Well, if you play average opposition over four games and score 15 goals in the process I suppose you can get a bit complacent. But there is complacency and there is naivety, for surely everyone knows that if you go to Anfield they'll run at you and pass you by if you'll let them.
Unfortunately, no one seems to have told Mr. Torres that as he tried (what we now know is) his normal shimmy and was robbed of the ball, leading to a corner that produced a goal. And that in the third minute too. What a way to get shaken up, and then followed by Matty's own goal, which was just plain unfortunate. And in-between Carlos having to come off the field with yet further injury.
In reality, the final score could have been about 6-3, but a three-goal deficit whichever way you look at it. At no time in the match did we really look as though we might come back into it, but we had three fluffed chances that went begging, and if one had gone in who knows what might have happened.
I couldn't help but notice that after Messrs. Zaniolo and Duran came on there was a touch more sharpness, but being already 3-0 down didn't do much for their confidence as they couldn't put anything on target. But it was a general sharpness that Villa lacked today after their menu of average opposition in the last few weeks. After Newcastle and now Anfield we should by now have learnt our lesson and be following our Club's own ancient motto: "Prepared".
I suppose that having spent so much on new players the expectancy factor is so much higher, but that expenditure brings me to think about the sale of Aaron Ramsey, Archer and Philogene. Archer already shows quality for the Premiership - I saw it two years ago against Chelsea and two really good strikes for the Blades over the week-end confirms his quality. Yes, I know we have buy-back clauses for each of them, but these players really needed better massaging for first-team action last season, not to be dealt with in the way that has transpired, though I will accept that the Club's pragmatic target was European competition for this season.
Well, let's dust ourselves down and pick ourselves up for the visit of the once claret-and-blue team of Crystal Palace. We have two weeks nearly to work out how to do it! In particular, how do we solve the cenre-back crisis that has emerged now Carlos has gone down again. And will Mr. Torres not be so casual in the future? At present, I live in fear of what good opposing sides may do to our defence.
Still, there are plenty of average sides to practise against and get points off.
UTV!
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