So, the international break, no pun intended, has come and gone. Neil Taylor obviously had a wild ride (perhaps less so than the unfortunate Seamus Coleman), as did Jonathon Kodjia in the abandoned match subsequent to the one where he scored another lovely goal.

I don’t mean to make light of Coleman’s injury…The words just came out that way. Everyone, of course, wishes him all the best, and it’s truly a shame the tackle was so clumsy and had such unfortunate results.

Whether Taylor’s head is straight will be open to question. Steve Bruce thinks he just needs to knuckle down and get back at it. He may well be right, and if Taylor agrees, then he’ll be back in for Villa against the Canaries. The obvious question is whether he’ll be hesitant.

In other news, Andre Green, Nathan Baker, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and a certain Gabriel Agbonlahor have all returned to training. I think I read that Jack Grealish is also running around after a nasty cut on the knee. Forgive me if I don’t have much sympathy for a “cut”. As a fan of American football, that’s the sort of thing you stitch up at halftime, give the guy an injection, and move on. Maybe it was worse than that, but really, it seems a bit precious. Anyway, and quite fortunately, Gabby’s only just come back, so Bruce can’t be tempted to throw him out there on Saturday. RHM seems to be a little ways off. And Grealish wasn’t making the starting XI before his injury.

Green I could maybe see playing, though only as a sub. You never know with hamstrings, and Bruce would probably like to let him heal at least another week unless he thinks he might turn the game. Even then…

Baker will be the significant return insofar as Mile Jedinak has logged an astronomical amount of miles during the layoff, and apparently had a stinker in the Socceroos’ first match. Would be nice if we didn’t have tired legs on the pitch from the outset. I know that players love representing their country, but of what consequence playing for Australia is at his age is I can’t even begin to imagine. Of course, if he’s too tired to play CB, Jedinak won’t be in there defending the back four, either. So I’m guessing we’ll see pretty much the same line-up that beat Wigan 2-0, just with Baker in for Mile.

Besides Taylor, hesitant is what Villa as a whole can’t be against Norwich given the target of seven wins in eight that Bruce believes would nick us the final playoff spot. Having won five of six, that doesn’t seem the tallest order. However, the remaining games are evenly split between teams above and below Villa in the table.

At this stage of the season, quite a few of these teams still have something to play for, especially those above us. If we can still dream of a shot at promotion, they’ll certainly have aspirations a bit more grounded in reality, Norwich among them. However, with a win today, Villa will have reeled in Norwich to within three points.

Villa’s fate, however, is obviously not entirely in their hands. So however well we might play, it’s still going to take some slip-ups ahead of us to clear the way, and Wednesday would need to have a bad run-in to squander an 11-point gap over eight matches. But you never know—which is why they play the games. Would be nice to see Fulham slipping up as well, since they’re 10 points clear of us. Add in Preston North End and Barnsley for good measure as teams we’d all like to see lose.

But say we win and Wednesday and Fulham both lose, then we’re looking at 8- and 7-point gaps, respectively, over seven games. It all starts to look more possible, and we still have an upcoming shot at a six-pointer against Fulham. In short, Villa aren’t really under any pressure, while these other sides might be feeling it a bit more.

One has to ask again, though, whether it’s in Villa’s best interests to pull off a minor miracle this season. I’ve yet to be convinced that a summer together would have this side ready to give the PL a good run. Naturally, if we did manage to claw our way out of the Championship, Dr. Tony would likely spend some more money. But then it would be a case of getting those transfers right and gelling all over again.

On the other hand, there’s no guarantee that staying down another year would see us go up. So, on balance, I’d rather pull off the long-shot and take our chances back up in the money. God knows it couldn’t go any worse than 2015-16 did, and we could have a fun shirt with a yoyo manufacturer like Wham-O on the front.

Against the Canaries, Villa will once again be playing a team like Wigan whose manager was recently sacked. Norwich beat Barnsley 2-0 at Carrow Road before the break, but have drawn three and lost one previous to that. They’ve scored 26 more than us while conceding 17 more. Last time out, Norwich won 1-0 at home in December, with Castro Oliveira netting the winner on 62 minutes. Could be goals in this one now that we’ve figured out how to score more than one.

