So we move in to the last two games of the season, with no cup run, no European adventure and barely a win to our name. “Prepared” is emblazoned on our club badges but that is the last thing we have looked if many of us are honest with ourselves.
14 Norwich 36 -16 43
15 Aston Villa 36 -14 37
16 Wigan 36 -22 37
17 QPR 36 -23 34
18 Bolton 36 -31 34
19 Blackburn 36 -28 31
20 Wolves 36 -41 24
*NB This table does not include games from Saturday
We still hold our fate in our own hands, and the feeling is that a single point would save us from the drop. People are assuming Wigan are safe, but we all know how unpredictable that young team can be and, whilst they have turned it on, they are just as likely to turn it off as quick.
So can we get the point we need against Spurs? A Spurs side that only two seasons ago were seen as equals, if not on an individual basis, then as a team.
Harry Redknapp will, of course, be secretly seething about his media mates failed promise to get him the England job, so his energy will be focussed on signing off with a couple of wins, and a chance at securing third or fourth place.
Alex McLeish, by comparison, will merely be looking to salvage a little self respect. In my opinion, itt is time that he removed some of the shackles, stopped the team being so rigid, and allowed players to express themselves on the pitch.
Of course we can’t go gung-ho as we don’t need a four or five nil loss dragging us into the mire, but we also want to see an Aston Villa team that will threaten the visitors, no matter who they think they are.
Will we see six defenders this time? Not in my opinion, but that is more out of a symptom of not having six defenders to pick. However, I believe we will be see Ciaran Clark and Chris Herd doing a job in a defensive midfield role, with Stephen Ireland being asked to play behind the striker.
Sadly Ireland has failed to excel in his role playing off the striker. This isn’t all high fault as Gabriel Agbonlahor has not provided the best platform to work off of, nor has the defence been able to give him the ball effectively enough – a player like Ireland can’t play well with hoofed balls.
Eric Lichaj, however, has more than earned his starting place, proving to be better in all aspects of his game than either Alan Hutton or Stephen Warnock. In my opinion, he will probably move to left back with Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar being our best all round centre back partnership at the moment.
Up front is where I think a big call needs to be made. Captain or not, Agbonlahor should be on the bench. Yes, his pace should stretch teams, yes, his first touch and dribbling has improved, but on his own up front trying to play with Ireland, Barry Bannan, and Charles N’Zogbia, he sticks out like a sore thumb.
For me, his movement and runs are all wrong. How many times did he get in the way of N’Zogbia the other day when he was running with the ball? He doesn’t read the game well.
If we are looking for a pure hard worker then Agbonlahor is great, but we need something better up front – someone who searches out space, and can play intelligently, not just use their pace as their sole weapon.
So I would go with Andreas Weimann. Yes, Emile Heskey put himself about last time we played, but for everything positive he achieves, he seems to make a slip up, plus he doesn’t score. Probably not what you want for a striker.
Weimann may not have the same physical presence of some of his fellow strikers, but his ability in terms of movement and pace gives him an advantage over many of our other options.
Looking at the attacking options, N’Zogbia is a player who needs to play freely, without the restrictions imposed in terms of defending. I understand the need for players to contribute to the team, but watch Hutton and how he plays. Just how often does he get back if we are attacking?
Yes, it is good to have attacking intent from your full backs, but not if it then means your attacking players are shackled because they have to cover them.
Now tell me, Hutton or N’Zogbia running at the Spurs defence – who would you be more scared of running at you? So let’s leave the defence to defend, and the rest to try and find goals.
The other thing we need to do is look at the other side of the wide area. Gary Gardner has done well coming in as he’s been neat and tidy. He has also been asked to play in a variety of roles, but I don’t think either wide midfield or defensive midfield are his ideal positions.
I heard one “expert” commentator, Sam “If it isn’t Liverpool, I don’t care” Matterface telling the nation how Gary Gardner is being touted as the next big defensive midfielder at Villa.
Seriously? I can only assume that he has heard the rumours of him being “one for the future”, has watched him play a couple of times there this season, and put two and two together and got five.
Gardner could do a job on the right, despite his limitations, and I’d like to see a real fluidity between Ireland, Gardner, and N’Zogbia, because I think they are all at the most effective through the middle. With that being the case, why not share that role, and give Parker or Sandro a tough job of picking the middle man up.
On an aside Gardner also provides the little bit of height that Bannan can’t, and he is also pretty good with his head.
So, for me, the team I would pick would be:
Given
Lichaj Dunne Cuellar Warnock
Herd Clark
Gardner Ireland N’Zogbia
Weimann
I don’t think that is too bad a team, is it? The full backs can still attack if needed, but they need to choose wisely when to commit – they’re not needed every time, and they need to focus on closing down the opposition first rather than providing.
I’d have Samir Carruthers, Bannan, Agbonalhor, Nathan Baker, and Hutton on the bench.
McLeish now needs to shift the onus of the player playing for him from doing it “his way”, to “do it for the fans”. If things haven’t worked, McLeish needs to change things up. After all, the team owe us a real performance, and to show us what they are really made of.
So let McLeish stay in his seat, get Kevin MacDonald on the touch line and please, please, please, let the Villa faithful forget the protest – just support the team.
I know that turning up, paying and watching your team is bad enough when you’re struggling, but does booing, jeering, and creating an atmosphere thick with hatred really help things? Really?
I want a bit of pride restored on Sunday. We need to try and win. Protect things when we have scored, fine, but have a try at actually scoring first.
So my prediction is that the team will try and protect a draw and end up losing.
Sorry if that sounds negative, but I have little faith after a season of disappointments.
Survival may well have been enough for Birmingham, but we must do better and the next game is the chance to do so. I hope the team proves me wrong and does well but, sadly, I’m not holding out much hope.
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