Entertainment can go out the window
Thursday, 06 March 08, 11:13 AM
In the first half of the season, there were a few question marks over our style of football. The words 'long ball' and 'scrappy' were, from time to time, bandied about.
Some people may still have their doubts, although I personally have been long since convinced.
This season has been fantastically entertaining. We've seen Villa score four or more goals in a match four times. We've watched our side score as many as anyone except Arsenal and United. We've had had more players called up to the England squad in one go than I can remember. We haven't rolled over against the big four.
There's more. Much more. Two things stand out for me personally. The first is that friends, colleagues and people I meet are, for the first time in more than a decade, complimentary about Villa. They - like Kolo Toure - see us as a team that plays good football. They see us as giving young players a chance. They see a game based on speed, skill and exciting counter-attacking football, and they like it.
The second is that, with ten games to go, we're talking about where we'll finish. And not looking nervously over our shoulders. Not talking about whether we can haul ourselves up into the top half. But talking about whether we can secure the faint hope of a Champions League place. Whether we can do enough to finish in the top six, where we've been consistently competing against some of the best teams in the country.
Those things make this a fantastic season. If we miss out on European football because Tottenham Hotspur won the League Cup, and there might not be an extra place from the FA Cup, that doesn't change it. It's plain to see we're on the right road.
From here on in, though, I don't care about that. I've had my fill of entertainment for the season. What matters now is getting points - however we can. A 1-0 win against Boro with our one shot in a dire game? Fine. A late winner from a dodgy penalty that leaves the nation outraged against Pompey? Fine. The same every game? Fine.
Long ball football. Dogged defending. Scrappy midfield battles. Making use of our set-pieces. Whatever. Whatever works for the next ten games suits me fine.
This season, Martin O'Neill's side have proved to me they can entertain. They've shown me we're heading in the right direction. They've shown they can deliver the football our fans deserve.
Now, let's get behind them and help them get as many points as possible. There are ten games to go. Anything can happen. And it doesn't matter how.
Comments (28)
yep lets do it, its now or never for this season. we hav had decent results and we gotta put the lower teams away. look at how we tore newcastle apart, took the lead against manure, arse (twice), liverpool, chelsea. we have fast, skilful players and the best thing about it is we can improve. once we get additions in, more confidence and more ppl takin notice of us, then the sky is the limit. why not? top season, and credit to the players and manager.
could not agree more, i dont leave to many comments on this blog i enjoy other peoples comments to much!!;D
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But this year i can say i have never been prouder to be a villa supporter. I live down south and all we have down here are glory hunting arsenal, chelski and manure fans and all i have taken for years is stick.
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its good for once that people are taking note of villa and i get less stick off my mates!!!
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UTV!!!
could not agree more. i dont care if we become the worse team to watch for the next 10 or 11 games as long as we keep picking up 3 points, would love 4th spot but i will settle for uefa cup we need to pull away from the teams below us some very exciting weeks ahead thou cant wait!!come on the villa
well said mate, I can't see us catching 5th spot, Everton have been amazing and Liverpool are now kicking into gear. I feel the same way, very happy with this season and plenty to build on for next.
UTV
I would think we can still get the points and play good football. Especially since a few of our upcoming games are Middlesborough, Bolton, Derby and Manchester United (Yeah we'll be mostly defending, but we can still play well)
Simply, brilliantly put.
I have seen alot of Villa on the road this season, but also as a season ticket holder I dont care how we play at the moment in terms of style, what I love the most is the will to go out there and win - no matter the costs.
ONeill is a brilliant manager, where clearly Cloughie lives on.
I have no doubts we are on the brink of something quite magnificent at Villa, and I have a feeling ONeill will be spoken about for years and years to come.
Also, on other fans being quite complimentary about us, I agree we are alot of other team supporters second club theses days - again the ONeill factor put to play.
The aim now, after qualifying for Europe, is to do it all again next season, only better. Prove we are a top team and cement our place there. Too many times I've seen Villa have a good season and then the following seasons they go from average to bad and then start all over again with a new manager. I feel differently about our team this time though, so I want to see them prove it by finishing even higher next season. Here's to the five year plan.
to echo the views of The Mighty Steve, while it's about getting into Europe this season, it's mostly about making sure we don't slip. To do that we've got to develop the squad and add to it.
Some might even say, getting in is the easy part - staying in is where the real hard work begins.
