whether Gareth will now do an about-turn and start Jack vs Denmark, so unpredictable is he. But we shall see.

As for yesterday's game, I was strangely not that enthused, though a 4-0 win is, of course, very welcome.

All the punditary remarks about "control and command" leave me cold, I'm afraid, particularly when I recall the comparative panache we saw England play against the Dutch in '96 - again a 4-0 win. And going back so much further, that great game against Brazil in Mexico in 1970. We lost then, but what a feast of football it was.

To think footballers get paid what they do for passing across the back over and over again to keep possession. As though that qualifies them to be international footballers. To me, that's a travesty of the game, but in these days of "we must win", all thoughts about the "beautiful game" go by the board. I doubt we will ever hear of the game be thus described again.

When the maximum players' wage system was dropped in 1961, I recall that the protagonists were saying that film stars got paid enormous sums and claimed that they were football's equivalent, so therefore they should be paid equally - as entertainers. But if you can call today's England play "entertainment" then I am lost for words, apart from about 15 minutes in the whole of yesterday's game.

Sorry, but that's my feelings. Younger football followers will certainly be first in disagreeing I suppose.

One other thing in last night's game. We won 4-0, but where was the Ukraine defence on each of those occasions. England's scorers got away with murder. The first goal can be excused so early in the game, Sterling and Kane being so very alert to the opportunity, but then to allow 3 headers to go in without proper challenge would have had us pulling our hair out if it had been England defenders.

Er, that explains why I've lost my hair - through watching football! 😂

Well, having said all that I do now expect England to win the trophy. The main hurdle will be Italy in the final (I feel England will end up facing them), but I think we would have the edge - especially playing the mostly old-style Italian football England play these days. But, who knows, Italy may show them how to play in old England-style!

At least 'footie' gets you talking... 😁

That Was The Football Week That Was - And Is!

The result of the prosecution case against Dalian Atkinson's main police assailant seems to have gone the right way, but it has taken so long to get there - and what a sad story it is.

Having spent an hour or two with Dalian at the Villa archives back in 2009, it is hard to believe that only 7 years later he met his end in the way he did, and clearly in a very sad state of mind. That was not my impression of the man in 2009, still possessing all the attributes of an athlete with strong muscles. As he left me I went to slap him on the back but my hand virtually rebounded! Such a nice fellow too, and, indeed, what a fine footballer he was when it mattered.

I was astounded when I heard of his death, the reminder of which this week put a little cloud over football for me.

Nevertheless, I tuned in to watch Jack's re-appearance in an England shirt, and enthused over his play in the first half. But was it my imagination or were one or two England players not wanting to pass to him? I got the impression that Sterling was such a culprit, but maybe I'm wrong. However, although Sterling scores the odd important goal, he is one player I otherwise find little to enthuse over.

But Saka and Jack showed on occasion how our England team needs to play with energy rather than the dour and well-coached passing routines we have witnessed in most of the 3 games played in the group stage.

What I find so extraordinary is that we were told decades ago how the FA was schooling our youngsters to produce England teams to be proud of, only to be subjected to mainly boring football of late. "Win by all means" is, I suppose, the mantra.

Perhaps I am being unkind, and now we're out of the group stage we'll see something that is more like what we'd like to see. Germany is next up, on Tuesday, and when it comes to playing us they very dearly hate to lose. Let us pray we find the Saka-Jack energy to run them off the park!

Back to the Villa and we already have two signings under our belt, but for me it's the free one - Ashley Young - that I find more intriguing. He seems to have done a good job at Inter in the 15 months or so he was there, so maybe there's good life still there in the 35-year-old. 

I sign off recalling Ashley's superb last minute winner at Everton some 12 years ago. More please!

UTV!

Reviewing The Season: The Upsides And The Downsides

Two straight wins against top-6 sides to finish the season must, I suppose, have fulfilled Dean's promise of a "strong finish" to the season, and have doubtless left all Villans with a good feeling. The return of Jack in the starting line-up surely contributed as inspiration to the team as a whole, with the marvellous Nakamba certainly living up to his name in both encounters, apart from the overall commitment, particularly by the Villa's defence.

