Hopefully a few of you will have wondered where I’ve been for the last few weeks.
It’s probably best to start at the beginning, where in May, I noticed an enlarged gland in my neck.
I was straight onto the NHS site and followed the advice that you give it three weeks to see how it goes before seeking advice.
Basically, it was still there so I called my Doctor’s. Bear in mind everywhere was locked down at this time, but I suppose what I was presenting, combined with my age etc, meant she was willing to see me straightaway.
She looked at it and said that she was referring me to a specialist “just as a precaution”.
Yeah right. It’s almost a sixth sense and you just know.
Anyway, keeping it short, I saw the consultant and he asked me to go for a CT scan and biopsy.
It was really strange going into a completely seemingly empty Good Hope hospital.
Within a few days I’d been told it was cancer of the tonsils that had spread to the lymph node.
My chances of survival were around 60%.
Ah well, I like those odds and it’ll be ok. I’m fit as a fiddle and have no underlying issues.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself.
Within three weeks of me first seeing my Doctor, I was undergoing Radio and Chemotherapy, which I thought was outstanding, given the state of the hospitals at the time.
The treatment went mostly ok, but it did have it’s bad days. Vomiting the feeding tube that was inserted into my nose, for example, was a particularly bad time.
The bottom line came when the consultant made an appointment for me to have a PET scan, which is what would tell me if things were looking good or if I was in a really bad place.
And it was as the appointment approached, that things really started to dawn on me and my priorities changed.
Whereas my life had revolved around work, it suddenly didn’t matter. I wasn’t even sure if I’d ever be going back, let alone wondering when it would be.
I started thinking more about my partner and started doing things to improve the house and make her happy. Financial issues on my demise became way more important.
Even running this site suddenly wasn’t important and Hitchens60 helped me out massively by holding the fort while I got my head round things and waited for the results. I’d really like to thank him for that and hope he continues to contribute.
Anyway, the upshot is I got the results on Wednesday and I’m seemingly all clear and the treatment worked.
The cancer can always come back at any time and I’ll have to undergo regular scans, but at least I know things aren’t imminent and I’m no worse off in that I don’t know when my number will be up.
And where I’ve been worried for quite a while now, I’m now looking to ease my way back into work and get back in the groove.
So that’s where the perspective in the title comes from.
It’s funny how you see things differently in different situations.
Which leads me to the Villa.
I have of course, still been watching the games, but I’ve not taken any notice of transfer rumours, injuries or even comments on this site.
And the Burnley game had me fuming.
How did we manage to lose that when we were by far the better side and dominated the game?
It’s just infuriating when you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
But then, I thought about it and we should remember that last season, we probably wouldn’t have dominated the game the way we did. We’re way better than we were last year and even the commentators love talking about our game.
How much value has been added to the price of our players?
I previously suggested clubs would have to pay at least £120 million for Grealish’s services, but as it stands that figure is miles off.
Perspective. Same player, but quite a short while forward in time.
Southampton at a stupid 8pm tomorrow it is, although I suppose when you can’t go out down the pub or for a meal etc, perhaps it at least gives us something to watch.
And after me predicting a big haul of points from the six games running up to Christmas, I don’t know what to think.
I’m not sure how far off my prediction was, but I do know is was quite a way.
And my confidence has waned a little.
This game is one I’d be concerned about, as Southampton play the sort of football that can easily catch us out.
I remember thinking we weren’t bad against them last season, but they took their chances well.
We’re a much better proposition this season though and are capable of scoring multiple goals against anyone.
Teams know it too, which means they’ll be just a bit more cagey.
We went toe to toe with Man City, which was another annoying game, after all.
Squad news is that we’re pretty good and the squad that went to Burnley came back unscathed.
Hause is still out, as is Wesley.
There is of course some news that I couldn’t miss and it was the departure of Hourihane, to be replaced by the signing of Morgan Sanson.
That’s an interesting signing, not because it was obvious we needed some backup in midfield, but it makes you wonder who he’s going to replace, if indeed it’s anybody. You’d have to suspect he’ll have come to the Villa to be getting games and not be a substitute and it’s my guess that the idea is he replaces Ross Berkley who will cost us a fortune if we want to buy him.