I couldnâ€t agree more and like Andy, Iâ€ve never left a comment before by enjoy the banter between you all it makeâ€s my day login on and agreeing / disagree with so of your comments. The stick I get for supporting The VILLA and living in Surrey has done my head in over the years, but this year itâ€s been a different story, the football the boys are playing have put Villa back on the map. Between now and the end of the season I feel there will be some strange results and with Liverpool & Everton still being in Europe could be an advantage for us. Therefore please see below my predictionâ€s for the rest of the season I hope you enjoy them?
Villa
Currently 48 points
Points to play for 30
Predicting: 21
Finished with 69
19:45 Aston Villa vs Middlesbrough; villa win 3
15:00 Portsmouth vs Aston Villa draw 1
15:00 Aston Villa vs Sunderland; villa win 3
13:30 Man Utd vs Aston Villa; man u win 0
15:00 Aston Villa vs Bolton; villa win 3
15:00 Derby vs Aston Villa; villa win 3
12:00 Aston Villa vs Birmingham; villa win 3
16:00 Everton vs Aston Villa; draw 1
15:00 Aston Villa vs Wigan; villa win 3
15:00 West Ham vs Aston Villa; draw 1
Liverpool
Currently 53 points
Points to play for 30
Predicting: 14
Finished with 67
15:00 Liverpool vs Newcastle; pool win 3
15:00 Liverpool vs Reading; pool win 3
13:30 Man Utd vs Liverpool; man u win 0
16:00 Liverpool vs Everton; draw 1
12:45 Arsenal vs Liverpool; Gunners win 0
13:30 Liverpool vs Blackburn; draw 1
15:00 Fulham vs Liverpool; pool win 3
15:00 Birmingham vs Liverpool; draw 1
15:00 Liverpool vs Man City; draw 1
15:00 Tottenham vs Liverpool; draw 1
Everton
Currently 53 points
Points to play for 30
Predicting: 16
Finished with 69
15:00 Sunderland vs Everton; Toffee win 3
13:30 Fulham vs Everton; Toffee win 3
17:15 Everton vs West Ham; draw 1
16:00 Liverpool vs Everton; draw 1
15:00 Everton vs Derby; Toffee win 3
15:00 Birmingham vs Everton; draw 1
15:00 Everton vs Chelsea; Chelski win 0
16:00 Everton vs Aston Villa; draw 1
15:00 Arsenal vs Everton; Gunners win 0
15:00 Everton vs Newcastle; Toffee win 3
does anyone know if the runners up of the fa cup will take the third uefa cup spot over 6th in the league (presuming manu or chelsea win the cup) ???
Here's me on Villa matches nowadays:
:) ;) :D 8) :-* :-* :o >:( ;D :'( :-* 8) 8) :P :o ;D ;D :D ;D
Lovin' it.
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has set John Carew a 20-goal target and believes the striker can become one of the best in Europe.
Carew, Villa's leading scorer, has netted nine times this season despite missing two months of the campaign with a knee injury.
The Norwegian international's goals have helped fire Villa - who sit sixth in the Premier League - into contention for a place in Europe next season, but O'Neill believes Carew can improve.
"To see John up to the nine-goal mark is great - and there's no reason why he shouldn't go on to become a 20-goals-a-season man," said the Villa boss.
Martin please dont make me laugh
Spot on. I'm all for style, but the scoreboard is the only thing that matters. For the same reason, I dismiss all criticism of goals from set pieces vs. open play. Ball in the net, doesn't matter how it gets there.
Villa are learning to play with style and composure, and that part will only get better. For now, I don't care how they pick up points.
When was the last time we were this happy?
I started going to Villa Park in 1993-94 when I was five ...
I met arguably the worst signing ever made when he arrived at VP - Nii Lamptey ...
I had a few weeks off school and missed mock SATS exams to go with the old man to Bordeaux, Steaua Bucharest and Athletico Madrid when we nearly won the UEFA Cup ...
Went to Wembley to see Dean Holdsworth gift us a place in the F.A. Cup Final with "that miss" .... only to be disappointed by a crap 1-0 game ...
I sat in the with the Blues fans at the Sty the year they came up as the Villa end had sold out and had to listen to them and stand up for each goal ...
And now i'm 19 ... currently in debt due to my Uni tuition fees ... and do you know what ...
I'm going to get into more debt as I will definately be renewing my season ticket yet again!!!
