Aston Villa can beat Manchester City, and here’s why: this is football.
‘Upsets’ or ‘shocking moments’ in football are not urban legends; they can happen anytime, anywhere. For example, 2010’s Friendly between Portugal and Spain left me with my jaw perma-glued to the floor. Portugal annihilated the World Cup Champions, 4-0, in an excruciating 90 minutes of stomach-twisting football. And, lest we forget the 2010 World Cup – and, especially, Beckham’s face – when Robert Green slipped and allowed Clint Dempsey’s gentle equalizer to roll right in. No one, even the most arrogant football-watching Americans (all four of them) could have anticipated that.
But! But this is Manchester City that we’re up against! Yes, it is; and it’s not the same City that were squashed 8-1 by Middlesbrough in 2004, but my point is, anything can happen.
It’s true that the Villa are going into this match with a recent loss to Arsenal, and with the dreaded ‘R’ word scorched into them. Many – most, especially the good-for-nothing media hounds – are saying how there’s no chance that the Villa can defeat a very powerful City. They’re calling defeat already, and are certain that Monday will be a squash match. With impressive forwards like Carlos Tévez, Edin Džeko and Sergio Agüero, and factoring in Joe Hart’s renewed determination to not concede, there is certainly cause for concern.
But maybe – just maybe – Benteke can perform a bit of magic, and shake Hart with a breathtaking goal. Or, as seen at the Arsenal match, Andreas Weimann could strike right through City’s defense, thereby giving Villa the upper hand. It could turn out to be a day of victory for the Villa, both in terms of upsetting City and reaching their 1,000th goal in the Premier League. Nothing dictates that a ‘major upset’ is, without a doubt, going to happen. Call it wishful thinking if you will; but, a negative, defeatist attitude will not improve the situation, nor will it boost morale, whether it be team or supporter.
Both teams have a lot on the line: Manchester City, currently with 56 points, needs the win in order to catch up with Manchester United, who have already secured 68 points. However, Villa, as we would all agree, needs it more. And because they need it more, they should want it more. This attitude will, hopefully, be enough to kick up the fire coursing through the players’ blood. Villa wants this win, and they want it badly. There is no reason to expect to see anything but their absolute best effort. It could be enough to take City down.
There is pressure on both clubs, and it is a matter of which will channel it in a way that ends up in victory. City manager Roberto Mancini has said, “[Villa] plays for relegation, and they will be strong. Aston Villa is a difficult situation … for me, they have good players. Maybe, they have young players; for this reason, there is fight for relegation. But, [they] have good players, and, probably, they don’t deserve to stay there…” And he’s absolutely right.
Like Jay Chalifour, I am also five timezones away, and it will be a work day for me. Although I have a meeting scheduled half an hour after kick off, I am going to have a live stream on my computer, and will get on Twitter as much as possible. I have no delusions of grandeur here, but I’m not throwing in any towels, either. All I ask is that you do the same. Villans know the reality of the situation – but also must keep in mind that the club is not what the media professes it to be: inadequate. The crap-calling is, in my opinion, unnecessary. I’m not suggesting that you not grumble if you feel the need to do so. Though, as I’ve tried to express, the club needs your support as we take this one match at a time. And, by all means, let’s upset the hell out of City!
Remember, “Unlikely” doesn’t mean “Impossible.”
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