I would be the first to say there has been some wonderful effort (and money) invested over the last three years to put the club into what seems to be a stable and very promising position, with the youth team highlighting the best of the planning by producing young players of the ilk that we have seen. This evening will hopefully top off their remarkable season by carrying off the Youth Cup.

So, we have really good young players coming through, we have owners who have very deep pockets, and there is a structure now in existence at the Villa which appears to be really up to the mark and working as a team. Their philosophy of imbibing a system of play through the club as the Villa Way must surely bring good results, hopefully coming to fruition for the club's 150th anniversary in three years' time, if not before. 

Yet dare I say that the late season could have produced more? We have finished in 11th position, the top of the bottom half, though 10 points ahead of the next club below us, yet we won the opening four games, with the trouncing of the then-current champions Liverpool, 7-2. A remarkable result, though contributed to by their defence seeming to be in a different world.

Then, following a 2-game blip, we thrashed Arsenal 3-0 on their own ground. And we were undefeated in December with 3 wins and 2 draws, including one at Chelsea. At the end of that month, we lay in 5th place.

In the season as a whole, we mostly did well against the top-10 clubs, with the exception (results-wise) of the two Manchester clubs and West Ham. We won more games than we lost.

So what happened after the New Year? 

Of course, Covid has been a perpetual worry throughout the season, and it seemed to threaten the viability of football, so that issue has to be taken seriously. But it was and is an issue that affects all clubs.

As we all know, the absence of Grealish for some 12 games was a serious blow, but his absence did not happen until mid-February, by which time we had already slipped since the start of the year, showing a record of P8 W3 D1 L4, including poor defeats against Burnley (away) and West Ham (home) before Jack began his absence. Against lowly Burnley we led 1-0 and 2-1 and should have put the game to bed a long time before that, but lost. The very same happened towards the end of the season at lowly Crystal Palace.

Injuries did play their part, with on-loan Barkley suffering a strange one and he never since really re-captured his early-season development, and has now returned to Chelsea. Other injuries apart from Grealish have affected Trezeguet and Sanson, both of whom were starting to make some impact at the time of their injuries, and Matty Cash, who is hard to replace.

So even with Grealish available, the team was faltering in early 2021, but without Grealish, the team seemed utterly lost until late on. Even McGinn, with all his energy, was not able to provide the inspirational drive. Others seemed unable to wear the mantle as leaders in the attacking half of the field, apart from Ollie.

The Villa defence, however, has mostly been without blemish. The odd wobble has been shown, but exemplary performances from all of them have usually been the case. Targett has been a revelation - I have rarely seen such an improvement in a player - and his full-back partner Cash was mostly great in his first season. And then there is Martinez. Wow.

The centre-backs, including (latterly) Hause, have generally been extremely good. 

So where is Villa's weakness? It has to be in midfield. Apart from Jack they seem not to be able to take command of the play. They often show promise but deliver too little in my view. And in the past two matches, Nakamba seemed to be mostly occupied in supporting his defenders.

So to the future. There will be constructive changes made, without doubt, and I hope that the midfield is strengthened. Perhaps Sanson may provide that commanding strength.

Meanwhile, supporters seem to be getting excited about the prospect of Tammy returning, but for me, that is the least of Villa's needs. While he was at Villa on loan he was playing in the Championship, and despite the 25 goals or so he scored, he must have missed another 15 good chances. Today it's about the Premier League, and if Chelsea cannot find space for him when they themselves are short of other effective strikers, then what is the point of Villa spending £40m on a player who has not shown himself to be effective in the top league?

And there is the matter of Keinan Davis. I do not think he's been given a proper chance. And Wesley?

Aside from all that, is the Villa midfield capable enough of getting the ball to their strikers? Of course, I may well be proven to be totally wrong next season!

But now to relax and prepare for the Youth Cup final! It should be good to watch.

Have a good summer!

UTV!

Well, At Least We Have The Youth Team!

