Last weekend, Villa notched their third consecutive clean sheet against Arsenal for the first time in the club’s history, capping off a roller-coaster run of 6 games in 18 days following the squad’s return from quarantine. It was a good victory that left Mikel Arteta a bit nonsensical, even if it wasn’t one for the ages.
Well, it was disappointing against West Ham. Some (me included) believe we were tired, some don’t. Whatever the take, Villa came out worthy 1-3 losers. So. What does Deano do against an improved Arsenal on a short turn?
It was a gritty and fairly unspectacular performance from Villa that saw them finally break their Saints jinx 1-0, as Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley combined flawlessly on the game’s only goal. Tonight, it’s West Ham, the season’s other surprise team, who’ve climbed up to fifth, three ahead of Villa. Should Villa win, that’s where we could end up at the end of the day with a little help from Leeds. Who probably also should also be included in the season’s surprises.
I’m sure everyone’s still smarting from throwing away the Burnley match. But every time I’ve heard the commentators observe, “Villa have not lost a match in which they’ve taken the lead,” you know it’s going to happen sooner or later. So, that slate’s wiped clean, at least.
A busy day in the league, and another important match for Villa. They’re all important of course, but, like Newcastle, we’re facing one of those games you sort of “have” to win to stay in the top half. That said, Sean Dyche’s Clarets have started to wake up and lay claim to the their generally mediocre destiny. Which isn’t to say they don’t punch over their weight. They make the most of what they’ve got, as the Liverpool result shows.
