Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling very optimistic this evening.
Not so much that I see us getting the three points easily, but certainly enough to think we can get a point and possibly even sneak the win.
I know. Looking at the current league positions you might think I’m crackers.
And on average you’d be right. The higher placed teams normally beat the lower placed ones.
But this is footy, where we all know it doesn’t always work like that.
I said I’d talk about form. Well, Huddersfield at home more precisely.
They’ve been beaten at home by Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan(!) and Newcastle, the latter just on Saturday.
They’ve also been held to draws by Birmingham and Blackburn.
So they are NOT invincible, by any means.
That said, they do have very decent form and I’m perhaps clutching at straws.
So what’s in our favour?
Well, we know we’re on a roll and we have momentum. The player’s confidence must be at least improved.
And Hudderfield’s pitch has not held up to the rigours of a footy season. Couple the fact that there’s Rugby played there too and it’s frankly rubbish, which won’t suit their passing style.
Then again, our squad is depleted and we’re having to play some of the U-23’s by the look of it.
Any new faces will surely be busting a gut and it’s as good a time as any to see if they have the makings, as we have little to play for and the pressure should be off.
How are we going to approach the game though?
For me, Bruce should start carefully, see how it pans out and if we’re holding our own, take it to them.
What have we got too lose, after all? We’ve a weakened team anyway, so losing won’t be a disgrace.
But if Bruce tries to be too careful and plays for the draw, with a view to a counter, I’ll be somewhat disappointed, I suspect.
Hourihane is starting to look dangerous and that should be encouraged.
Head says a 1-0 loss, but my heart says 1-1, or even a 2-1.
You never know.
Arse 1 -4 Bayern.
Ouch!
reports say arsenal players have given up. reminds me of us last season
Wenger has been outdone by Sanchez, imo.
He’ll jack.
Arsenal are embarrassing even Leicester are doing better than them in CL
Another Hudds sub.
And another.
Kodjia booked for diving.
It’s running away from us 🙁
Blackett-Taylor on for taylor.
Wells goes for it 30 yards out. Just over.
Game dying, but 5 mins ET.
Villa corner.
Chester can’t control.
all over.
gutted.
when you see the goal they scored it will annoy you all. its very disappointing to lose to a basic short corner. nobody is out to meet or stop this short corner, its happened a few times this season and its down to the players not used to playing with each other and duties at set pieces knowing their duties and seeing them out. small details but vital in close games.
oh well off to bed
Par for the course we make huge defensive errors every game we play and have done for years
basic mistake again thought bruce as a defender would have sorted set plays by now
Zola and Wenger out….lol
Zola is doing a good job at Small Heath
*great job
Villa are getting better, serving it up to a promotion chasing side, but are not quite good enough. it does sound like one cheap goal given away though.
We’ve spent £80m and nowhere good enough for top 6 it’s a joke
Normal service is resumed.
One bloody chance for them and we hit the woodwork twice.
I was MASSIVELY encouraged listening to this one and were worth a point.
We took it to them and they were’nt used to it, having been respected too much by everyone else.
We’ll do Sheffield!
Bottom line is we still lost and season dead and buried despite spending £80m this season. Kodja of course will be off in the summer so will score even less next year
The season was dead and buried anyway.
This is now about improving. And we are, I reckon.
And Kodjia isn’t going anywhere, I’ll put money on that.
Where is Kodjia going to go? Xia would want double his money for him, we would still have Hogan and obviously, we’d replace him even if he left.
Always the same excuses though, and the same old Villa, tired of the mediocrity, week in, week out.
My thoughts exactly
Over the 2 meetings they had 2 on target to our maybe 10 and we get 1 point they get 4……getting better slowly though.When all are fit its looking a decent squad.
Yes, we’ve been unlucky.
I firmly believe we’ve seen the bottom though and will turn things around.
We’ve been unlucky the past 7 years Badger!
Depends who comes in for him. Im not a great fan of his anyway he is very poor away from home and gets bullied too easily especially away.
What we need now: Bruce to stay next season, the squad to stay together, just 1 or 2 additions in the summer, and we will be up there next season.
UTV!
I still dont see the point in Bruce substitutions? If he really wanted a win, change it up after 60 mins as players get tired or at least immediatley after they scored. But no he just waits and waits until its pointless i.e last night bringing on subs with 5/10 mins to go. I dont buy in to this theory that a couple of minutes for the kids here and there is useful. Its not! Give them a chance, at least 25 mins to do something! I just want us to be mathmatically safe now, then i can stop caring until next season.
I’ve supported Villa for sixty years – during that time we won the European cup but, by and large, the bad times have outweighed the good times. When it looked like we were on the up we immediately ‘shot ourselves in the foot’ – back to square one or worse.
Of course I want us to be successful, play football like Barcelona and win everything in sight – like every other single football fan – not going to happen.
We are not special, we have no God given right to be top of the tree just because we are Aston Villa. Look around the EFL if you want proof.
The years of poorly considered or under investment coupled with unimanagitive management has finally come home to roost.
Yet, here we are, less than a year into a new owner, new board and new opportunity and there are those who are not satisfied because they haven’t miraculously made us great again overnight.
No wonder Giddy has given up posting.
That maybe so Hitch , but why ignores my phone call, my messages, we haven’t done wrong in my eyes, anyway you can forgive me wanting it today as at 78 would like to go off the planet with the team they was when I came onto this planet. Still people today are different to people from yesterday’s world.
You talking about Giddy Bill?
Anyway you’re right Bill, deep down we’re all impatient for success me no less that anyone else. I just don’t handle consistent negativity without any objective balance very well. The world of football has changed massively (for the worse in my view) – sadly we got left behind years ago along with the likes of Forest, Leeds, Portsmouth etc. etc.
IF we get back to the Premiership will we enjoy success or be forever in the lower realms looking over our shoulders?
Some of my happiest Villa memories are of the old third division – when we were seen as the giant killing threat in the cups.
Only money talks now.
Completely agree H60 – football has lost its identity
I remember my Dad telling me football is getting too commercialised and American, it was only because the score board went digital at Villa Park !!
Footballers are a disgrace on sick amounts of money, kids look up to them but they are usually awful role models.
We missed the boat completly when the billionaire foreign owners came in and are now merely trying to play catch up, I think we should all be thankful to the Dr and be lots more patient !
True Hitch, yes Giddy I’ve rang him , messenger him and no responce, give up now as I’ve said I’ve a clear conscience with a load of problems, just wait in hope.
We win 3 games on the bounce and one thread gets 4 responses in 24 hours! Lose 1 in 4 games and the scare mongers are back!!! I sometimes wonder why I rise to it but for fuck sake be positive. We are Aston Villa but nothing gives us the god forsaken right to win every game because of who we are. We have had 5 or 6 years of turmoil if not longer but we are getting there albeit slowly. Keep the faith and positive. .
UTV
That’s because bad news travels around the world ten times quicker than good news. That’s a sad fact of life.
Is that meant to justify your negative view on all things Villa – just asking
well said rocky1
i don’t believe that anybody, could think we would struggle for as many years as we have. 5 / 6 or is it more…. constantly getting worse. then we expect to change this around in little more than 5 / 6 months its never gonna happen like that.
SB has assembled the squad, its a good squad that wont need major surgery, maybe a touch up in the summer, but this squad has time to gel now before pre season. i really believe we are going up next year as champions.i also guarantee their will still be ppl moaning. some ppl are never satisfied