Seriously, this is the best season i've had watching Villa since the year Gregory took over and we went out on away goals to Madrid, I think we can achieve top four ... but even if we don't, and don't even make Europe at all ... we can all be proud of a team that not only wins most games ... but battles in EVERY game.
Let's get behind the lads and look forward to an even better next season!
:D
yup, happy days. were going to be much better next season with van der vaart scoring 15 goals from midfield as well!
As was mentioned if we can make steady improvement then not getting into Europe is not the end of the world. However, should we manage it then we really do need a big spend in the summer. Mon and his staff, and especially Mr Lerner have made us feel proud again.
Keep the Faith
i have worked out Villa will finish 5th behind liverpool on teh same points (74) points. Liverpool have far superior goal diference. Everton will finish 6th on 64 points. I think we will need fifth to qualify for uefa.
PS I thought the Eduardo song was funny!
I totally agree. Great bit of writing almost as good as Salifou blogs. Every game is a cup final and will get the nerves going and blood pumpin. Havn't enjoyed it so much since the two Ronnies - Saunders and Atkinson. After all that waiting I have to say well done Doug Ellis for finally selling to the right man Randy Learner and for bringing in the best manager. But that was only part of the job. Those two have made it happen. Big thanks. Now lets get into Europe!!!!
DANNYO777 6th will only do it as long as it's a Man U Chelsea FA Cup final. The runners up of FA Cup get the UEFA cup spot over 6th place in the league.
rob conway great post but have to disagree with Everton vs West Ham; draw 1 - West Ham are pork pie, Liverpool trounced them at the weekend, I think Everton will take 4th and we'll be scrapping it out with Liverpool for 5th…
just watched the video on this page, check out this little beauty LINK - class
Liverpool are looking good at the minute, it has to be said but they have a very tricky run in. I can't see them getting anything from Manchester United or Arsenal and tough away games at St Andrews and White Hart Lane might see them being beaten too. I think the 'race for fourth' will go all the way, maybe to the final day, when Everton could be in the driving seat as they have a home game against Newcastle and Villa and Liverpool are away.
I've always been proud to be a Villa fan, but it's definetly been easier to justify this to my non-Villa mates this season.
I think the race for 4th place will be closer than some people think.
If we do end up lucking out to Liverpool and Everton, there is still the inter-toto place which we've applied for.
Also does anyone know how to check on the current standings of the FIFA fair play league, I'm sure I've heard that England are top of the table, with Spurs and Villa once again topping the list of fair playing english clubs.
thanks for the response primeminister! lets hope for a manu v chelsea final then.
astonguerilla, there is a lucky dip for 3 more uefa places chosen from clubs from 7 countries. sadly it seems we are languishing in 14th place in the fairplay league so its probably not a viable route...
LINK
I'm now get the same reaction from people who are suddenly starting to take us seriously. MON is obviously widely respected [after all the fans of most other clubs have said he would have been their preferred managerial candidate at one time or another]. Strangely the people I talk to on my patch oop north all think we are better than we probably are. The regulars know its not all plain sailing and we do have weaknesses and MON talks a very good game to the cameras but nevertheless this season has been a breath of fresh air. I'm not worried about 4th or 5th spot. Top 6 will be fine. I'm not worried about missing out on EUFA Cup, its a complicated, overlong tournament with a lot of poor teams in the early stages. Sustaining interest could be an issue. Boro even lost money on getting to the Final. Currently we don't have the squad to compete seriously in the domestic competitions and this one [50-60 matches in the season-I don't think so]so I think its better to miss out on this and concentrate totally on getting into the Top 4 next season. I'm convinced we could do this but not with the fixture overload that EUFA [or Inter-Disney] Cup would bring.
Like the observation that others see us as a club that gives young players a chance. People are also noticing how well our reserves/youth are doing, topping their respective leagues. Martin O'Neill's interest and influence is having an effect here as well.
I love the fact that he always seems to be one step ahead on every level. I might say we are playing with team spirit, determination, belief etc. but he KNOWS its about consitency of performance. What you train for, day in day out.
I remember when O'Neill arrived at Villa that he spent time 'tapping into' the history and success at Villa. He has made links that cut to the very heart of who we are and used that to put the club where it can be.
Jimmy Villans YouTube link remineded my of that great goal by Atkinson....Now..as a little nipper, i can remember Alan McAnally scoring a goal when he ran from his own half....might have got goal of the season...think it was against Millwall. Would love to see that again !! Anyone any ideas where i could see that again....not on YouTube by the looks of it.....