“This won’t hamper our progress” – Paul Lambert
With David Michael
5-0 and even with Villa nemesis Mario Balotelli nowhere to be seen. But who needs Batotelli when you’ve got Adrian Holmes running the lines and generously donating penalties to City as if on a retainer by the home side. City have beaten Villa in 10 out of the last 11 games, so it’s not like we’ve lost points here. Still, let’s be frank, Villa folded like a deck of cards.So how can Villa fans look on the bright side of life?
1. It wasn’t six. Or seven…or even eight or nine.
2. Andreas Weimann’s passion. Not only was he distraught at the time of the linesman’s gaff, but he had a go at the officials when he was substituted, and then again after the game ended. It was perhaps the highlight of the game for Villa, when after the final whistle, Weimann walked back on the pitch and up to the centre circle to vent his feelings at the three main officials. That’s the spirit we want to see at Villa. Young lions fighting. Beaten 5-0 he could have just slumped off thinking about getting home and playing FIFA. Good on him.
3. Villa are still the only team to score more than three goals at the Etihad. That record didn’t change after this game…
4. We’re still in the League Cup. Manchester City aren’t. Really. Thank god for the League Cup this season!
5. By chance, a long-term plan for Villa’s return to greatness materialised during the Villa vs City match. The other day MOMS and 50-odd fellow Villa supporters bought shares in the Spanish club Real Oviedo to help them in their time of crisis. We called ourselves the ‘Holte Enders in the Sun’ (get it, it’s sunny in Spain). Anyway, while City were whooping Villa, it was announced that the richest man in the world, Carlos Slim had followed our lead and also bought shares in the Spanish club (2,000,000 € worth).
That’s right, Mr Slim is now our business partner, we own the same club together and are potentially soon to be big buddies. Just wait until the ‘Holte Enders in the Sun’ crew sweet talk him at the first Annual General Meeting. A few days later, we’ll be on the phone to see if he fancies buying out Aston Villa FC for the fun of making the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea look like small-time clowns. Bottom-line? The European Cup back at Villa Park within three seasons.
Have you got a better plan?
Follow MOMS on Twitter – @oldmansaid
