The preview was sound – a far cry from anything I’d seen in recent times – and so I made my way to the evening premiere, wading through what seemed like tens of thousands of fans (and heaps of traffic jams), yet departed the showing a little underwhelmed having witnessed something that had huffed and puffed plenty but just never really got going. What this script undoubtedly has is potential.

I was a little curious as to why Sherwood chose to leave week one match winner Rudy Gestede on the bench from the off. United pressed noticeably high up the park, harrying our defenders into lofting the ball forward into the likes of Gabby, Ayew and Sinclair. Chris Smalling playing The Big Show in what was a simple duel and snuffed it out with ease. An aerial presence from minute one might just have given them some concern.

The managers post-match comments were spot on and a true reflection of how I think we all felt despite the narrow defeat. The players had given their all but fell short in the final third and were void of any true creativity and so it was pleasing on the earlobes when Sherwood cited the likes of Gil and Grealish who are both nearing their return from injuries and our newest recruit Adama Traore during his post-match talks; all of whom are expected to come in and provide that extra offensive flair and inventiveness.

Another talking point from the other night were the Brigada being removed from the Lower Holte. The other half and I have season tickets in L7 and noticed that the posse had chosen to take their place towards the front of The Holte rather than the back for the first home match of the season. They were slightly to the left of us and certainly far enough forward and to the left to not cause us any issues. What with them standing, bouncing, chanting and waving their flags they drew my attention and were all too visibly made to feel unwelcome by a select number of fans who were left with no alternative but to stand up rather than sit down to watch the events unfold on the pitch.

I certainly won’t be drawn into taking sides on this subject – everyone is different and chooses to support the team in their own way. Personally I dislike consciously having to worry about blocking someone else’s view when I stand up during play and that is why I prefer away games not only for the atmosphere, the constant singing and chanting, but not having that uneasiness in the back of mind as we all have a tendency to stand-up.

Surely I cannot be in the minority here of wanting to join in the bobbing and cheering our boys on but unfortunately unless I were to sit at the back of the Lower Holte or at the top with the ‘diehard’ then I cannot do so without fear of revolt.

I truly believe that Villa should practice safe standing, a designated area of the ground for supporters pitch side rather than up in the heavens to do as they please from an upright position behind railings. Throughout L7 perhaps. I’m sure that such an initiative would be welcomed by the greater number (excluding those that would face being re-housed if they were not onboard). This idea is something that should be discussed between the club and its followers.

There are now two weeks to go until the end of the transfer window and as each day goes by rumours are becoming more and more scarce. Unsurprising really when you consider the TEN signings we’ve made this summer. Based on what I’ve seen and the sheer potential of this squad the manager has put together – I would say that is that. I certainly don’t expect anymore names through the door at Bodymoor. The emphasis now, surely, has to be about moulding the components we now have together. If all goes according to plan then we should finally see a Villa – void of a true competitive edge in recent times – finally playing some enjoyable stuff. Wouldn’t that be a treat?

And there would be no better time to start than on Saturday as we travel to Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace being many peoples outside shouts for a European berth. Nullify their main threats (ie Bolasie, Zaha and Cabaye) and remain defensively stout as we did against United whilst casting our own ingenuity may well see us sneak all three points back up the M40.

Until next time. Up the Villa!

Comments 17

  1. Thanks, Ryan.

    I agree that there should be a “safe” standing area. It’ll liven up VP without annoying people who want to sit.
    The Crystal Palace match will say a lot about where Villa is. CP finished a solid midtable team last year. They’re looking upwards, but if Villa’s front line can show some venom and creativity and the rest of the team is cohesive and resolute in defence, Villa will get three points.
    I wouldn’t mind another striker.

  2. I do hope that we have not finished our transfer activity. I still believe we need another striker. Our goal scoring record last season was abysmal and we have sold the only forward who managed to score a significant amount of goals.

    We need a natural goal scorer at the club. I still expect Tim to make a move before the end of the window. Austin or Adeyboyor would do the job. Or why don’t we swap Richardson for Defoe?

    Cyrstal Palace will be a difficult game, they have some quality attacking players including Cabaye who we tried to sign.

    I think Tim should play Sanchez and Gana as the holding midfield players. Sanchez looked awesome in the Copa America and I think his experience and the energy of Gana will be vital this season.

    I would also expect to see Gil – Traore and Grealish join the squad this weekend. With the back five settled I and Sanchez /Gana holding the midfield it would be great to see the pace of Traore and Sinclair down the wings, Gil adding the creative flair in the middle and Rudy adding the power up front.

  3. Absolutely agree about safe standing area. Club talks about making VP the 12 man then treat Brigada like criminals for creating a great atmosphere. In the last 30 mins (after they had left in support of one of their crew who was ejected) I felt the Holt was flat, the only noise coming from traveling manure fans with little responce from the Holt.

    Safe standing could increase attendance at little cost and improve the atmosphere. A no brainer!

    On the palace game I am more nervous than pre Bournmouth. Although it’s a big pitch its a small ground with lots of atmosphere (but IMO only when they are winning). Think the game may have come too soon to see a big improvement in attacking options. My hope is that we can have a big win against Notts County followed by Sunderland!

