The Villa never fail to do it, do they?
Raise your hopes and then fail to produce on a consistent basis, that is.
I was thinking about this yesterday and it led to me wondering why we’ve never any consistent success in my 50+ years of supporting the Villa. I mean, think about it and you’ll see what I’m on about.
Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Everton have all had good stints in the limelight, but the second city’s biggest club has never achieved on a similar level. Yes, we won the league and the European cup, along with a few league cups and they’re great achievements, but it just seems to me that we’ve never really had our fair share. After all, you could probably say that Leeds and Forest have had more success than us.
Of course, we’re not quite alone in this. Spurs, Newcastle and maybe others could be classed as similar, but I’d emphasise the second city part in our case. Mind you, I’ve never been convinced that Birmingham (the actual city) has had it’s fair share of much either. Certainly Manchester always seems to be pushed ahead of us, Liverpool has some sort of romanticism about it. Glasgow does too and as for London, well, I’m not even going there.
So what am I getting at?
I don’t know really, apart from hopes being raised and us nearly always failing to produce on the seeming promise.
And we did it again on Wednesday night against Brentford, in producing what I thought was a good first half performance after what I again think of us being poor for months and being on a bad run, in our league outings at least.
Have we turned the corner?
Squad news then and Ramsey is a couple of weeks away, but Onana is close and will be assessed this morning. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that Unai himself doesn’t know who will be available;
“Today I don’t know exactly which players are available for tomorrow – some are doubts, yesterday they were in some pain and as well some were really tired.
We are going to train now, this afternoon, but even training this afternoon, I think until tomorrow morning it’s not going to be clear for me which players will start the match”
Hence it would seem anybody might start.
As for Southampton, they have Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Tyler Dibling all back from injuries, but are still not in very good shape. Captain Jack Stephens starts a four match ban after a midweek sending off, Aaron Ramsdale is out with a finger injury, Paul Onuachu is a week away and a certain Jan Bednarek is touch and go. I believe they have other players out too so overall we’re probably doing fairly well injury-wise.
So there we have it. We’re at home to an injury ravaged team, that is struggling at the bottom end of the table. It should all be a very straightforward win to the Villa, shouldn’t it?
Except Southampton have the ability to break on you with very decent pace, something we all know we’ve been very susceptible too, with way we play such a high line. It’s looking pretty windy and that might affect things, so maybe a freaky sort of goal is very much a possibilty. That Dibling kid looks very useful and has a few very nice twists and turns in his box of tricks, combined with some decent pace that could see our right back posed with some very serious problems.
Prediction time then and I’m going to stick my neck out. If Mings plays (and yes, I thought he was great midweek) I’m feeling quite confident and will go for a 3-1 win to the Villa.
See, that’s what they do to you. One win and suddenly the world’s our lobster again!
Fingers crossed and Up the Villa!
Comments
156 responses to “Villa – Southampton; Oh oh, I’m hopeful again!”
Haha, I’m a glutton for self punishment, I think.
Stop f****** around at the back!!! 🤬🤬🤬
I spent 40 minutes this morning yelling at 7 year olds: “forwards! Forwards!” We won 10-1.
Why can’t elite players do it? 😡😡😡
Back to sleepy, walking football.🤦
Weather conditions affecting passing from both teams in a scrappy half. Bailey is his usual infuriating self. The wind was behind Villa’s backs first half. Is it easier to play into the wind?
I would be happy with 1-0 and a clean sheet but I wouldn’t be surprised if we concede so one goal probably won’t be enough.
I don’t like playing with wind. Plays havoc with me guts.
We could do with a second as a cushion.
Come on Palace!!! Ain’t gonna happen is it…
Is Philigene better than Archer?
And a third! Shoot, Ollie! Shoot! Awful decision making, time after time. 😫
Ollie!!! Head the effin ball! It’s landing on your head 5 yards from goal!!! You don’t havd to jump! Just jerk your neck a bit! 🤦🤦🤦
Terrible decision making.
Ollie. Shocking. Head up. Square to McGinn. Simple. Nope.
Another dreadful decision.
Surely, it won’t be Bournemouth again?
And a third! Shoot, Ollie! Shoot! Awful decision making, time after time. 😫
He should have had a hat trick 😭
Ollie is having an absolute stinker.
AGAIN! WRONG DECISION! SQUARE THE F****** BALL!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Take the points but deary deary me we made hard work of that.
Barry scored again at Stockport.
Shocker from Ollie today.
I think he needs to be rested, with Duran being given the start midweek, but I doubt it’ll happen.
Morgan MOTM for the way he 95% marshalled Dwayne Dibley. Excellent work.
But all round, just another load of crap and we’ll be riding high in the league.
It all makes me wonder what on earth other clubs are doing, as we are such a sloppy side who look like shooting ourselves in the foot more often than not, with the way we constantly give the ball away.
It was utter dog s**t but the conditions didn’t help?
Ollie? Oh my days.
As the late great Bill Shankly once said “Son, put the ball in the net and we’ll discuss the options afterwards!”