Which, of course, means caution will rule the day and it’ll be 0-0. However, I’m going 2-1 Villa.

Over to you.

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John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.

Comments 71

  1. Heroes-and-Villans

    Well if after tues game against qpr we are 5 or 6 points away its on! Unlikley though but is just nice to be putting a run together now before next season. The only thing i wanted after jan tfer window was give us some hope!

    As long as we are better today than we were at carrow road ill be happy! God it was awful.

    Tough one to predict, nirwich under new manager, going for play offs should be bang up for it. Can see goals and we usually do well at home to norwich.

    2-1 villa sounds sensible

  3. John Lerwill

    Hope you had a good break, JC! 🙂

    Well Bruce himself has a target, which is to get to the play-offs *if * possible, but if not then to finish in the top-10.

    I think if we do get to the play-offs it will demand a lot to be successful, but the experience may be good. But it may be premature – as has been suggested – to get promotion this season.

    I am mainly just looking to seeing more wins and even better performances for the rest of the season! Starting with a 3-1 win today!

  4. Trinity

    Hello JC.
    Yes, I too, would hope that Jedinak would retire from international football at his age so he has time to recuperate from games and focus more on the club that pays him. I guess he helps to promote Villa in Australia.
    Be nice if we could get promotion this time, but I’m not going to sweat about it, whatever happens happens.
    3-1 sounds good to me. Hutton, Hogan, Kodija.

  7. Mark King

    If anyone wants to listen to the game, go to google, type in periscope, type in AVFC and there is a user called foxy who is streaming the radio game

  9. John Clark

    JL,

    Well, got the project completed, can’t say it was much fun, though. But I very much enjoyed your articles and learned more than a thing or two.

  16. Heroes-and-Villans

    Hogan aint a 10. Plays off the shoulder using his pace.

    Dont believe reports, kodjer picks a pass.

    Anyhow as soon as you think a parnershp can be formed, injury strikes. Not too fused with second half now.

  17. Mark King

    Andrew I rely on my eyes and ears and he does not look to pick a pass ever mate. I wonder if the extra workload on Hogan and the way we play is causing his injuries? for Brentford he was their focus and had people picking him out for us he’s running his guts out

  19. Heroes-and-Villans

    Watched kodjia loads live, sure he aint a sanchez who willget assists but he can pass.

    James jimmy reminds me of tino asprilla big time.

    Hogan aint played that much with kodjia, not doung any more work than he did up top alone with brentford or wherever he came from.

    Looks like the way he is built to me. Like agureo, smallish but muscley.

    Hope it aint too bad.

  26. Mark King

    Andrew mate, surly listening to that you cannot be happy? yes the result is good and looks great but again they are a bottom six team in the form table, the majority of the teams we have beaten this season have either been in the bottom six of the league or in the bottom of the form league. Don’t want to burst your bubble but we are a one man team and even then we should be beating these sides, if we were better organised and could keep the ball (which we should with our squad) we would be play offs minimum. 7 games left and we still don’t look a team but still win? does that not tell you we should be a lot better than we are showing? does me.

    Have a good night mate

    http://www.twtd.co.uk/league-tables/competition:championship/form/matches:6/type:home-and-away

  28. r0bb0

    I don’t know if Hogan hurt himself during the game or was carrying an injury but part way through the first half he came to the sideline for a painkiller. It clearly wasn’t enough and he had to go off.
    That would suggest it was a niggle rather than something serious . . . . let’s hope

  29. r0bb0

    Having been a critic of Johnson I have to say I was so pleased for him with his assist today.
    Half of his teammates went to congratulate Kodjia and the other half ran back to hug Johnson.
    He didn’t have too much to do but he seemed much more solid and confident than earlier in the season.
    So nice to have a keeper who comes out to cut off Danger. Guzan would still be standing on his goal line now.

  30. r0bb0

    It is odd watching us at the moment.
    We play really well for a time and dominate the opposition with pretty good football, so clearly we have the ability to do that.
    We then seem to invite the opposition onto us which is quite tough to watch as you feel it’s surely only a matter of time before we concede. In fairness though, our defending is generally pretty disciplined and I suppose we wouldn’t have conceded so few recently otherwise.
    We do now look dangerous on the break and always capable of scoring so although it may not always be relaxing to watch, I guess Bruce is starting to set us up to win games.
    It’s clearly working as we’re still the in form team in this league and you’d have to be pretty curmudgeonly not to be happy with that.

