After watching Fulham's 5-0 drubbing of Wolves I thought to myself that with not long to go in the season, 8 points is surely a big enough gap to keep us from the relegation dogfight.
Wolves look so so poor with a manager still learning the ropes, surely they are doomed. Wigan looked dreadful at home to Swansea and surely they have used up their 9 lives by now. Blackburn can't even keep a clean sheet at home to Villa which tells it's own story! QPR still haven't found their feet under Mark Hughes which I must say has surprised me. Then there is Bolton who have been poor all season and have never really looked like going on a winning run.
So with just 11 games to go can you really see at least 3 of the teams below us overhauling an effective 9 point gap if you look at goal difference? I certainly can't! I would be surprised if we needed anything more than just 2 or 3 more points if that due to the garbage that is sitting below us. I know we have a tough run to the end of the season but even we're not that bad that we will not be able to pick up 3 points in 11 games are we? I bloody well hope not!
One thing is for sure though, if Mcleish is still here next season then I really don't fancy our chances of survival. But for now, I'm pretty confident of securing Premier League status next year. We certainly can't afford to relax, but if we can just scrape a few more points we have absolutely nothing to worry about this season.
Showing posts with label Premier League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Premier League. Show all posts
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Time To Kick On!
After a steady yet unspectacular start to the season, Alex Mcleish wants Villa to kick on now and start to pick up more points, whilst also saying he is a bit annoyed at not having picked up more points already this season. Most Villa fans I think will be in agreement that we feel as though we should have had at least a couple more victories so far. The games where we took the lead, Newcastle and QPR, were particularly annoying dropped points from my point of view.
Mcleish said:
“I’m greedy – I feel we should have more points, I really do, but I can’t be too critical of the players,”
“It’s about building on the identity they have tried to impose over the past few weeks, the mental toughness, the never say die, the going right to the very end.
“We’ve seen a lot of these characteristics since the start of the season. This latest victory should not do them any harm in terms of belief and confidence.”
“The players have been very keen to get results for my staff and myself because we have a good relationship,”
“There may have been a bit of anxiety in that respect. But it’s a work in progress. This job is a fantastic privilege.
“I have been lucky in the game. I started at 17. I am now at one of the big clubs in English history and it’s an honour and I am determined to get it right.”
Mcleish said:
“I’m greedy – I feel we should have more points, I really do, but I can’t be too critical of the players,”
“It’s about building on the identity they have tried to impose over the past few weeks, the mental toughness, the never say die, the going right to the very end.
“We’ve seen a lot of these characteristics since the start of the season. This latest victory should not do them any harm in terms of belief and confidence.”
“The players have been very keen to get results for my staff and myself because we have a good relationship,”
“There may have been a bit of anxiety in that respect. But it’s a work in progress. This job is a fantastic privilege.
“I have been lucky in the game. I started at 17. I am now at one of the big clubs in English history and it’s an honour and I am determined to get it right.”
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Full Time - QPR 1-1 Villa
So match day is here, live on sky sports and free to view for this weekend thanks to the Sky Sports free weekend. Much debate over the starting line up after the few injuries we have had over the past week or so. However the wait is now over and this is the team that will start the match:
Given, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Petrov, Delph, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Bannan, Agbonlahor
Subs: Guzan, Beye, Lowry, Gardner, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Weimann
So then, Stephen Ireland starts his first Premier League game of the season. I guess that means moving Bannan to the wing with Ireland behind Gabby. For me this is a good choice as I am looking forward to see what Ireland can really do on the main stage. I can see a much higher work rate from him recently and I really hope he can prove the doubters wrong because there is no denying that on his day he is a top player.
Also would love to see Gardner and Weimann get some minutes today. I rate them both very highly and Im sure the fact that QPR don't know much them means they could cause a few problems due to the unpredictability of them.
Full Time - 1-1
90+3 mins - 1-1. Heartbreak for Villa. Dunne own goal, could do nothing about it
90+2 mins - Albighton wins a corner
90 mins - Traore sent off for a second yellow for a flying tackle on Albrighton. 5 mins of added time to withstand
88 mins - Gabby with a shot deflected wide. Chance to waste a couple of minutes
87 mins - Another penalty shout for a Hutton handball not given. Would have been harsh
85 mins - Finally Zogs is withdrawn!!! Time for Weimann to show what he can do in the last 5 mins although I can't help but feeling it's going to be all about defending now
84 mins - Villa giving away a couple of cheap free kicks in very good positions
80 mins - Zogs must come off, he's had another shocker
72 mins - Albrighton on for goal scorer Bannan. Not what I would have done but hey ho, I'll judge after 90 minutes
71 mins - Hutton blocks a goalbound header with his arm, let off for Villa
70 mins - Petrov booked for a rash challenge on Wright-Phillips
68 mins - What was I saying??? Given pulls one out of the top drawer to deny Wright-Phillips
65 mins - Villa starting to play one touch football, that's right, one touch football and it's a million times better to route 1 rubbish. Chances few and far between now
57 mins - GOAL FOR VILLA!!! A soft penalty for a slight tug on Gabby. Bannan steps up and slots it right into the corner. Kenny guessed right but couldn't keep it out. Now Villa lets not go into our shell
55 mins - Bannan starting to pull the strings... hold on
51 mins - Only a few minutes into the half but already so much better. We're looking much more positive and it's really livened the game up
47 mins - Bright start to the second half. Zogs playing in Delph whose shot was blocked. More of the same please!