  4. Agree with safe standing, I mean they’ve had it in the Bundesliga for years now. Celtic are the first British club to implement it with 2600 rail seats next season. I dont know why it takes so long to sort out when its a no brainer. I dont believe it will increase attendances in the sense that its a 1 for 1 replacement, 1 rail seat for a seat and only 1 person allowed in that space but it may make it a more attractive proposition for fans thus increasing attendance. Villa are one of the clubs in the PL in favour of this, hopefully we can be the ones to set it in motion.

    The palace game is a tricky one, could go either way. @herts Im surprised to find that the Selhurst pitch is bigger than VP. VP is the same size as Wembley so Selhurst park is bigger than Wembley! Always struck me as a small ground so I assumed the pitch was small too.

    Palace have some really good players, Cabaye/Puncheon/Bolasie/Zaha who can cause us all sorts of trouble. It really is a coin flip for either side to win this one. I fancy us to take something if our concentration is on point and we dont give away the ball cheaply leading to counters.

  5. Honestly I’m a bit naive to Brigada, there seems to be a political element to being in the group but never will I understand what that has to do with football. I will say that football is as much about what happens in the stands as on the pitch in terms of atmosphere, they both feed off each other.

    But I don’t get why these lads are barracked for wanting to create an atmosphere. I know I’m up and down in my seat throughout a game and I find it difficult to marry safety which is paramount with enjoyment and that to me is standing/watching and singing.

    When I go over I always pick the Holte, I remember years ago being in the North Stand once and the half time cheer from the kids when the Manu score was read out and they were winning. Trinity and Witton are dead for atmosphere unless the Holte is in full voice and they join in. There should be Brigada types in every stand so people get involved and not just spectate.

    Palace will be a difficult game but it’s so hard to gauge Villa two/three games in. Definitely we lacked in the final third but i’d be more worried as a Manu fan for that performance than us.

    I think Gabby has to come out and talk about Gestede partnership because his own contribution is negligble. Better he keeps his spot on the back of Gestede than earn it himself. I’d prefer to see Ayew/Gestede or Kozak/Gestede. I know Gabby is a long time servant to the club but perhaps it’s down to no interest from other teams. Nothing against the lad himself but he’s become very complacent in recent years.

  6. Spot on on the Gabby comment DoR. He’s trying to promote himself as a partner to the big man. personally I think Ayew and Gestede would be a better combination. Gabby still has his uses, he just need to work on his game and be more effective instead of trying to secure his position.

  7. hello Ryan I’ve been working near Ascot today stones throw from you Gaff

    I think a a poll of season ticket holders should be taken and then decide on the number of standing, Ideally I would return the holte to 25000 standing the rest seated except the away section where I would lower the stand so you could only see their heads and make them kneel guantanamo bay style 😉

    I expect a tough game Saturday but not an un-winnable one, we did it last time and we weren’t even playing well. If Adama plays we could get away with Kosak and Gestede up top but I am really struggling to fit our players into a formation that gives us defensive capability and attacking flare, my brain wants to shoehorn too many onto the pitch.

  8. Not bigger than VP Ree, but as it’s a small ground people often think it has a small pitch which it doesn’t. But it makes it feel like crowd are right on top of the pitch which, when full, which I think it pretty much is for each game, must feel quite intimidating. But as I say From my experience ( I used to live near there and went to quite a few games) crown can fall quite if they go behind or if they feel things aren’t going their way.

  9. I agree there should be a standing area for the fans who want it, which probably should be the first rows on the Holte End and then it would encourage the crowd behind them to join in.

    The last time I stood for the whole match was only a couple of weeks ago , when none of the Villa sat down for the whole of the friendly against Forest, and the atmosphere was great!!!

    I spent most of my early life standing on the terraces on the Holte, but there were times when the crush as the crowd surged forward was not always easy, especially for young children and women etc. The Holte is certainly safer with mainly seating, and when the game is exciting enough, the crowd will stand anyway!!!

  10. A Whole Lot of Sticks
    The game has always required tremendous athletic skill. In early games, just running up and down the field was a great feat. Goals could be as far as 500 yards to half a mile apart and no sidelines limited the playing area. Games lasted two to three days with “time outs” between sundown and sunup. Teams had as many as 1,000 players vying to move a small, deerskin ball past their opponent’s goal. Players used three- to four-foot long sticks with small nets on the end to throw, catch and carry the ball. With all of those sticks and only one ball, a lot of extra-curricular activity occurred.

    This is the origin of lacrosse played by native North Americans. A big pitch

  11. Earlier I said I was trying to fit too many players in to our starting 11 well I definitely would like to see Gabby not in it so I have made progress 🙂

  12. Ian the original football/rugby played in the 1200’s was played across a whole village the idea being to get the ball to a goal at either end, deaths occurred regularly. It got banned at one point and archery practice and physical training for archery began in its place. Thank god they didn’t put the 2 together 😉

  13. a snippet from wiki

    “Football’s roots in England has been found in Medieval football, which was played annually on Shrovetide. It is suggested that this game was derived from those played in Brittany and Normandy, and could have been brought to England in the Norman Conquest. These games were violent and largely ruleless. As a result, they were often banned.

    England is the origin of nearly all first accounts of features of football:

    In 1280 comes the first account of a kicking ball game. This happened at Ulgham, near Ashington in Northumberland, in which a player was killed as a result of running against an opposing player’s dagger. This confirms that by the 13th century kicking ball games were being played in England.”

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