Is Villa Still A Sleeping Giant?

We watch as the Premier League rolls on, surprise results dropping the Villa a couple more places down the table. The most surprising of which was probably Brighton's result at Spurs!

A week ago we allowed ourselves to be thoroughly whacked by the Spurs steamroller, but along comes a workmanlike Brighton to demonstrate that Spurs are not to be feared in the process of stealing all the points. 

A few weeks ago, Arsenal also beat us on our own turf. I thought then that it was strange that Arsenal players should be gloating over the win in the way they did, and then it became clear why: Arsenal were also a vulnerable side who managed to gloss over their cracks against a relatively timid Villa. The next week Arsenal were thumped at Crystal Palace and then were beaten on their own turf by ... that team again: Brighton.

This has been a most worrying season. Clearly, Villa's up-and-down performances in the first few games were by no means due just to Dean Smith. The players just do not seem to have cottoned on to the fact that to get anywhere they must do more than just turn up. The first half against Spurs has to be replicated for the whole match, not relaxing at the start of each period to give goals away.

Getting a couple of good results against lower sides does not mean that you are then qualified to strut around as though you're world beaters (when you're not). Yes, there is an inherently wrong psychological issue with certain players, in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, it's not just the players: after an encouraging start, I don't think Gerrard's approach has been the best either. I feel that he has added to the nervousness by his perpetual statements about changing things - and doesn't. And then states open criticism of players when the situation may need more of a Dean Smith approach.

Since Gerrard arrived, I have felt that Targett was dealt with over-harshly. Perhaps bringing in Digne would have been fine if he had shown himself to be a world-beater, but I have not seen significant improvement over Targett. 

And then we have the Konsa situation. This is not the same player that we saw under Dean Smith.

I ask the question - will the apparent sales and purchases planned for the summer really bring the desired results? I doubt it if Gerrard's methods are not also improved. And it is about time that we saw more youngsters being given a real opportunity. Archer is one that must surely be given his chance next season in place of one of the misfiring strikers we have. In fact, I would find a Keinan Davis plus Archer combination quite interesting. Both have earned plenty of plaudits while out on loan, but in the second tier of course.

It has been a most disappointing season. I believe we started the season with players that should have achieved a top-8 place, and I still believe they should have achieved that, if not better. But it appears now that we will be lucky if we improve on last season's finish.

Well, we won't know more about any progress until the summer deals have taken place and a few games into next season have rolled by. All we can do in the meantime, it seems, is to look forward to the extension of the Villa Park stadium! Still no talk of a museum though, from what I can make out.

UTV!