I personally don’t see the side changing tomorrow, but I’d expect Sanson to get a few minutes to help find his feet.
What a shame that it’ll be at an empty ground.
As for the Saints, they have a few players coming back.
Ryan Bertrand will be back after his suspension, as will Nathan Redmond. Moussa Djenepo and Oriol Romeu are possibles while Kyle Walker-Peters is a doubt.
I see goals. More than three and I’m going for a 2-2, although my spidey sense thinks the result will be 3-2.
Who wins, I really don’t know.
Oh, one other piece of news I saw is that Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves manager has coughed up a cool £250,000 to a Hero’s charity. I’d like to think there’s a few involved in football who make similar contributions to charity, but keep quiet about it.
Either way I take my hat off to you Nuno.
And it’s nice to be back!
UTV!
Comments
63 responses to “Perspective. And Southampton tomorrow”
Phew! We got away with one there, not that we deserve some luck for a change. We certainly could have been a couple of goals behind before we scored. We definitely improved in the last 10 minutes and finished the stronger team. Let’s learn from Burnley game and keep right at it from the start of the second half.
Apparently, it’s hit Cash’s thigh first, the tiniest amount.
Just watched it again and yes it did, but I think he’d have handled anyway.
The spirit of things tells me it should been given.
We’re lucky to be 1 up, as they’ve battered us!
Badger, setting aside the ‘penalty’, I don’t think we’re lucky as the game is also about being able to defend and we did that well in an organised way and Martinez didn’t have a save to make.
Really?
I think we look a shambles at the back.
A more incisive side and we could easily be 3 down, imo.
I know it’s “could”s and “if”s but …
Showed us 7-0 on target but it changed a few minutes later Hitch, it was 7-2 with the goal, no we haven’t found that same play we had with Burnley , It might come second half hopefully. Has Cash got a left foot? Twice he could have sent the ball in an pasted it back .
I got it slightly wrong Bill; 8 – 6 shots, 0 – 3 on target.
I’d be considering Sanson on for Traore.
Or Trez.
Or El Ghazi.
Fresh legs.
This is where Smith needs to learn about tired legs.
But that was a poor decision by Mason
Needs to substitute Barkley
Yep, Barkley, McGinn and Traore haven’t fired today, for me.
6 mins. Fergie Time.
I was thinking that, OLL. Seems a lot?
Offside.
Omg, that’s close. Just his arm up to the sleeve.
Lucky again, but it is off.
We’ve suffered plenty under VAR this season with offside so it’s about time we reset the score – and with Mike Dean in the chair!
Still only need 8 points now 🙂
Phew, good result, but I still think we were very lucky.
It’s goals that count though and we got one.
Very surprised there were no subs. We’re in danger of burning some players out, imo.
yeah villa win 1 nil
good performance in a tough game, villa had the better chances. var went for us for the first time since the dinosaurs. martinez had a dodgy game with the ball distributing. but he was at his world class best shot saving. i thought both target and cash were brilliant. no buy into we were lucky we deserved this win.
i plead with you all have a minutes silence, cause saints didnt get the pen or the offside equaliser late on. like we never get screwed by var this week its siants. suck it up
A win is all that matters. We weren’t anywhere near our best and got the rub of the green with VAR for once. I was shouting for Smith to make substitutions because we had too many players flagging. Traore seems to disappear in the second half of games. Barkley was struggling after about 60 minutes and McGinn again for me looked way off his best. Defensively though it was a gutsy performance and I think Mings actually went through the entire game without a mistake.
It’s looking good so far and we are nearly safe from relegation 😏
Don’t forget that clean sheet, and another assist from Gealish. It’s about time we had the luck ,Martinez was brilliant thank God. . Right Badger the post please.
Brilliant, gritty defending from Martinez and the Villa back line. 3 great points, that we would not have got under Manchester rules.
When 6 mins went up and Villa hadn’t put a sub on I wondered if we were playing Fergie Time until they scored. When we did put a sub on (30 secs allowed) Mason added 90 secs.
