Another Heskey derby comes and goes and this time the spoils are shared. All things considered a draw against this seasons form team is a good result. Having both gone behind and conceded a penalty the draw looks even better. Obviously three points is what we really need from games but four points in the last two games maintains some momentum.
Too Easy
The big worry from this game was the manner in which we conceded. A simple long ball forward and Villa were torn apart, both centre backs caught sleeping. Okore was forced to play catch up with his man while Lescott stopped his backwards run meaning that he had no chance of clearing the rebound from Bunn’s initial save. With the team struggling to score more than a goal a game lapses in concentration and soft goals must be cut out it it’s one step forward and two steps back for the season.
New Chairman
It was strange seeing a Villa chairman actually present at a game. Whether the appointment of Steve Hollis makes any major difference other than the fans having someone to protest to in person remains to be seen. Does this change the need for new ownership? No.
Perspective
I found it hard to be too disheartened by this result but equally I couldn’t get too excited by the singular point. The next two games will put this game in perspective and determine whether this was a hard-earned point or simply not good enough for a team languishing at the bottom of the pile.
Tueaday’s FA Cup replay against Wycombe is a second opportunity to build confidence and momentum ahead of another crunch game, this time against rivals Weat Brom in what is theoretically a very winnable game.
First time around Villa dropped the ball. There’s no excuses for anything but a win, and a loss would be hugely detrimental to the confidence and improved attitude that Garde has been cultivated in the last couple of weeks. Should Villa secure passage through to the next round of the cup, and take three points from Albion then this Leicester result will look like a much more solid achievement.
Let’s Get Physical
Saturday’s game was far from a vintage performance from the Villans, but the recent increased levels of fight shown, coupled with the fact we aren’t losing every game, are encouraging. Much of this has come from the physicality of Ciasokho,Okore, and Kozak. There is no doubt Aston Villa have their backs to the Premier League wall, yet it’s good to see the team is willing to roll up it’s sleeves.
Bunn
It’s good to see That Brad Guzan has paid the price for a shaky season and well done to Mark Bunn who certainly seems to have done what Garde hoped by injecting some new confidence in the squad. Bunn pulled off a few good saves too (including the penalty), although his yellow card for rushing out of the box to cut out a Leicester attack was a heart in the mouth moment.
Alone
It’s clear that none of our relegation rivals have any intention of doing Villa any favours and each of them is pulling results out of a hat every week or two. Villa really need to continue with their increased intensity because they face a dog eat dog scrap to survive, and our rivals are all still getting points on the board.
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