Half Time - Very poor opening 40 minutes with QPR all over us creating opportunities at will. Finally an improvement at the end of the half with Bannan coming so close to scoring with a peach of a free kick (any kids watching, that is perfect technique for an up and over the wall free kick) followed by a small spell of pressure but overall we need more of everything
44 mins - Bannan free kick 25 yards out looked in all the way but kept out excellently by Kenny. Our first shot of the game! Would have been cruel on QPR
42 mins - Villa racking up a couple of corners, met by sarcastic cheers from the Villa fans
40 mins - Crunching tackle from Warnock on Barton earns him the first booking of the match. Barton goes down holding his face when it looked like his face when never touched, typical Barton!
35 mins - More of the same. Gabby looking increasingly isolated up front. The whole team needs to press higher up the pitch as a unit. There's no link between defence, midfield and attack so far
27 mins - Pressure eased on our goal slightly, still nothing going forward though
18 mins - All QPR still. Villa looking laboured and passing and movement is all too slow. MUST IMPROVE
6 mins - Shaky start, Taarabt hits the post with a screamer from 30 yards
15:58 - Kick off in a couple of mins. Come on you Villa boys, 3 points please!!!
Given, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Petrov, Delph, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Bannan, Agbonlahor
Subs: Guzan, Beye, Lowry, Gardner, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Weimann
So then, Stephen Ireland starts his first Premier League game of the season. I guess that means moving Bannan to the wing with Ireland behind Gabby. For me this is a good choice as I am looking forward to see what Ireland can really do on the main stage. I can see a much higher work rate from him recently and I really hope he can prove the doubters wrong because there is no denying that on his day he is a top player.
Also would love to see Gardner and Weimann get some minutes today. I rate them both very highly and Im sure the fact that QPR don't know much them means they could cause a few problems due to the unpredictability of them.
Full Time - 1-1
90+3 mins - 1-1. Heartbreak for Villa. Dunne own goal, could do nothing about it
90+2 mins - Albighton wins a corner
90 mins - Traore sent off for a second yellow for a flying tackle on Albrighton. 5 mins of added time to withstand
88 mins - Gabby with a shot deflected wide. Chance to waste a couple of minutes
87 mins - Another penalty shout for a Hutton handball not given. Would have been harsh
85 mins - Finally Zogs is withdrawn!!! Time for Weimann to show what he can do in the last 5 mins although I can't help but feeling it's going to be all about defending now
84 mins - Villa giving away a couple of cheap free kicks in very good positions
80 mins - Zogs must come off, he's had another shocker
72 mins - Albrighton on for goal scorer Bannan. Not what I would have done but hey ho, I'll judge after 90 minutes
71 mins - Hutton blocks a goalbound header with his arm, let off for Villa
70 mins - Petrov booked for a rash challenge on Wright-Phillips
68 mins - What was I saying??? Given pulls one out of the top drawer to deny Wright-Phillips
65 mins - Villa starting to play one touch football, that's right, one touch football and it's a million times better to route 1 rubbish. Chances few and far between now
57 mins - GOAL FOR VILLA!!! A soft penalty for a slight tug on Gabby. Bannan steps up and slots it right into the corner. Kenny guessed right but couldn't keep it out. Now Villa lets not go into our shell
55 mins - Bannan starting to pull the strings... hold on
51 mins - Only a few minutes into the half but already so much better. We're looking much more positive and it's really livened the game up
47 mins - Bright start to the second half. Zogs playing in Delph whose shot was blocked. More of the same please!
Half Time - Very poor opening 40 minutes with QPR all over us creating opportunities at will. Finally an improvement at the end of the half with Bannan coming so close to scoring with a peach of a free kick (any kids watching, that is perfect technique for an up and over the wall free kick) followed by a small spell of pressure but overall we need more of everything
44 mins - Bannan free kick 25 yards out looked in all the way but kept out excellently by Kenny. Our first shot of the game! Would have been cruel on QPR
42 mins - Villa racking up a couple of corners, met by sarcastic cheers from the Villa fans
40 mins - Crunching tackle from Warnock on Barton earns him the first booking of the match. Barton goes down holding his face when it looked like his face when never touched, typical Barton!
35 mins - More of the same. Gabby looking increasingly isolated up front. The whole team needs to press higher up the pitch as a unit. There's no link between defence, midfield and attack so far
27 mins - Pressure eased on our goal slightly, still nothing going forward though
18 mins - All QPR still. Villa looking laboured and passing and movement is all too slow. MUST IMPROVE
6 mins - Shaky start, Taarabt hits the post with a screamer from 30 yards
15:58 - Kick off in a couple of mins. Come on you Villa boys, 3 points please!!!
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