The heartening performances this season by the Villa youngsters - including that performance against the Liverpool first team in the FA Cup - has been the real highlight of the season. Putting six past Newcastle and then four against the Baggies on Friday has put the Villa well and truly favourites to win the FA Youth Cup, but we have the not small hurdle of having to beat Liverpool Youth to achieve that. Can they stop the Villa steamroller?

That Raikhy feller can certainly hit a good pass, with Chuky and Barry doing their usual in the proceedings so far, and all three must surely breakthrough into the first team.

Talking of the Villa Youth causes me to recall way back to 1960 when the first really good Villa youth team emerged, containing the likes of Deakin, Sleeuwenhoek, and Baker, but they made mistakes in the quarter-final against Chelsea (whose players soon became big names in league football) and so did not progress any further. 

We then fast forward to the Youth Cup-winning team of 1972 (was it really nearly 50 years ago?) and the emergence of Brian Little and John Gidman. Then further good sides until well into the 2000s, that produced the likes of Vassell, Gabby, and the Moore brothers (Stephan and Luke). A lot was expected of the Moores but they somehow fell away after promising in the first team.

Another player that emerged from the Youth setup was Mark Albrighton, who really did seem to establish himself at one stage, but then fell away. Why was it that he fell away, I wonder, for look at him now! Not only a League winner with Leicester (2016) but also now gaining a Cup Winner's medal. When he left Villa at the time there were a lot of puzzled faces around.

Mark himself tells us a bit about that (with acknowledgement to the Birmingham Mail), when Villa did not make an offer to him to renew his contract:

I just totally loved the club. I knew no different. That was my life. Aston Villa was my life since I was young. I'd probably say I was getting a bit complacent there and never really pushed on as much as I could.

But whatever was on the table for me I would have accepted, 100 per cent; a one-year or even a pay-as-you-play or whatever. I didn't even think in my head that I would leave Villa.

Once I'd got to grips with the fact that there was no conversation to be had, I phoned my agent back and he named the clubs that were interested. I chose Leicester as my preference and I went there, spoke to the manager, spoke to Steve Walsh on my phone. He was singing my praises, he told me how good it was at Leicester and he sold it for me.

I'm not just blaming other people for that, that was down to me as well. I never kicked on as much as I could. [At Villa] I was always known as the kid from the youth team at Villa. That's how I felt. Once I had gone to Leicester I was a signing. I was brought in. So somebody along the way has gone, 'I like Marc Albrighton. We'll sign Marc Albrighton'. That sat well with me.

C'est la vie. It was the Villa's loss.

Back to the first team (groan!), the last two matches have been a wrench, with Villa today repeating their trick away against Burnley by leading 1-0 and then 2-1, but still losing 2-3. What is it when we play claret and blue teams? Er, Crystal Palace's colours were claret and blue until ca. 1967, and we did help 'em out a lot when they first got established in their current form (1905). 

So much for the "strong finish to the season" message from Dean Smith.

If it's any help, Dean, our recent performance away at Everton and in today's first half were a lot to do with being given space by the opposition. When we have space we look good, but, as Everton showed when they came to Villa Park a few days ago, when the opponents play it tight, Villa wilt. And again today.

Lessons are there to be learnt; I hope they learn them, for it's not about making more big signings but more (to me at least) a question about being tougher in their approach.

We shall see what next season brings. It will be better. I think.

UTV!

Heads Up Guys!

Well, one thing is sure is that Everton are not Man U! These last two games were a bit like the difference between chalk and cheese, or even the difference between blue and red.

As for Villa's performances in these last two matches, I am actually quite heartened, despite this defeat. For the first time since Jack took a back seat, in this past week I have seen movement and commitment in the Villa that shows a good basis for next season. At long last the look of reliance on Jack - the appearance that the rest of the team had lost their leader - had gone: they look as though they are a team though clearly there are two or three problems that need sorting.

Today we gave away an unnecessary penalty, as in the first game at Old Trafford, and with the same two players involved, Pogba and Luiz. And once that had gone in I felt something in my veins suggesting that they would grab a quick second. My veins are clearly a problem for me.

