At every turn this season, right when I am at my wits end with this football club, they go out and do something like they did on Saturday to pull me back from the brink. All throughout what has been a drab and thoroughly uninteresting season, the team has shown us glimpses of quality and of the ability to create great performances. The question has been , and always seems to be, why can’t they produce this type of performance with any degree of consistency?
Most of us have had the manager on a death watch for at least a few months. The signing of Brett Holman has confirmed what the board have publically stated that Alex McLeish will be backed, and that the club will proceed with his plans for the summer. If the team can play like they did against Fulham, I for one have no problem with the manager staying. To this point, he has not proven he can get Villa to play well, but Fulham seemed different. All that can be done at present is for the club to continue to try to play like that for the rest of the season, finish as high as they can, and try to build momentum for the next campaign.
Brett Holman – Hidden Gem?
As for the signing of Holman itself, it seems like a solid move with little downside considering he’s a free agent. He likely will be filling the role Emile Heskey played this year, with Holman actually being a natural both our wide and in the hole. With our smallish squad having, experienced players who can play multiple positions is critical, and this is why Holman is ideal in my opinion. Flexibility is also a likely consideration in the clubs stated desire to offer Carlos Cuellar a new contract. The affable Spaniard is reportedly facing a paycut making negotiations far from straightforward, but he has shown as much passion for the club as anybody in his time at Villa.
The strength of our team is in the attacking positions at present, so I imagine the majority of any money paid in transfers will likely be paid to solidify the defensive side of things. With funds being scarce, bargain hunting to add depth where the team is already relatively strong makes sense. The club had nothing to lose making a run at Pavel Pogrebnyak, and he would be an ideal candidate to sign in my opinion. If Pogrebnyak chooses to go elsewhere because he doesn’t think he will get sufficient starts at Villa, his Fulham teammate Andy Johnson wouldn’t be a bad option to add squad depth either.
For the next ten games, let’s hope the Fulham game proves to be a catalyst. On Tuesday, we play a Bolton side fighting for survival, but a side that will give us chances. There is, in my opinon, no reason not to have a go at them and try to get them down and behind early. A win there and we could be on our way to a mini-renaissance. A loss means more of the same old, same old and fans will be sharpening their knives again, and for good reason.
The other thing to look for as the season draws to a close is to see the young players make the most of the opportunities afforded them. Andreas Weimann will likely get a start at some point, and Gary Gardner, Barry Bannan, and Ciaran Clark will feature too. Nathan Baker and Eric Lichaj have both been named on the bench in recent weeks but have yet to play in the league. They should be given time on the pitch as well before the end of the season, and I think they will.
So most of this season may have been bleak, but things could be starting to get better. If we win at Bolton, we could secure our first back-to-back win of the season, and whilst it isn’t a major achievement, right now I am glad of anything that illustrates things may well be looking up.
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