We have played 3 matches more away than at home – but this year that does not appear to be an advantage.
Yet again we have met my mini targets. 20 points by Christmas and 30 points by half way mark. Time to set my next target. How many one nil wins is that now this season. We are improving bit by bit with the odd setback. Tough game but another 3 points in the bag.
I believe Hitch is on the case Bill.
I think one thing we can all agree on is that we have a lot more about us this season.
Even if we play crap, we have the ability to get a result.
It’s nice to get one over the Saints.
And yes, OLL no advantages anywhere.
Newcastle beat Everton at Goodison?
Crazy.
Fair play to Haselhuttle.
He doesn’t want to get involved with debating any of the decisions.
“It is what it is” sort of attitude.
I’d have the hump if I was him.
Welcome back Badger sort to hear of your problem but glad it’s all well now.
My wife was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer yesterday it’s a cruel world.😞
Good result for villa though scrappy game.i was screaming at the TV for a substitution towards the end when we needed fresh leg’s. That’s a problem with Smith he not very good with substitutions
Should have put subs on in last 15min against Burnley might have won.
Bloody hell Roy, I hope she’s ok fella 🙁
There’s some brilliant resources out there if you or your wife need them.
Macmillans is one and they’re there even if you just need someone to talk to.
I agree about the subs. Why wouldn’t you use them, if only to give your players a breather?
Surely an unused 7/10 player is going to be more effective than a shattered 9/10 player for the last few minutes?
I don’t get it and if we’d lost that game, Smith would have been slaughtered.
Wish you and your wife and family all the best Roy.
The 2 VARs were correct.
Mings did make 1 mistake…the back pass which Emi just got to.
We DID deserve the win.
Was Ward Prose playing ?
Yes need to get subs on as we were not sharp enough and couldnt believe we played same 11.
Jack player of the Season.
Hi Badger hope you don’t mind but how bad was the chemotherapy?she has to start next week after 1 more test result comes back that will decide if has another type of treatment with chemotherapy to shrink tumor before surgery’s whichever but almost certain mastectomy so not good already had to be covid19 vaccine early.
Anyways hopefully villa will keep playing well take mind off things.
Take care hopefully you stay clear.
All the best keep 7p good work on this s8te as it’s the best one around
Roy, I don’t normally go out of my way to look at email addresses, but I’ve sent you a longish reply via your Gmail one that you signed up with, that might help to reassure you a little.
If you’ve forgotten it, just contact me on Badger123@astonvillanewsandviews.co.uk
and I’ll re-send it.
Badger, I wish you well in remaining cancer free and Roy all the best to your wife in her fight with the disease.
Well done you Villa boys last night. It seems to me that each match we play Martinez produces a world class save. What an immense purchase he has been!
Next up West Ham, who we owe a beating to after earlier this season.
Sid, not only for that beating but to shut my next door neighbour up and his kids, they eat sleep and wear the gear and crow .me take it on the chin, I’m watching it again now again and, ok we didn’t put it together like we been doing but hell didn’t we defend well. Still think Barkley don’t have the legs like we should have ,and I’ve seen him again pull out on a challenge but good on moving the ball . I don’t know why we dont tend to replace a flagging player, still we are doing ok so far. West ham and Arsenal games will sort the men from the boy’s.
You can see why Southampton are a threat to anybody in EPL. Romeo is an outstanding defender, who manages to get to the ball carrier in most counter attacks. Ward-Prowse is a great dead ball kicker. Thankfully Villa, by committing so few fouls just outside the penalty area, gave him only one chance. Ings is a real goal poacher.
They bossed our midfield about: which explains the possession stats and the pattern of the game. I suggest it also explains why Villa signed another experienced midfielder. If we can improve our midfield performance so we are 50/50 with the best midfields, we have the rest of the weapons to be a top 4 team.
Take our two games in Manchester as examples. United’s midfield isn’t top 4 material, so Villa were able to go toe-to-toe and should have shared the points.
City midfield dominated us. In the second half they pushed us back to 8 men in our area. Though Villa were swindled for the first goal, we were a long way off winning that game.