Aston Villa v Watford: Time to drop Richards, time to try and win a game and time for Grealish

It's not easy at the moment and you don't need me to tell you why. The hardest part about it all is that it was avoidable. The even harder part to watch is that we've not seeing any returns from the appointment of Rémi Garde and believe it or not, if he doesn't start to turn it around soon, some will be saying he has to go because he's not had the impact he was supposed to have.

But, you'll know what I wrote the other day and so far Rémi Garde is on target. He's lost one and drawn one. All he needs to do today is win and we're on target for staying up.

And it's only Watford

That will get me into trouble and I don't really mean it to. Watford have picked up more points away from home this season than we've picked up in all our thirteen matches and I've also got a soft spot for Watford as my son was born at Watford General on Vicarage Road. And before Watford became a shit hole, it used to be a nice place and I've got some fond memories.

But that's it about Watford as a town, although I should say there are some quite decent pubs and I actually had my first proper girlfriend experience at the cinema at the end of Market Street. But not many Watford fans reading this post will know about that place.

The sad thing about this post is that Watford have an ambitious owner taking a serious interest and there is every chance they can stay up this season. They've got what looks like football people running the football club and people at the club that want to fight. We know why we are where we are.

The match

So, it's fair to say that this is an important match and we all know what needs to happen. We can't go out there to not lose, we have to go out there to win. And that means putting some emphasis on the attacking players, getting the ball out wide and then getting the ball into the box.

This next part is going to sound obvious, but we've got to support the striker - so whoever is in midfield, when the ball has gone out wide and a cross is going to come in, get running. Oh and we've got to drop Micah Richards.

Yes, that will wind some up, but he's wound me up this week with his interview and I've been saying he has to be dropped for a while. Yes, what he said is going to win some supporters over but he's having a pop at players and he thinks we're fine with the ball. We've scored ten goals all season - the lowest number in the league!

Richards could only start seven games in Italy last season. He hardly played at Manchester City when they could afford a decent right back and this season, the season when we are bottom of the table, he's at the heart of our defence. Dropping Richards is the first thing we need to do.

And we have to do those things that I wrote about above. We've got to attack and we've got to get the ball wide. It's not rocket science. Do those things and we stand a chance. Do anything else today and we're not going to get three points.

Do anything else today and there are only two home games left before January and the transfer window. Two opportunities to show the owner supporters are not happy. Two opportunities for supporters to do nothing.

The last few words

And before the match, just let me say to Micah Richards, the player that said we need more Premier League experience. Between you, Hutton, N'Zogbia, Richardson, Lescott and Gabby we must have close to 1,000 Premier League matches, if not more. How much more experience do you want?

And before I go eat, we all know by now that Grealish is not in the squad. He's getting told off for getting caught out again and opinion is split on this. Sure, he's not had a great season so far but I think it's fair to say that expectations have taken over and there is a chance that things have gone to his head. But that's our fault as supporters.

Should he have been dropped; no. Should he have been quietly told he wasn't going to play, probably. Does he need time, for sure, but he's only twenty. But, it's how he reacts to this that counts and he can really only react one way.

Team news coming up. We need three points today and as such, my bet of the day is just us.

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