The Barclays Asia Trophy is held every two years and involves three Premier League clubs. This year, it is us, Blackburn and Chelsea and while it maybe isn't taken that seriously and possibly wont be by our manager, football is all about winning and when we won the Peace Cup two years ago, there was a positive buzz from it.
I'm trying to lay down some reality here - it doesn't matter what the result is today, but it would be nice to win. Further reality can be taken from this match meaning nothing if we lose and something if we win. Look at it this way; we know we are not going to win the League and our best hope for silverware is the League Cup or, actually, this tournament.
So, it doesn't matter, but it would be nice. I think you know what I mean - it is a pre-season tournament and our manager is still trying to get to know his players, so don't expect too much but hope for it, just like you do every day and just like you would of we were playing Kidderminster in a pre-season friendly and it was the Academy side playing.
Want to watch the match?
If you don't have access to a TV or wherever you are they are not showing the game, you can watch it here. It costs, but in life so much isn't free these days and you know what, the quality can not be beat and as long as you have a semi-decent internet connection you'll watch this no problem.
The Clowns
So, with Aston Villa out of the way, I'd like to turn my attention to The Clowns down the road. Talk is, they're in trouble. The talk is that they are desperate for cash and that if they don't get some soon, the administrators might be called in.
If administrators are called in there is an automatic points deduction and I might be wrong on this, but they might not be able to play in Europe. Truth is, there is so little money in that tournament, it would probably cost them more in the early rounds than they were going to win, so it would probably be helping them out.
Now, I'm not one to gloat, but there would be a feeling of smug satisfaction if they went into administration but at the same time, you don't want them to go completely bust. A year or three in the first or second division would be good for them and if they never managed to climb back out again, it would just feel as if they got exactly what they deserved.
New face in hell
Lastly for now and to bring it back to us, there is a season preview here from Surreal Football. It is a nice write up basically summarising what isn't going to happen.
Personally, I'll always support and love Aston Villa, but it is getting hard - football is supposed to be about competition, but it isn't one any more. It is about the odd win, hype, PR and spin. We know right now we're not going to win anything this season and that might be a bit depressing to take, but knowing that right now, doesn't it sort of make the season pointless?
Right, before I talk myself into something, I'm off. Football starts in just over an hour.