So, half the season is done. It’s flown by hasn’t it?
Back in the summer, during the final few days of the transfer window there was much disappointment at the signings we’d made. A veteran, a relative unknown and three best of the rests were seen as what was needed by our chap in charge.
There wasn’t a huge amount of optimism here after the Wigan game, although I say that as if it’s usually all sunshine and gum drops on here and the reality is wholly different (where the hell is Taglor?).
I wonder if, back in August, had Doctor Emmet Brown pulled up in his DeLorean and whilst uttering the immortal words ‘Great Scott’, begged us feast our eyes on a picture of the table with eighteen games to go; mentioned we were still in both cups and looking forward to a semi final against the weakest team left in the competition, would we have been as disappointed as many seem to be.
For an optimist I try and be realistic and objective as possible and things really don’t appear as bleak as some would make out from where I’m watching.
It appears that we are currently suffering from what I’ll coin as ‘transfer window blues’. Every window there seems to be a huge desire to sign someone, anyone, the final piece of the puzzle, the marquee signing. I don’t think it’s as simple as that.
I am going to regurgitate something I touched on yesterday as many seem to forget where we were three seasons ago, who was playing for us then and constantly undermine the quality of the great players we have playing for us at the moment.
We were relying on players like Jay Lloyd Samuel, Gabor Kiraly, Gavin McCann, Shaun Maloney, Craig Gardner. Now I know there are some players from that period that are still dear to many for whatever reason, but were they really good enough?
I believe that the majority of our current side are good enough. The back four are excellent. The goalkeepers are excellent. Our midfield is close to being excellent and I think most will agree that if we could get Heskey and Carew in Jeff Goldblum’s Fly machine together, a world class centre forward called Johmile Creskew might pop out the other end.
We are on the way gentlemen. There is half the season left and people are already writing us off, and let them. The underdog tag suits us. Everyone expects us to do what we usually do and capitulate (even we do), and that is why given our strong position in the league our excellent progress in the league cup and our good draw in the FA cup we continue to get sidelined by fans, pundits and everyone under the sun.
What if we don’t capitulate? What if we gather more points in the second half of the season than we did in the first?
We’re capable of it aren’t we? We haven’t hit top gear yet have we?
We’ve seen flashes of it sure, but what if the Villa machine suddenly starts working properly like we all wish it would? All I know is that the squad is bigger, deeper, stronger and maybe even better than last seasons despite losing two key personnel.
I don’t feel we have to sign someone to have a successful season and despite being a second rate competition to some, I can assure you that should we win the league cup this season it may well be very important for the progression of this football club.
It’s a very important couple of weeks for us, but if we get to this time next month and we’re in the final of the Cup, the fifth round of the FA cup and still three points off fourth place I for one am going to start getting very excited indeed.
Also, I just wanted to say I am very proud of the way the club have reacted to the incident in Angola and wanted to wish Moussie all the best and let him know that he has our support and condolences. I sincerely hope all those injured physically or otherwise pull through.
Can we start a collection for that bullet proof Snood?
John goes by the username Juan Pablo Angel on the website