Michael Hurley är tillbaks
Vår man på Holte End,Michael Hurley, är tillbaks med en ny krönika från Villa Park. Så håll i hatten för denna krönika är inte att leka med.
Its difficult to know where to start, but anyone who is prone to a bit of depression had better not read any more. It would be easy to moan and whine about how things are down at the Villa...so that's exactly what I am going to do.
Villa's current form,particularly at home,is pure and utter shite.If we look at the last few home games its clear how big the problems are.Charlton was a narrow win when we really should have drawn, maybe even lost. They had a perfectly good goal ruled out and were the victim of some dodgy decisions by the ref.We were very lucky to get all 3 points.
Bolton was a crap game and despite us having a reasonable 20-minute spell in the second half,the performances were getting worse.JPA's penalty miss in front of the Holte near to the end just about summed things up. Then came Everton, and lets face it,they are crap. So what did O'l decide to do? Play JPA as a lone striker.(For Christ's sake,one up front at home to bloody Everton).It was one of the worst Villa performances for years.
Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse. Next was the visit of one of the dullest teams ever, Middlesbrough, and the Villa performance was even worse than against Everton. I cannot remember a Villa team playing so badly and there are very serious problems at Villa Park. Home games against three poor Premiership teams and only two points and one goal to show for it.
It's looking like a long difficult season.
What makes the Boro result even worse is that Angel and Allback played up front together which is what the fans wanted. It just didn't work, but the lack of supply from midfield didn't help. A large number of fans continue to boo Southgate. I cant see what he did wrong, he told the truth when he said that Villa had no ambition and fell out with Gregory (who could fall out with his own shadow). One thing about Southgate is that he always gave 100% when he played for Villa and if he was playing alongside Mellberg, we would have the best central defence in the league.
As far as the players go, Mellberg is the only one who has been consistently good and is our best player by far. In fact he is probably our only player! It has been reported that he has won the award as the best Swedish player and he deserves it. The worry for Villa is that he is far to good for the team and how long will it be before somebody will want to buy him? He would walk into any other English team and if a successful English or European club wanted to buy him, I would not blame him if he went. He is too good for the current Villa side and he must know it. If he goes, then we are in deep shite.
Of the others, then the picture is not so good; Angel has done ok and has worked hard up front on his own but has had little to show for it. Sorensen has been steady, as has Hitz, mainly as substitute. Jlloyd, Dublin and Whittingham have also not been too bad. Apart from that, the team has shown nothing. Several of the team have been awful; God knows how the hell Vassell still gets in the England team. He has done nothing for Villa since he got his new contract. Barry has been poor, nothing like the last few seasons. Hendrie has faded badly after a promising start, as has DLC.
Even worse than the team (if that is possible) is the atmosphere with the crowds getting smaller, less than 30,000 against Boro. Villa Park has been getting quieter and quieter over the last few seasons, probably since the days of BFR Atkinson when Villa were an exciting attacking side. It has never been this bad though, last weekend the fans were out shouted by about 250 Boro fans. Having said that, by the end of the games there were probably more Boro fans than Villa by the end. Villa fans started to leave after about an hour. It really was that bad.
Is there any good news? Well, a little, the reserve team is top of the table having won a record 11 games in a row, including 1-0 against Small Heath and 5-2 against WBA. The game v Small Heath was particularly good, a crowd of around 4,000 taking the piss out of Morrison and laughing at Kenna after he scored an own goal. Of the reserves, then the real star of the future is Stephen Cook who is a fantastic attacking midfielder and must be ready for the first team despite O'l saying none of the team have impressed him. Ridgewell, Jackman and Edwards are playing well. The Moore brothers are a useful partnership, Luke, the younger one looks the most promising. Despite looking sometimes disinterested, Stefan managed to score four against the Albion. Hans and I managed to miss three of the goals, after getting to Villa Park 10 minutes late
Away from home, it seems to be a slightly different story, with Villa picking up useful points at Newcastle and Small Heath and an unlucky defeat against the team funded by the Russian mafia (allegedly), the system of playing Angel on his own up front works ok away from home. Then again, two draws and a defeat isn't really anything to shout about. The game at Small Heath was a good annual reminder that they are a bunch of low life in-bred toe-rags. I got there early to make sure that I could pick up my ticket so spent a bit of time walking around the ground. You can wear a team shirt at almost anywhere in the Country and no home fans usually bother. Small Heath is the exception; Picture the scene, a woman and two little kids walking up towards the ground. The kids wearing Villa shirts, a mob of the scum walking past shouting and swearing at them. That's Small Heath for you. Bastards
Highlights of the day. Passing David Gold's Rolls Royce on Coventry Road driving to the game and giving him 'a friendly wave' out of the window. Seeing Ian Taylor in amongst the fans (the day after having been sent off playing for Derby). Taylor spent the whole game shaking hands with the fans or signing autographs, top man. Lastly was seeing David Dunn try a fancy bit of footwork and fall flat on his face causing the Villa fans to burst out laughing. He was seen at 3am that morning on the piss in Brum, it looked like he was still pissed
Anyway back to reality and some more moaning. At the moment, there are some shite teams in the Premiership. Leeds, Leicester, Blackburn, Wolves and Everton. Unfortunately, Villa would have to be added to that list. After the defeat by Boro there is talk of relegation. Whilst it is far too early for that to be too serious at the moment, Villa's form is definite bottom three material and if there isn't a dramatic change, then relegation is a definite possibility. It will be interesting to see what will happen when the transfer window opens in January. Villa really have to sign two or three quality players or the chances are that we will be in serious trouble. We must clear out the deadwood.
Aston Villa are one of the true great clubs in English football but we are in a downward spiral. It is early in the season, but make no mistake. If this continues for another few months, then Villa are in real danger of being relegated.
Michael Hurley
