Wow, the last match of the season was played as though it was akin to a Cup Final, although our contribution was essentially a well-martialled defence, two really well-taken goals and a spot of fortune. Until we made our first substitution we rode a bit of luck but certainly made City look a tad frustrated. In bringing on Nakamba, however, lies a tale that is linked to other events this past season.
At least we made a match out of it, and that is pleasing. Even if we had won it we would only have gained a couple of places in the League. Our final placing this season has been nothing to write home about and disappointing following what was at least a little progress in the previous two seasons. To not win one of the last three home games was quite galling.
We can try to analyse the past season until we go cross-eyed, but I'll leave Pete the Canadian to talk about the technical points. From a general perspective, however, it seems to me that we have experienced a very deflating season given that with £100 million pounds acquired from Jack's sale we were supposed to have purchased three players that would at least make up for Jack's exit. But have they done that? I fear not.
Not only did those three summer signings never gain a true rapport with their colleagues (though Bailey was never able to get going after his recovery from injury), but when Gerrard arrived he seemed to make the waters even more muddy by effectively demoting Targett and Konsa, two players who did very well for us last season. Konsa seemed a shadow of his former self at times and the two red cards acquired in the season by him were most unlike Konsa, I thought. Nothing nasty about what he did on those occasions, but they seemed to reflect his changed thinking in some ways.
After doubts about Digne after his replacement of Targett, he now seems to have found his feet and has shown good defensive ability as well as an attacking flair, which is Targett's shortcoming. Seeing one full back cross beautifully for his full back colleague to score was a most unusual sight.
I feel that with the chances that have been created this season, Watkins and Ings should have scored 30 goals between them, though Ings (one of those summer signings) has probably been the more profligate. People were saying that he was bound to score quite a few, but he missed quite a few more than he's scored. Buendia would have received more acclaim if Ings had taken the chances that Buendia supplied, as well as to Watkins.
Buendia has done much more, in my opinion, than perhaps people think. He's very quick to see a possibility but I fear that the strikers have not shown the same alacrity.
The season was muddied further by the sharp change in culture that marked Dean's departure and Stevie's arrival, and perhaps we have to leave the season's problems as being mostly linked to that. It has certainly seen a lot of stuttering performances, not helped (I feel) by the substitution decisions made by Stevie - such as Sunday's first when the defence was probably unsettled by the insertion of Nakamba, just when we seemed capable of riding out whatever City had to throw at us.
Still, I have to applaud Steve's acquisition of Chambers, and perhaps Phil coming on board may have a greater effect next season. Digne has now proved himself.
I am not a great fan of Luiz, however, and neither Nakamba. It's that section of the midfield that has been most problematical as I see it, and it's where I see new faces appearing for next season, as well as good striker support for Ollie. I feel that Archer may well be that person.
Well, I wonder whether Villa's target of reaching European competition will have been attained in the two seasons to go before the 150th anniversary of our great club. We were a bit late in getting back to the top flight for our 100th anniversary (1974) and also misfired in the 1924 Cup Final even though Villa were on top for 90% of that game (I am told!). But it was amazing that Villa got to the final that year having lost their excellent centre-half, Tommy Ball, to his neighbour's bullet just months before.
This next season will be interesting for all kinds of reasons. Will Gerrard become the new Sir Alex Ferguson that the Villa ownership seems to think that he is? We will see: at the moment I am in two minds. I am probably bamboozled that Newcastle turned things around so much to make Villa's efforts look almost puny.
Enjoy your summer!
UTV!
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