Direktrapport från Holte End
"Anything other than a convincing win cannot be tolerated and we must hope that the team do not let us down like they did in September".
Ett dygn återstår nu till den stora revanchen och ni kan här läsa Michaels tankar om de senaste matcherna och om derbyt imorgon.
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Hello to you all over there, here is the latest report for your site. Theres not been much happening lately apart from the blues game coming up. Hope you'll be watching and we all get the result we are hoping for.
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Normal service has resumed at Villa Park, confidence was high after the thrashing of both Middlesboro and Blackburn, then Villa did their usual trick of following a couple of good results with two poor performances and two defeats by distinctly average sides.
The 5-2 win at Middlesboro was particularly unexpected as they have a pretty good home record and very few of the 800-1000 Villa fans that made the long journey up there could have expected such a result. When the Villa had scored four, the fans did a conga around the stand and when the fifth goal went in near the end, instead of the usual cheer, most Villa fans burst out laughing as the remaining boro fans hastily made for the exit. Following on from the first away win of the season, came another good
result against Blackburn, an all round good display and a thouroughly convincing win, marred only by another injury to Delaney.
After those two results, people started to look at the table thinking that if Villa could have a good run, then maybe a UEFA cup place was possible. Of course, Villa then play crap in the next few games. Fulham are a nothing
club and Villa shouldnt have anything to fear from them. The difference between the two teams was Boa-Morte, who had his best ever game in English football and the Villa defence could not cope with him. Whilst we can (just
about) accept getting beaten in that game. The performance at Charlton was total rubbish. Charlton are having a pretty good run, but Villa were appalling. The team selection has been widely criticized. Crouch and
Kinsella were picked for some reason, but worst of all Judas Alpay was even playing. He was booed by most of the Villa fans constantly all through the game. The whole team were terrible and Taylor was criticized for the team
selection. Villa were offered almost 3000 tickets, but they decided to take only 1800 tickets, which then sold out in a few days, leaving fans who wanted to go unable to do so.
The four games really sum up Villa's season. Generally they have been pretty poor, with an occasional impressive performance and an occasional inept performance. Fans from other clubs around the country now couldnt care less about Villa. They regard us as a nothing team along with others
like Boro, Man City and Fulham. The days of Villa being considered as a big club have long gone, this season we have been overtaken by teams like Everton, Southampton and Spurs. We have consistently finished above those in previous seasons. There is no doubt that Villa have gone backwards over the last few years.
To try to look on the positive side, we do have a group of promising young players who have the potential to turn us into a top club once again, but at the moment, they simply are not producing the goods. The defence is doing ok, Enks has played well this season, as has Olof and Johnsen. In the midfield Hitz has done well ,tho' needs to be more consistent. Barry, together with Olof is probably the best player of the season so far. The new signing Gudjohnsen from Real Betis impressed the fans in his first couple of games and we are all hopeful that Villa sign him in the summer. Up front, Dublin continues to do well, Vassell has been inconsistent and Allback has not really been given a chance to see what he can do.
Several of the FA youth cup winners from last year are now playing in the reserves and they have been described as one of the best group of young players in the country, the problem is that it is going to be a few years before they can transfer that into playing in the first team. Whilst that may mean that the future is looking good for Villa, the present side is disapointing and it will probably be a few years until we are a major force in English football. That is why Taylor still retains the support of most fans, because there seems to be a long term plan. It remains to be seen if he is given the time that he needs.
Villa fans have been looking forward to the game against Small Heath and it is obvious that we owe them a good hiding. Up until last week, we were all confident that Villa would beat them and help to relegate them. Since then
we have lost a few games and they beat Liverpool (their first win for 9 or 10 games) so confidence is a little bit shaky. There is no doubt that we are the better team, but the players must be ready to battle and they must understand what it means to the Villa fans. It is unthinkable that we would lose. Just about all of the tickets have been sold, so it should be a rare sell-out at Villa Park. There are plans to turn the Holte into a sea of
claret and blue, with flags,scarves and balloons. A big banner has been made to be passed around the fans and a tifo has been planned. Hopefully it will look good on the tv and inspire the players to beat the bluenose scum.
We will have to wait and see if anyone manages to hang the banner saying 'Dont feed the animals' above the scum in the North Stand.
There are the usual rumours of fights being planned and of bluenoses getting tickets for the Villa end. There were 37 arrests at the game at St Andrews and it is likely that there will be more at Villa. Villa fans have a pretty good reputation for good behaviour, so hopefully nothing will
happen to ruin that on Monday night. Bluenoses are known to be a bunch of sub-human bastards so nobody will be suprised if they kick off trouble.
Anything other than a convincing win cannot be tolerated and we must hope that the team do not let us down like they did in September. A good thrashing of the scum, helping to send them down with Sunderland and West
Brom is what we are all hoping for.
