BFR has posted the following. It’s a good call, I think, cheers fella;
As I drove towards Villa Park this afternoon, all the talk on 5 Live was of Tom Cruise arriving at an over excited Leicester Square for the premiere of Top Gun 2, the live reporter suggesting it was like broadcasting from a nightclub, such were the energy levels of the crowds. Five hours later, as I drove home, my mind wandered through what I’d witnessed at Villa Park, and it was certainly no Hollywood blockbuster.
A brightish opening to the first half soon levelled off to a intensity level akin to ‘Driving Miss Daisy’. Meanwhile, the fans inside the theatre marvelled as Cruise’s face is nearly peeled off by the G forces from flying an actual F15 jet. It was becoming clear we would be labouring tonight, and a Burnley sucker punch was imminent. As Barnes buried his penalty, I looked around at Villa fan’s faces. No emotions on display. Just a blank staring apathy, as if watching a slasher movie for the hundredth time and being mesmerized but totally unmoved by the messy events unfolding.
Second half and a blockbuster opening. An early goal. Surely this would spark the crowd, and the Villa into life. Not so. Backwards and sideways passes ensue, with the occasional effort at goal to enhance Pope’s reputation further. Then, as the game wore on, some theatre. Perhaps Mings’ last act as skipper at Villa Park. A breathtaking, heroic, block denying a certain winner for the Clarets. At this point , I was going ballistic in the Doug Ellis, the regulars around me no doubt wondering what I was on. Speaking of which…
As the game ambled towards the not so grand finale, I began to read the advertising hoardings. The greatest of ironies: ENERGIZER – POWER FORWARD. If only. My mind began to wander. What could be done to ‘energise’ the Villa boys? Apparently, cocaine use is rife in English football grounds. Hmmm. Perhaps strapping a rocket to the players’ arses like Woody in Toy Story. Or shooting up on some nitrous oxide as in Fast and Furious. Or just let a T Rex loose on the pitch to get the adrenaline pumping. Anything. ‘The world is against war’ flashed before my eyes in blue and yellow. What we wouldn’t give for some blood and guts at this point.
And so back to the drive home. The boys on 5 Live nimbly changing gear from the explosive and frenetic events at Goodison to…the golf. Quite a gear change. Villa gearchanges range from slow to slower or slow to less slow.
I put my foot down on the 38 as the wife worries if I’m late. And am left with one thought and message for our manager and players. I and all Villa fans have the need. The need for speed.
You’re a much better writer than me!
And you do make some excellent points.
Villa park is like a bloody morgue lately and has been for a long while.
It’s not nice to say that, but it’s what happens when you get seasons of crap served up.
I believe it’s something like 7,7 and 6 wins at home in the last 3 seasons.
It’s a bloody disgrace that the club is jacking the ST prices up (and the cheapest the most, proportionately) when wins are at a real premium.
And all the while spending more and more on utter rubbish players, imo.
Yet still we supposedly sell out, which amazes me (the empty seats I saw obviously don’t count).
As for your main point, I totally agree.
It’s all far too slow.
How we get so many injuries, when the players seem to be taking it comparitively easy during the games, is beyond me.
Beautiful written BFR.
On witnessing that performance are you still sure he (SG) is the man to take us forward?
Football is littered with brilliant players ( Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Brian Robson and dare I mention Billy McNeil ?) making strictly at best average managers.
His short tenure in the SPL, regardless of the success has to be put in prospective and imo hardly a ringing endorsement for a top job in the EPL.
The failings you point to are of his making, I’m not convinced in the slightest he’s the man to take us forward.
I’ve always advocated that passing side to side slowdown’s the game unnecessary in some case, looks good but boring to me. It’s giving defences time to block. Quick ball will always win with quick feet. Not drawing board football.
Like it BFR and you’re right.
I don’t go to VP anymore but watch Villa regularly on TV and find it really hard to get excited about games – the last time was probably the second half against United and Coutinho’s debut – that was real energy.
And talking of Coutinho; he’s as guilty as any of slowing us down. Maybe it’s because the real problem is the lack of footballing IQ in the team.
Surely the key, and the most difficult part of the game, is when you don’t have the ball? Our players don’t appear to see the runs off the ball to anticipate where Coutinho or Buendia, even Luiz or McGinn want to put it.
Energy off the ball is the way to beat the block not mindless sideways or backwards passing resulting in a hopelessly hopeful ball over the top for the ever willing Watkins to chase.
Like others I’m not convinced by Gerrard nor frankly by making marquee signings if they don’t compliment the team by completing a missing piece of the jigsaw,
We have to give Gerrard a summer transfer window and full pre season to see what he can achieve – I just hope it doesn’t leave us in the mire come Christmas.