I have to say something about Traore. There are those that say he doesn't do enough, but if he can muster out of nothing a goal such as he scored today then for my money he's worth his place. And that wasn't the only thing he did: the way he stole the ball away from Pogba on the edge of our penalty area made me chuckle. Pogba didn't know what had hit him and clearly thought that he was about to score. Traore was also nicely involved in a few moves, but towards the end he could have done better with the final ball. Perhaps he was getting tired, poor feller.

Barkley was greatly improved against his old mates at Everton, but today he was not allowed to sparkle so much. He looked a bit flat, but still an improvement on a few games ago.

But we now have a very interesting situation with Watkins seeing red today. Surely Davis will have to start on Thursday versus Everton; Wesley doesn't look ready to me. Should Jack also be back for this one then the chances of Davis making his mark would be vastly increased. I also would like to see Sanson replace Luiz, though perhaps we'll only see him as a sub. Luiz is pretty tidy in his midfield passing, but I clench my teeth when he goes into a tackle in or around our penalty box. I remember thinking the same about Gueye.

But perhaps Ramsay will get the nod.

Anyhow, heads up! I feel the club will be more like what we hope for next season - and those long-named young players on today's bench will hopefully be part of Villa's resurgence.

UTV!

Villa For Europe?!

Was this the same team that we have seen labouring so much these past few weeks? Was this the same Barkley that seemed to have been stuck in left-over Everton toffee? Was this a resurrection of the players because they believe their skipper is soon to reappear?

Well, I'm not sure what the real answer is to any of those questions! All I know is that Villa could well have been 4-2 up at half-time, the woodwork having intervened twice, and Pickford pulling off 2 or 3 England-class saves, some amidst old-fashioned goalmouth excitement.

Apart from that, what about the crispness and fluidity of Villa's movement? This was another class of football altogether through most of this match, with Barkley suddenly finding his feet after weeks looking nothing like his early Villa form.

However - and there has to be a 'but' - was it partly due to Everton giving Villa the space they needed to gain confidence? Their central defenders certainly looked slow and ponderous and Watkins gaily took advantage of that, muscling his way past one to slip the ball past Pickford. And he very nearly repeated the dose not long after.

The second half was not quite so fluid as Everton seemed to have been told by their boss to not give Villa so much room, but after 15 minutes of not being sure of which way the match might go, Villa came back and were very much worthy winners. In fact, the scoreline should have been greater, with Everton hardly troubling Martinez in the second half.

Well done Villa. Even El Ghazi came back second half, after an indifferent first period, to trouble the Toffees' defence, and took his chance very well. Traore - the other wide man - also showed what a lovely player he can be on several occasions, setting up Barkley's run in the first half and then providing El Ghazi with his scoring chance. Ollie was - well - just Ollie.

After saying all that, I will add that I always feel that this fixture is always an interesting one to watch. I feel there is somehow an ingrained attitude between the two clubs that stems from the fact that this is the oldest - the most long-running - league fixture in the world.

From my deep researches into the Villa's history, I sense that there has been this respect (and also sporting competitiveness) that goes back 130 years plus, including that great Cup Final of 1897. Other matches, such as that wonderful match and last-seconds winner by Ashley Young at Goodison some 13 years ago, and a 3-3 draw at Villa Park in 2009, fairly took the breath away. The elderly distant cousin I took to that last-mentioned match (a Villa fan going back some 70 years) nearly had a heart attack, so much was he carried away by it having not seen the Villa play for 50 years.

There was even a match between the two clubs in the 1920s when Villa were down to 8 fit men on the field and yet held Everton 1-1, finally conceding two goals in the last few minutes.

Yes, I always look upon this fixture with some anticipation. Next week - against Man U - may be a different kind of match, but if Jack is back for that one, it will be all the more interesting!

Villa for Europe this year? Perhaps not, but at least a top-half finish looks more likely now.

UTV!

PS I was disappointed that Keinan was again benched, but the match was such that even that disappointment got lost in the moment.

Wow! What A Terrific Claret And Blue Performance!

