So it’s Monday morning, and Aston Villa have taken three points. Given the opposition, there’s a whole discussion on whether Villa were good, Manchester City were poor, or some other reasoning. After all, why should a team like Villa have a chance against City?
I’ve talked for a long time about the tight margins in the game, illustrated by both the increasingly tight league placings in the Premier League, and the fact that a player can end up a full two or three leagues down in his playing career by being no more than a few seconds slower in reaction terms.
However, a lot of issues are caused for Villa by the one simple word – expectation.
It is expectation that caused the anger when Villa failed to beat Newcastle United, despite the opposition having both Yohan Cabaye and the previously coverted Moussa Sissoko in the team. It was expectation that led there to be a malaise that City would trounce Villa at the weekend, that Villa stood no chance.
Some fans expected to win against Newcastle and they didn’t. Some expected a battering against City and instead Villa took three points. What was the difference? On the day, teams can do better and worse, and the margins are very small.
Historically, Villa have suffered with laziness when there has been a strong held belief that the team could win against opposition in second gear but, by the same token, they have done well when the weight of expectation has given us no chance, much as it did against City.
As we all know, Villa are a young team, and young men suffer when put under pressure. I know many say that because footballers are paid handsomely, they deserve the pressure, but footballers are humans – they make mistakes, and they aren’t impervious to criticism.
Which is why, in my opinion, I was a bit surprised when the team were booed off despite being only 1-0 down agaist Newcastle. As long term readers know, I’m not a fan of booing, and don’t boo myself, but for fans to boo when a game is still in the balance? That makes no sense to me.
Imagine how that might feel if the historic you – the 22 year old you – was the person on the end of it. How would that feel? If it was me, I know I’d find it hard and, like everyone else, I make mistakes – I’m far from perfect.
I know that expectations often come forward from the idea that a promoted team shouldn’t stand a chance against us, and that we shouldn’t stand a chance against the top four, but it never works like that.
Even if it does, the reality is that Villa have occupied a position closer to the bottom of the table than the top in recent season. So, with that in mind, we should know the tight margins involved, not only from last season, but from a few years back when Gerard Houllier’s team went from potentially relegated to 9th in two games.
That’s right – two games. In the space of six points, we went from mathematically in danger to top half. Since then, the league has only gotten even more competitive. Again, those two games were ones we were almost expected to lose – away to Arsenal and at home to Liverpool – but we won both.
So, next time we sit down and expect a result from a game, ask yourself how beneficial such a plan is. After all, if the players though the same thing – that they were entitled to a win against supposed “lesser” teams – is it any surprise at all that there will be shocks?
As a new week dawns, savour the nine points we have so far. Last season, it took us till the end of November to accrue such an amount – here’s hoping we have a few more when it gets to the start of December this time around.
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