  32. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark,

    We have a long old way to go mate, far far from perfect.

    Why am i delghted? Because 4 monhs ago i was praying we would stay up and as well as wondring how the guys would fit in i was dpresed watching us finding genius ways to loose games and showing as much fight as a paper bag.

    Now we are settled, im seeing partnerships form, im seeing a bloody team with spirit and fight who ar working out how to win and see games out.

    Something i aint seen at vp in at least 5 years.

    Pride is returning

  33. Heroes-and-Villans

    1 goal conceded in 7 games is a bloody incrdible stat at any level. Wow

    Robbo

    Hogan felt the injury against toon apparntly. Hopeflly precaution.

    Mark

    Dont worry about qpr, we will do them, canaries today far better than them.

  34. Heroes-and-Villans

    THe one thing i wanted when we was struggling was i wante to see something to take into next season.

    A team with fight and spirit is growing. Won 6 out of 7 1 goal conceded is more than i could of wished

  35. John Lerwill

    Andrew,

    There is indeed reason to be opti!

    As you say, we’re still some way from the team we should be, but I feel that the spirit has returned. Apparently Johnstone got as many hugs from the players for his punt upfield as did Codger for his smart opportunism.

    In fact I’d say that the keeper’s punt was almost akin to a chip to the green by McIlroy in the Masters, one that I remember well!

  36. Trinity

    Glad for the win. Still a lot of work to do. Understandably a bit rusty after the break. Look forward to improvement with more game time together. 2-0 is a good result. Moving in the right direction. Still relying too much on Kodija. What will happen if he’s injured?
    Hogan should be alright. Waste of time bringing Gabby back. It’ll take him 2-3 games to get match fit and then he’ll be injured again. He’s the past, time to move on. Shame, but reality.
    Who’s next?

  38. Trinity

    Looking forward to QPR match with zeal. If Villa beat them, they’ve turned a corner. Villa are getting used to winning, which is good. Haven’t seen any hint of letting up though still much improvement needed.
    Nice goal that second one, sign of a confident striker.
    Kodija the hitman.

  39. John Lerwill

    Iana: “… He made that look easy.”

    Agreed, but that jink to his left, instant switch to his left foot and into the goal in virtually one movement was a peach!

    A real goalscorer.

    Hogan unlucky with his attempt in the little time he had on the pitch, but he also showed alacrity in collecting the ball and passing beutifully to Codger for that first.

  41. Heroes-and-Villans

    a mention also to taylor. Looked unafected and done his job.

    Yeah kodgers 2 goals were great. Great play from hogan holding the ball and finding the pass. And kodjers second was great striker play, deadly.

    Looking at the table.

    Its the early season draws that have done us. Turn them into wins we would be play offs.

    Goals conceded is fine. Not much work needed there.

    Just need to share the goals around more and turn those draws into wins. Need hogan fit asap to finally work on a partnership with kodjer before end of season.

    Looking at huddy in 3 rd. There goal difference is very low, they have hung on to see out the wins, turned draws into wins. If like bruce and keith says we will only sign 2 or 3 players that are better than what we have we are going to be strong next season.

    No brighton or toon in the league. Replace them with blunderland and boro, we will smash it next season

  43. Mark King

    Andrew- Mate I believe you are taking those villa/Bruce tinted glasses to a new level 🙂
    How can seven draws (7points) be our downfall? what about the one point in 8 games? if we had gotten draws or even two wins we would be 2-4 points of the play offs instead of ten.

    As for QPR they have played and beaten Norwich while in a bad run themselves. Of late they like us have strung some results together, including beating Reading away, drew with Newcastle and Leeds away beaten wolves and Ipswich and put 4-5 past Rotherham and brum.

    We played them at the end of their 8 game losing streak and they have since gone on a run to sit 4 points behind us. So while I think we should beat them they will prove a stern test. play like we did on Saturday where Norwich dominated the second half and didn’t put their chances away in both halfs, we will struggle, Bearing in mind Norwich bottom six on form, QPR top six on form.