When I switched on the box after 60 minutes of play I was amazed! I had not seen such committed play by the Claret and Blues for a long time, striving for, and winning, most of the balls. And here they were, against one of our 'derby' teams, showing such fight. When Matt Lowton won the ball and struck a beauty that was only just saved, my heart pumped even more. But wait: Ashley Westwood then strode forward and blasted the ball home to make it 4-0! Then I woke up! 

Of course, I was watching Burnley against Wolves in the early kick-off! And it just so happened that two old Villans (who we thought were not good enough for us) were helping their team in a massive way.

But as soon as I saw Burnley's display I knew instinctively what my post would say today. I felt that, yet again, we would be seeing our team play without any sense of the drive shown by Burnley. And we were so slack that I thought the Baggies would win in the end.  In fact, the match, with two penalties and an own goal being the story behind the three opening goals, seemed to illustrate just how the match was going.

Then, with 10 minutes to go, up pops Davis - our long underplayed bench-warmer - to show how it could be done. 

First, Davis swivels like Zola but fires at the keeper, then he swivels like McGinn and cracks the outside of the post, and then he anticipates that Albion might be brainwashed into thinking that we're not bothered by being alert to some over-confident defending and pokes it home for his first Premiership goal.

Good for Davis! At least he was awake. I reckon he must have been sitting on the bench thinking "Just let me at 'em!"

Apart from the last 10 or 15 minutes, Villa must have been thinking that all they have to do is turn up to win, so slack was their play. I was glad to see Luiz go off and replaced with the more motivated Ramsey. Barkley also should have gone off earlier, let alone not started. When I saw the starting line-up with Barkley in it I groaned.

What does Davis have to do to earn a start alongside Ollie?

What was better for me is that Davis got the equaliser and took the spotlight off Wesley. I have plenty of sympathy for Wesley, but more for Davis.

Ah, well. The season doth slither to an end. Perhaps Sean Dyche should replace Dean, then we might at least see some real action every week. Or am I being facile?

I am, however, seriously worried that Dean thinks that by just playing cosy football that Villa will get somewhere.

UTV!

What A Footballing Week!

Amidst all the grief that is taking place in the world, added to the experience of football fans who have been locked out of their footballing homes, we witnessed this week the phenomenon of a jet-set that had decided that they were way above the clouds. It was almost as though they had been flying at such an altitude that the minions below mattered little.

Of course, the move towards a breakaway European Super League was so much opposed by those clubs own fans plus the rest of the football world that it was quickly scrapped. Not that I expect the concept to be entirely forgotten, however. I rather suspect that they've gone away to lick their wounds and contemplate a different approach. Interesting, though, that at least there was some fall-out within their hierarchy at Manchester United and Chelsea.

For the time being, at least, we continue 'as before'. It does look, however, as though Boris Johnson wants to bring a review of football management higher up his action list, and if the government comes up with a format akin to that set by the Bundesliga, then that may cause another earthquake reaction from some sectors. We wait and see.

Anyhow, the fact of the sheer cheek that south-eastern and north-western clubs should even for one moment think they're above the rest does make me think about how we've arrived at this point. So I decided to look into this matter a bit more, and as a starting point, I soon found - hidden deep in my football archive - a statement made by a respected fellow Villa blogger many moons ago, about Arsenal, who by fortune only found themselves in the top tier in 1919, and (give them credit) have never since been relegated from that station.

Anyhow that blogger went on, comparing the Villa's history with Arsenal (one of the proposed 'big-6' English breakaway teams) in recent decades:

The most recurring question is how two clubs with such similar sized grounds (around 40k [this was in 2003]) could have so very different amounts of financial clout? While Villa sold, they seemed to buy. While one club built on its strength; Villa's success was always followed by desperate decline. It's a mystery.

