Going to the next match?

The miserable results and performances at Villa Park have generated some debate as to whether it's worth going down to the ground any more! But as a Villa fan of such long standing (sometimes sitting!) I do not take that view.

I remember the 60s too well and still went down even when reason told me there's no reason to expect a win. But I have to agree that even in those days of desperation, the players' will to fight stood out even though they didn't have the skill of the best teams. You continued to support Villa then (up to 1967) because you knew they'd try to make a match out of it.

 

Now? I agree it's a different situation. The game is now mostly about money, media and makeover and the old club's tradition has (we have to say it) now gone. The players no longer feel the pride and affinity with the previous greats. As a result of the current set up we now seem more remote from the last great achievements.

 

Since the departure of dear old Eric Houghton I think that's how it has been and I think we now have to accept the fact that Aston Villa is - effectively - a new brand. No-one appears to want to listen to Denis Mortimer anymore, either.

At the moment it appears that the new brand is as a New Wigan, but I do think that the club has got higher aspirations and the evolution is just taking us through a phase.

 

However, whether the current set up have got their evolutionary execution right remains to be seen.

 

The overall approach still has to be be given time. In the short term, the performances at VP badly need addressing.

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Villanous Dreams

There's been some gnashing of teeth in the past 3 years or so about how Villa have gone down in the world (which situation we hope will change very soon!) but I was a-thinking that if we examine the last 80 years of the club's history, there have only been two significant periods (and one shorter period) to write home about.

Yes, you can argue about the 1936-39 period and 1957 and even 1960-63, but I'm talking about a solid presence in the top flight. The periods I allude to are, of course, the periods of 1976-1983, 1989-2000 (with 2 or 3 disappointing years included) and 2007-10.

So, in 80 years, we can say that Villa have provided meagre faire in more than 50 of those years. That's 67% of the last 80 years less the war years.

On the other hand, the three good periods just stated have all occurred in the last 37 years, so the meagre periods % then reduces to 23.4% for those 37 years. Not too much to shout about, but much better than virtually 100% of the 43 years from 1933 to 1976 - and particularly 1933-1970, of course.

But for a club that can boast that it's the Pride of the Midlands, the record of the last 37 years is still not what it should be given the population of the area. And, frighteningly, we're still a long, long way short of matching the post-WW2 records of the leading clubs in the north and the south.

In the 1981/1982 time we felt we were on the brink of being equal top dogs with Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal ... but the dream seems ever more to slip away, particularly these last 10 or 12 years.

But are we downhearted?! Never!! .. It's always 'Up the Villa!' so far as the supporters are concerned.
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C'mon ... Wake Up The Villa!

Oh, dear! I seem to recall that it was against yesterday's opponents last season that the second-half performance triggered off a recovery. We were spared relegation following improvements after that match, even though the result was identical. Have we gone full circle?

So, what's going on? Judging by the first-half performances of the season's first 2 home league matches we seem to be afraid of doing something wrong in front of our own people!

Still too early to judge, but we really did need 3 points from yesterday to boost morale and in view of the matches to come. The way it's going I suppose we'll win at Norwich and Hull, but lose our home matches between now and November.

Overall, I feel that Lambert's strategy is good, but he seems to be missing in a couple of vital areas - particularly defence and midfield. Clark seems to have pushed his way back in (though inadvertently). And as Scylla finished fairly well last season, why isn't he being played?

And another big worry is that only Benteke is scoring any goals in PL matches. I am surprised that Gabby hasn't chipped in yet and he certainly lost his bearings on one magnificent occasion yesterday.

If it goes on like this I can see big changes in the starting team selection ... but will it cause improvement in the quality of play, and the number of points garnered?

We can only wait and see! The life of a Villan is never easy!

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