So with me worrying somewhat that we might not be able to sustain our run against the Blues, it would seem we actually performed really well, with us dominating the game and grabbing a well-deserved 3 points that kept the momentum going.
The good news for me was the continuing fact that we don’t need to rely on the strikers these days and it seems goals are likely to come from any of our players, which is always a good sign.
I won’t harp on about that game, as although it was a great result, so it’s gone and we move on to another very tough test against Fulham, at the Cottage.
Squad news first and Albert Adomah has a tight hamstring, while Jack Grealish suffered a knock on the calf.
Both are quite a bit doubtful, but my guess is they’ll be itching to play and probably will do, unless they’re over-ruled.
It’s amazing how differently players feel, when they’re playing well and the team’s on a roll.
Fulham will have a late look at captain Tom Cairney, after a niggling knee injury.
Otherwise, both squads are pretty much ok.
It’s interesting to note that many of us see Fulham as perhaps the major threat to the Villa taking second place in the league.
It’s a view that I concur with, as they’re playing some nice footy and have won their last six games at home.
But I wonder how many of us knew that Fulham face six of the top eight Championship teams in the next three weeks?
I certainly didn’t and if they come through that particularly well, they’ll definitely be challenging.
I’m minded to think that it’s a big ask though and it may be a chance for us to gain some more daylight between us and them, regardless of what happens tomorrow.
If you’d asked me a few months ago how we’d get on in this fixture, I’d probably have said that we have very little chance and the draw would be the best we could hope for.
But following on from the “Can you see it now?” post, I now think our chances are better than that.
While I don’t think we’re anywhere near perfect, we’re a much more cohesive outfit these days.
There’s a resilience about the defence and the team seems much more “together” than it’s been for a very long time.
All in all, it makes us very tough to beat.
But that doesn’t mean that we should sit back and try to nick the point, at all.
Fulham have the guile to unlock the tightest of defences and they will, if you let them.
Fortunately, I think Bruce has a lot more confidence in the team these days and will not shackle the side.
The players are brimming with confidence too and I’m sure they’ll try to take it to Fulham, as best they can.
If we can keep them on the back foot, I’d be quite confident of us actually winning this.
But I’m not going to take that extra step in predicting a win.
This is a really tough game, I reckon and if we can nick the win, it might actually be a game-changer in my outlook.
But given that I can’t pick my nose, let alone the right result, I’m going for the draw.
I suspect we’ll concede.
So 1-1 it is.
And I’d happily take that.
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