Well, I'm not so sure it is quite such a mystery. It may be a coincidence, but the entertainment industry, in general, started to mushroom in the early 1920s, and where was Arsenal situated? In the heart of all that in the comparatively well-heeled north London, not that far from the then great major British film studios and the West End. As the 1920s progressed, Arsenal attracted stars of stage and screen to its sanctuary and thereby its status grew, while Villa - resident in an industrial heartland - gained very little of that kind of status even though it had more than helped to lay the foundations of football's attraction in the pre-WW1 years.

Another near-breakaway club, Spurs, of course, being close to Arsenal, also benefitted from the razzamatazz acclaim, though their rise to great fame came much later, but - despite some quarters insisting otherwise - still does not have a history that is better than the Villa's.

Chelsea's big rise in status only came with the development of the Premier League and in particular through the Russian spendthrift, though it is true to say that from the beginning of their history (1905) they attracted a very big following in London, and the 1960s saw Chelsea dazzle for a time.

So that's the south-east. How about the north-west? Again, none of Liverpool, Man U, and certainly not Man C, were much taken notice of until after WW2. It was the great disaster of the 1958 Munich air-crash that decimated the Busby Babes that pulled at the nation's heartstrings, and rightly so.

It could be said that the abolition of the maximum footballers' wage in 1961, plus the strident managership of (firstly) Matt Busby at Manchester United, then Bill Shankley at Liverpool, brought about the polarisation towards the north-west by the 1960s, with London (mainly Arsenal and Spurs) at that time in tandem. Villa, as with the industrial status of Birmingham, dropped from view except as being regarded like an elderly wise gentleman getting towards the end of his days.

A popular view of the English economy is that it's always been seated in London, with Manchester gathering status since (as it happens) the start of the Premier League, again to the detriment of Birmingham. Even in 1981, when the Villa was apparently starting an era of re-joining the football elite, a severe economic downturn affected the West Midlands and, therefore, football attendances at Villa Park (Villa's primary source of income then) - despite Villa's European success at that time.

The key matter is, however, that since 1992 (the foundation of the Premier League, now 29 years old) only the two Manchester clubs, Arsenal and Chelsea, with Liverpool hovering, have dominated English football in terms of trophies and have thus amassed further great wealth, adding to the financial support of their owners.

Added to all that has been the bias of the national media since WW2, becoming particularly London-focused as time passed. How players of the ilk of Brian Little and Gordon Cowans could get so little international recognition is largely a reflection, I suggest, of that situation.

So that's a broad portrait as to why Villa have not been considered (by the media) as being one of the 'big' clubs anymore, despite the fact that much of Villa's history indicates otherwise. I have not taken into account the Doug Ellis period - particular 1992-2006 - of which there is a good deal of probably valid conjecture that he held Villa back by his financial policies, but that is only part of the story.

As to today? It would be easy to think that nothing much has changed going by the visit of Manchester City this week. Despite a so early Villa goal taken with great alacrity, the understrength Villa had no answer to the precise football that is City, though they also were understrength. Villa had a chance to get back into the game after Stones' blood-to-the-head challenge on poor Ramsey (the second, but much worse, assault on his body), but that advantage lasted 13 minutes playing time. Villa instead decided to self-destruct with Cash's impetuous tackles.

But the sheer lack of confidence in the Villa ranks of being able to pass to claret shirts was a worry throughout the match. Meanwhile, as the game wore on, the City players seemed to regard the Villa players as mere boys, to bypass at their leisure. At least the score was 2-1 and not 6-1 (as last season).

Well, Davis got 45 minutes but gained virtually no support. Just where was Villa's midfield? And what has happened to Barkley? One corner-kick (Villa's only one) was his only effective contribution, which Davis met with alacrity and placed into the goalmouth, only to find the other clarets asleep.

The positive matter that the Villans have to hang onto is that this surely continues to be an evolutionary phase, but saying that makes me wince, as Lerner's running down of the club from 2010 (almost as a mirror of Ellis) effectively caused a long period of re-establishment. It may be two or three years yet before real fruit emerges from this re-planted oak tree.

Is Villa a 'big club'? Of course. But it's about time the world could see more proof of that. I do believe, though, that Aston Villa's latest owners can and will do much - if Boris, and the world's situation, will allow them to.

UTV!