Phew!!!!! Another 3 points!!! Whhooooo!!!!!!!
Back up to 5th and I have to say it, I can see us picking up a lot of further momentum from here. We’ve weathered the storm.
Still doesn’t stop me being furious over the Bournemouth equaliser and Juve denied goal. Can’t have everything I guess.!!!
We made hard work of that. Still 3 points and a clean sheet.
Ollie’s decision making cost him scoring 2 or 3. Is it a confidence thing? Duran should start on Tuesday based on current form
At least Bailey and Philogene are consistent. Both are wasteful and offer practically nothing.
Philogene is in rabbit in headlights mode. Terrified of VP turning on him. Feel a bit sorry for him tbh. Massive downgrade on Diaby. But that’s not his fault.
I can’t believe the amount of times we squared the ball, and it rolled just a few feet from their goal line but nobody was there to stick it in. It must have happened a dozen times!
A difficult game with the weather conditions but we got the 3 points. Things can improve but I’m nowhere near as apoplectic as BFR!!!!
😆
We’d have got hammered by an average PL side playing like that. Looking at the games coming up and the form of a number of players, I’m not convinced we’re going to pick up momentum. I predict at least two more defeats before the New Year.
That reminded me of the 1-0 against Saints I attended under Gerrard, albeit with more goalscoring opportunities. Really poor.
P.s. Where’s Bill? Is he OK?
Forest away, Newcastle away, City and Brighton at home. I honestly can’t see many points there if they play anything like today.
Random thought. We’ve always hated selling players in their prime. But I’m starting to think maybe there’s something it. IF you can get suitable replacement. I.e. not Stephen Ireland for Milner. A few of our ‘top’ stars are now looking like half the players they were a year ago. Thoughts?
Looking at Emery’s record with regards to transfers, would you trust him?
I’m pretty underwhelmed by Onan, Tielemans and the likes if I’m being totally honest.
Onana
Are they his signings, RSS? Or Monchi’s?
Del Boi.
Dunno mate but in my humble opinion they’re sub standard.
£60m? Come on £60 f**king million?
Seriously?
Then I see rumours of Calvert-Lewin and I hope and pray they stay just that…
Rumours.
Gotta disagree there. Both have been 8/10 regulars for me.
Tielemans simply can’t run, my dad runs faster, if you want to attack at pace then it ain’t happening.
Onana £60m?
Please feel free to enlighten me bum bum because I really don’t see it. Trust me this will become a theme on Villa forums, we grossly overpaid for this geezer.
Look at the table. Forest and City the two teams directly above us. Brighton just below. Very tight. And we know Newcastle are also a direct competitor. HUGE 4 games coming up in December. Massive.
Pep has explicity stated that City are weak and vulnerable on set pieces. In fact he’s said they’re the worst in the league at them. Over to you, Mc MacPhee; opportunity knocks…
I was honestly about to post that Mings will surely play next week against Chris Wood. And he heads one in as I type. Big test next week.
Watching Gibbs-White. We need more energy, dynamism, and ‘bite’ in midfield. Every time I see him play I think what a perfect player he could have been for Villa. Should’ve took him from Wolves. Oh well.
They paid £12m for Milenković, what a bit of business that was.
Absolutely.
With Pete the Canadian villains insight Ollie has now missed 17 big chances this season alone he is a great runner and find space but his finishing is woeful should be well ahead of gabby now In the top Premier league scoring charts
Should start big jhon more in my opinion
Yeah. I saw that. Far too many chances blown. We should have scored 5 today…
Went to the pub (actually a beach bar) at half time and couldn’t drag myself away for the second half 🙂
Ah well back to Blighty by Monday and the cold – still can’t complain after a couple of months in the sun!
It’s supposed to be 20 degrees over here next week ( honestly Hitch) 😁
🙂
A good performance in the conditions and a cracking individual goal from Duran.
Philogene came on to even things up (its like 10 against 12). Something lacking upstairs with that kid, but the other second half subs weren’t much better, with Watkins profligate or selfish in turn. Watched MOTD – Villa had better sharpen up for their visit to Nottingham, who look a good side at present.
Attack with pace and don’t play ‘Walking Football’.
This here BS total football has had it’s day, teams have bubbled it, let them have possession when you don’t hurt them and counter fast.
Yes the possession stats look good but in reality pointless.
And long may it continue, it bores me to tears.
Wasn’t that Lambert’s game. Then he’d claim that we dominated in the post match interview after defeat. Joke.
Attack. Score goals. Go forward. Repeat. That’s football.
Yep.
I got the impression today was about protecting the selection for Leipzig.
I’m sure Emery is more than happy with the result!
True.
That’s probably about right Hitch but just now and again it’d be nice to see us take the shackles off and put inferior opposition properly to the sword.
Exactly.
Yes! Leicester equalise! The league is so so tight. Would we prefer Spurs or Chelsea to take the points? Are Chelsea uncatchable? Would a draw suit us best?
And Bournemouth do it again! 🤦🤦🤦