    Looks like Kodjia is our new Benteke saving our bacon match after match, Bruce has already said we don’t have to sell him, been there before haven’t we?

    Next season I am less worried by the teams coming down although they will certainly be a threat, Wolves, leeds, sheff weds, reading, amongst others will possibly still be here and improving, I think Wagner will be off elsewhere though unless hudders go up or will improve their defence if he stays.

    Mr Bruce made a statement after the game that we didn’t play well but did what you needed to win games in this league, well that would look very true with out recent performances and results until you look at the top 6-7 teams, all are footballing sides, Leeds can play but also can be physical but they do not park the bus, none of the top 7 sides do.

    Going by that we are either due for a good few players coming and going in the summer to play Bruces preferred style? or we are looking at it.

  44. Mark King

    Iana- Yes its good to get other fans viewpoints, as the lad said they had the possession and chances to win, we defended well and put ours away (kodjia did anyway). Its not so long ago playing like that was a tactic used away from home against tough opposition and Norwich are anything but that , I have heard from several Villa fans at the match who have said they are not going again this season if we play the way we do, its just horrendous to watch, fair enough it got the result but is this not about sorting the team out for next season? getting some form of football going? apparently not.

  45. Trinity

    Mark
    “Looks like Kodjia is our new Benteke saving our bacon match after match…”
    That worries many of us. We’d all like to see the team spreading the goalsaround a bit more.

  46. Mark King

    Iana- well that would require a different approach which with the mid-fielders we bought we thought we would see, Hogan another forward brought in from a footballing side is sidelined at best for us.

  47. Trinity

    Mark-Hourihane, Lansbury and Green look like they have goals in them. Adomah does, but it’ll be great to see more goals from midfield. When Green scores his first goal, we;ll all be happy. Hope he hasn’t got hamstrings like Gabby.

  50. r0bb0

    We do certainly need to see goals from
    More than just Kodjia but I do feel more confident in that score now. Hogan has scored and was really unlucky not to score again yesterday.
    Hourihane has scored and Green came really close more than once in his previous games.
    In the period when we’re on top it feels as if goals will come . . . we just need to extend those periods for more than half an hour.
    When we’re in defence mode it does at least feel as if we have players who can score on the break so we still carry enough of a threat to make oppositions wary

  51. r0bb0

    Mark, I reckon we all know what you mean about our style of play. Much of the second half yesterday was tough because Norwich were batting at our defence and we were just lobbing it clear. That doesn’t make for a ‘boring’ game though. . . . it’s just the ‘wrong sort’ of excitement and tension!
    If your mates have decided to stop going to Villa Park it looks as if you have at least managed to convert a few more over to your side. Generally though you’ll find that what fills football grounds is a winning team.
    If anything, our attendances are rising and yesterday was our 5th highest gate of the season.

  53. Mark King

    Robbo- I’ve convinced them? they are people on line who go to the matches, I haven’t for years now what exactly is my side then? From Bruces after match presser he backed up pretty much all I have been saying, we rely on Kodjia and Jedinak, he even blamed the jan losses on their absence 🙂

    Meanwhile we still have not beaten a team in good form even with them, they are the facts. I am really interested as to how Bruce really wants us to play? he says 442 but our midfield is not stable enough without Jedinak to do it, think about that, having two up top causes us defensive problems. Yes we are winning but come next season with an ageing jedinak and potentially no Kodjia what would that look like? this is our pre-season run in and we are nowhere near solving our deficiency’s at present imo. Overjoyed we are somehow winning but?

  54. r0bb0

    Mark I was just making the point that your friends stopping going to Villa Park is unusual at the moment as yesterday was one of our highest attendances and if we keep winning I guarantee that attendances will rise still further never mind our style of play
    The point is that outside of the online blog world people just enjoy seeing their team win

  55. Mark King

    Robbo- not my friends mate they are bloggers who go to VP. Now I agree some people would watch dome terrible dross if they win (which is pretty sad imo) doesn’t make it a great plan for the future of the club, short termism at its best imo

  56. Villalore

    MK, while I understand your preference for us to play beautiful football and get promoted, there is no guarantee that the former ensures the latter. Nobody is enjoying the style right now, just the results. It’s great that you are objective about the state the affairs, however you don’t see to have just soaked in a single victory since SB joined . Let’s just enjoy the last 7 games and worry in the summer.

