Nine games in and I'm a happy Aston Villa supporter
Tuesday, 24 October 06, 01:00 PM · Comments (6)
Aston Villa are nearly a quarter of the way through the season and I wanted to spend a bit of time looking at what the manager, his coaching staff and the players have achieved so far this season.
We didn't like the previous manager and even stated a petition to get him removed that lots of you signed and we thank you again for your contribution. We got some stick for starting it but I think most now agree that we were right and he had to go. We are also right when we tell you that Martin O'Neill will bring success to Aston Villa and by success we mean trophies.
We've played nine league games this season and we are the only team unbeaten. It's a nice feeling and we're not knocking anyone but if we had just beaten Watford and Spurs, two games we should have won, we'd be sitting in 4th. If we had just created a few more chances against Fulham and beaten them we'd be sitting in 3rd; all things are possible with Martin O'Neill.
The two best results for me were Arsenal and Chelsea away. Deep down I didn't expect anything and to come away with a point from each demonstrates a belief that we can go to these matches now and achieve something. First time in three seasons we can say this and it comes down to the manager.
I heard Martin O'Neill talking yesterday about the squad and he basically said you've got your team and you've got to get on with it. Last year was a different story, it was excuse after excuse. Martin O'Neill now knows what he's got after seeing a few reserve matches and he's going to get the best out of them when called upon.
I hope to see more of the youngsters coming though but I also expect the manager to bring in a player or three in January. Half of me thinks we should develop internally rather than squander money in the inflated transfer market but it also means you get the real cream coming to the top.
If I had to pick three players that have stood out for me this season I'd have to pick Smiler, Ridgewell and Agbonlahor. I always expected to see Ridgewell do well if he was given the chance but Smiler and Agbonlahor have really kicked on for me and it's a very pleasant surprise.
The thing with picking three players is as soon as you've picked them you're either making the list for five or taking away someone you don't want to. It wouldn't be fair not to mention that Sorenson, Barry, Moore, Mellberg and Petrov hav all impressed me a great deal. There have been some great displays this season and if this is a taste of things to come I'm officially very hungry.
John Gregory thinks a top 8 finish this season would be a major achievement and I agree but I'd like to think that if we can continue this run of good football through December and we can strengthen the squad in January we should be capable of top 6 and European football.
My only criticism of this season would be the attendances at Villa Park. Spurs was a one off by the looks of things and I was a little surprised of the Fulham turnout. I could understand the excuses from the last three seasons and even from the people that used to tell me they wouldn't go while Doug was still in charge but he isn't any longer and the team is winning matches. To top it all off we've got one of the best three managers in the Premiership!
I'm sure it will get better but it's still a little surprising. Anyway, we're 7th after nine games, seven points off the top and tonight we play Leicester in the Carling Cup, a tournament I fancy our chances in this season. In the last twenty years has there ever been a time where you've felt such optimism? Let us know below.
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6 Comments · Add yours
Thanks for the good read on your thoughts to this point in the season. I am a new Villa fan from the states and have been following as closely as I can with the progress of the team. I try to catch every match on the internet and althought its great, its hard to judge whats going on with the players other then looking at the game stats and reading match reviews.
I wasn't around for what went on in past years so to me it might be intresting to have a chart that shows how much improvement had been made game by game maybe using Wins/Losses/Draws and total points.
Anyway thanks to you for posting this blog and a big thanks to all the long time fans I have talked to on the boards who have been really nice and accepting me and all the other new Villa fans from the US.
Etouffee
Damian,
I agree with mostly everything you say. I was one of those who was upset at the O'Leary out brigade and never signed your petition.
In answer to Luke Marson's article in late March in which he asked for Paul Jewell to replace O'Leary i wrote him an email on the 27/3/06:
I see that you would love to see Paul Jewell who has "proven capability" become manager of our great club. Aren't you scrapping the barrel a bit??!
Jewell hasn't proved anything yet, he has had a fluke season with Wigan, lets see where they are next year.
We need Martin O Neill badly although I can understand that he wont join us as he has better offers. If Ellis stays and picks Jewell.......i never thought MON would join us, thank god he did!!
Loving the Villa. I'd be happy with what JG said. Top 8 this seaosn would be great and to get European footy for next season would be the icing ont the cake ... then we'd see if RL is going to put his money where his mouth is ... we all know we need to spend if we are going to compete in Europe ..
Well, we all make mistakes and I honestly thought at the time that Paul Jewell was good enough. I mean anyone's better than David O'Leary so I wasn't wrong in that sense, but had I thought Martin O'Neill would come I might've said that but I wasn't so sure at the time.
Anyhow, it's good to be wrong sometimes and here's to Aston Villa- cheers!
A very perceptive post, I am convinced O'Neill and Lerner will bring back some pride to Villa. If trophies are won as part of this then great, but what matters most is restoring pride in the club - celebrating our history and heritage not hiding it, reminding the world of what a fantastic club Aston Villa is, and what a great future it has. The team will sometimes be good and sometimes be poor, but the club will always be great. That is why I was physically sick whenever I had to look at or hear or think about the moron O'Leary. In three years all he ever did was make excuses and run the club down, diminish expectations and equate Villa with Charlton or similar. Whereas O'Neill comes in, reminds everyone Villa won the European cup not so long ago - well, I can remember it anyway - and say that is the target in the future. Belief wins things. O'Neill will become a legend.
Fantastic start, all of a sudden we look solid and players who clearly weren't performing for O'L**** (i cant even type his name without wanting to throw up)are now performing. Id really like to see us get a top class centre forward, as much as i loved Milan Baros for sending the scum on their way down he hasnt really convinced me and im pretty sure he's not MON's type of player. My only gripe is some Villa fans phoning local radio stations disappointed that we are beating teams liks Spurs at home. Spurs finished 5th last year and are a top class side with top class players, we have no divine right to beat these teams just because were unbeaten, weve come a long way..we were absolutely dire last year, played dire football and had an incompetent fool as a manager, weve come a hell of a long way since May. Up the Villa!!