I’ve only just heard the sad news about Ron Saunders and to be honest it’s overshadowed today’s game for me.
I’ve seen a few really good Villa sides over the years, but the team that Sir Ron built was by far the best.
Ron’s tenure gave me some of the best memories of my life, with our League cup win over Norwich, the epic League cup finals with Everton, (where I did indeed take Tony Butler’s advice and get the prayer mat out), the League title and of course, winning the European cup.
Even though Ron wasn’t there then, it was still his side,
I think what stands out though, was the togetherness that the fans and players seemed to have. Perhaps it was my fairly young age at the time that makes me think like that, I don’t know, but players were more grounded then and well, things just seemed better.
No doubt Ron’s strong personality, where he made the players very professional had much to do with this.
RIP Ron and thanks for the memories.
Onto today’s game then and I find this a very interesting proposition.
Leicester are on a real roll and have won all of their last seven games, leaving them in second position in the league so they’re obviously no mugs.
Vardy has got his shooting boots on and I have a feeling he might be the difference today.
Their midfield is pretty good and the match with ours could be telling. This is not a game for Conor Hourihanem in my opinion, so it’ll be interesting to see the side Dean Smith picks.
El Ghazi has trained and should be available.
Kianan Davis is apparently a couple of weeks away and Jed Steer is still a long term miss.
Guilbert is available again after his ban, although I thought Elmohamady covered for him quite well against Chelsea.
As for Leicester, Ben Chilwell is a maybe and Demarai Gray has recovered from the flu, so is available.
So it’s a tough game and I’m not sure what to think.
The odds are that Leicester won’t win again and extend their club record, but I’m not convinced we’ll have enough to beat them, mainly because I don’t trust our defence to not concede.
I think a draw sounds about right and I’m going for 2-2.
I’d definitely take that as a decent result.
Vardy gets Leicester’s 4th.
We’ve been done Vardy again . 4-1
Targett off injured.
It’s been a bad day today.
We have been very poor today. We look so bad when we come up against teams that pass the ball well with one exception being Liverpool but that was more a bad day at the office for Pool than anything else. Mcginn needs resting as does Wesley. We are just too easy to pass through and lack any goal threat. We are in a very real relegation fight make no mistake about it.
Still could be 5 or 6. First time I’ve seen us look like a relegation team. Not a good day!
Just been said Villa have switched off, Grealish passed the ball to Elmo and let it roll out, Grealish had a go at him.. we actually look worn out.
Leicester were clearly the best team. I think Smith needs to give Grealish a rollicking. He got himself booked for deliberate pathetic foul.
Now the key to our season starts:
Shef Utd away
Southampton home
Norwich home
Watford away
We need 3 wins and a draw. Anything less and we will be staring down the barrel.
TOTALLY OUTCLASSED Leicester look a PL outfit we looked today like relegation fodder
We’re lucky it was only 4-1 and not more. A clear gulf in class and if we’re honest Grealish aside nobody in our team would get near Leicester’s match day squad.
We don;t help ourselves though – error after error has cost us as has our early season inability to manage games. Dean will have to take the responsibility for that. Poor decisions as well – Elmo against the pace of Vardy and Ineanacho is a staggeringly bad call.
As for Wesley…. no better than the days of Jordan Bowery. He’d struggle in the championship never mind leading the line in the PL. Huge error of judgement and we need to rectify it by buying a striker within the first week of the window opening.
We look like and are a bottom 5 side – the only thing we can hope is that we can scramble together more points than 3 other sides which atm for me is 50/50. The December games and the window will be crucial.
We won’t get anything from Sheffield United next week. We are in a run of fixtures that has us heading south. Also players confidence is taking a kicking. Add to that a couple more injuries today and I’m getting concerned.
I haven’t got a clue what is going on with Kodja. Is he that bad that he can’t do any better than Wesley?
Management ineptitude. When it comes to deciding an injured player’s capability the magic sponge wallahs are all tossers – everywhere. They overestimate the cures in their bag of potions. So when Mings pulls up holding a hamstring the question is not “Can he stand up?” it is “Can he catch up with Vardy next time he is put through”. Answer 0-1 in today’s highlights. But we – the watching public – could have told Smith that, so why doesn’t he take the decision to sub Mings instantly?
Villa were woeful in front of goal. Wesley twice had the ball today where Kane had it yesterday: Kane took responsibility, made space and scored; Wesley passed it wide from the centre of goal.
Yep; reality strikes.
We’re one of 5 or 6 sides fighting to avoid relegation.
So next four games become crucial but historically our form in December and particularly over Christmas is sh**e.
I wish I felt more confident.
Problem Now Is The Team, I hope heads dont drop and reality steps in, we have to knuckle down and fight, its not over till the fat lady sing. January is the time to look at it and hopefully we strengthen that midfield striker problem .