The game on Saturday was an anomaly. It’s unfair to credit the result on the youth, on the absence of Stiliyan Petrov, or the support. All of those factors have played a part, whether positive or negative, so it’s hard to just say this is why we lost.

One thing to be said about the youth is that they play without fear. Fear, or the lack of it, can be a massive factor in how the rest of Aston Villa’s season pans out. It is one thing being defeated by the opposition, but being beaten by your own worries is just a double whammy.

Possession was pretty balanced in the whole game, a change from recent times, and that was a positive, as was the attacking mentality from both teams, with defenders contributing four of the six goals scored in the match. It all made for a positive match from the neutral’s perspective.

From a Villa fan’s perspective, the game was what it was. The 19th minute, where all the advertising boards switched to “Support Stan #19” and applause rang out around the ground brought a tear to many an eye, including my own. Stan Petrov was at the game too, illustrating his commitment to, and love for, Aston Villa Football Club.

For all of the positives though, the game was a loss and we’ve dropped points again. One of the sucker punches was a Fernando Torres goal in the last few minutes, especially after Gabby Agbonlahor was wrongly flagged as fouling John Terry when the game was 2-2. Was that a turning point? It was in my point, and whilst Chelsea appeared to be in control in terms of possession for most of the game, they still conceded goals.

Villa may have to rely on the fact that they are not going to dominate possession and merely steal goals. The concern, as ever, is the fact that goals are regularly conceded from set plays, and this game was no exception. If Villa concede to offer such soft goals to the opposition, combined with the fear that has haunted the team in many games this season, the job of staying up will be much harder than it could have been.

It’s a shame that we couldn’t do it for Petrov to give him some cheer this week, but we need points every week from now on. Sadly, when reading the fixture list in the near future, it isn’t exactly shouting a points deluge. That said, sometimes points can come in the most unexpected manner.

So Villa lost, Chelsea took all three points and the game may well be remembered by fans as one where Stan Petrov was applauded for being the true fighter he always has appeared to be. For the club, an unfortunate conclusion to Saturday night.

Can Villa find something inside the team, whether youth or luck, to pull clear of the dropzone? A few weeks ago it seemed like the points buffer would be enough, but games like this, whether tough or not, will continue to erode that buffer. All that matters now for the team is that we pick up points to ensure our fight for survival is successful, and this with the backdrop of a cherished player fighting for his own life.

Football can be brutal to those who love the game, and no doubt many will be upset, so let’s expend our energies by offering support to Stan Petrov in his fight against a far bigger enemy than any football team.

Leave a Reply