Well after a short break, we are here: The first step on what could be the most important eight match run that Aston Villa have had in a long while. Important, sadly, for the wrong reasons rather than the right ones, but for fans who complain that we have nothing to play for at the end of the season – well you’ve got your (admittedly not as planned) wish of a bit of heart racing action. Let’s hope the gaffer’s heart can handle it.
Everton Away – How many points will we take?
So it is to Goodison Park. As a Villa fan, I have to say I would like to see us get something from the game, although I know from recent times what I would like to happen, and what actually does happen, seem to be two completely different things – well at least where my beloved club are concerned. Everton have had a good run at home recently which, sadly, as a Villa fan is not what I am really wanting to hear given our recent record.
Villa are expected to line up in the usual 4-5-1 variation that has been the standard for this season, although I have to fancy that if the manager knows what is good for him, he will look to play a second (or third) striker up with Darren. I know I’m not the manager to be picking the team, but when you are in a situation as precarious as we are now, you have to be thinking about scoring goals. Not conceding goals is certainly part of the plan, but you don’t win many games without scoring a goal (unless you’re Arsenal when they recently played Barcelona – in which case Barcelona kindly score one for you). However, if we are at a point where hoping for own-goals is one of the methods of winning our games, well then it says a lot for the club and our level of desperation in our tactics.
The bottom line is this – we won’t get out of the situation we are in with a 4-5-1 setup – we need more goals. To sit back when playing against players such as Cahill, Fellaini, and Baines, will only provide misery and heart ache. I would be contemplating sticking NRC on Cahill, Arteta, or whoever plays behind the front man, and playing the playmaker hard, closing down, and generally forcing him out of the game. We need to impose across the whole team, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we played 4 centre halves either – simply because of height and strength.
In that sort of setup, NRC could be playing as the tough tackler, whilst Makoun uses flair, and the wingers charge up and down (Downing and Albrighton). Whilst I might get some complaints about this, Ashley Young probably wouldn’t make my team, and Heskey would do better just off the shoulder of Bent – again providing power and strength. Sure it won’t be massively pretty, but it will do a job. Logic being that around 60 minutes, we can bring Gabby on for Heskey, and he can use his pace to surge from a position behind Bent – making the most of his pace as defenders get tired from strong tackling, and closing down.
“Must Win” – an overused term, but certainly applicable
I hate to use the term “must win” game as you really must try to win all your games, but we are in trouble and if we don’t start putting points on the board sooner rather than later, we are going to be deeper in it than before. I know it doesn’t matter whether we get the points in the first 3 games, or the last 3 but, for the sake of our collective hearts Aston Villa – please get them sooner rather than later. It would be good if we could breathe a sigh of relief and be safe sooner rather than later – in fact it goes to show the level of our success this year when we are praying for the season to be over, rather than wanting it to go on so we can stay in the hunt for something.
The latest odds will be listed below until Sunday morning when we will remove them (for obvious reasons that unless you are Marty McFly, you can’t bet on sports results of the past). If you do want to have a flutter, use the box below.
So that’s it from me for today. All I can say now is good luck to my club, the players, and the manager. It is in your hands now – all we will do is cheer you on.
What do you think will happen in today’s match? Leave a comment below and let us know.
The Author