  57. Paul Pears

    Well, back in time from Malta to be at yesterday’s game and enjoy savouring yet another Villa win, with two superb goals again from Kodjia and yet again, another clean sheet.

    Poor Hutton I see gets no mention here, after putting in yet another good shift, and showing how much more of a player he can be when playing forward and passing into the box. He is showing potential to either provide some good assists, or maybe een chip in with a goal!

    Taylor also deserves mention for his shift as well, as we were all concerned about how he would cope, but he was excellent, as were Baker, Chester and Johnstone.

    The defence is looking really solid, and with Jedinak in front, we are now almost inpenetratable.

    Weaknesses were Lansbury and Hourihane, who did not have a very good game, and Gardner and Amavi were not great repacements either. Green was an absolute disaster, and could have cost us dearly, but did not appear fit, as he mistimed the ball so many times, in the short time he was on the pitch. Adomah had a cracking game, and the beating of the fullback nearly every time.

    Would have preferred to see Grealish instead of Gardner, and Bree in place of Green.

    Looking forward now to Tuesday, and a real test of how far we have come, but the win yesterday was another solid victory for Bruce.

    Must mention that I have enjoyed reading your articles JL. Having now almost caught up with the blog.
    Hope Hogan is fit and Lansbury, and perhaps RHM will be in contention soon.

  58. Mark King

    Villalore- soaked in? if anything it makes me wonder why we are not in the top six, doesn’t it you? we are not exactly playing great football and that is a concern. Note I am not talking Arsenal like passages of play here I am talking moving the ball up field on the deck in four or five passes or any real pass and move passages of play. I watched the highlights and the amount of hoofing that went on would shame Wimbledon. People are equating Results with signs of improvement, personally I think if we had kept Jedinak fit we would be in the play offs due to the opposition played, teams we should never of lost to like Ipswich. That alone is cause for concern, we cannot defend without one man being there to organise us, a third CB if you like. We have bought a whole midfield that cant defend form the evidence so far.

    And as far as beautiful football all the teams in the top 7 places play a recognisable form of football we sit deep and hit and hope.

  59. Mark King

    Hi PP- good goals weren’t they I think we will struggle to keep him, at 27 he will get move this summer I think. Have a look at the highlights if you get a chance because several times our defence went keystone cops yesterday, if it wasn’t for the equal ineptitude of the Norwich forwards we would of been in trouble, we had what they don’t a Kodjia. Totally agree on the midfield it just doesn’t function or isn’t yet.

  60. Villalore

    MK, yes we are not playing great football and are probably fortunate to win the last one. The way I look at it is, if you are right and it’s going downhill soon, well at least we enjoyed the run while it lasted. There’s no point being miserable while we are winning AND when we have a bad run ( the last 4 years)

  61. Mark King

    Villalore- I am not miserable mate far from it. I want us to be better and I believe we should be is all, next few weeks have some tough games we will see.

  62. Heroes-and-Villans

    Mark

    We have drawn 12 matches this season. God knows how many points from winning positions dropped. Fine margins.

    Your only as good as your last game imo. Norwich won 2 nil and had new manager bounce, watched qpr loose to derby fri night and were woefull.

    Im pretty meh about style of play….a its the championship b its poor and c watched all the top 7 teams and they have been poor in all!

    Just gotta win!!

  65. John Lerwill

    PP<

    Thanks for your kind mention of my articles, Paul. 🙂 I do try to write what might interest people, but if I misfire at any time, please don't hesitate to tell me!

  66. IanG

    Hope I’ll be able to follow the QPR game as I had to miss the saturday game unfortunately due to unforeseen stuff.
    Thanks everyone for the input from the matches, especially from those who were at VP.

  67. Heroes-and-Villans

    John
    A history stat for you. Villa have not won 4 on the trot at vp without conceding since 1983!

    playing at vp there is no one we should fear in his league.

    not so confident away from home yet but at vp i expect wins

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