By Richard Wakefield
Unfamiliar Feeling
Aston Villa return this Saturday to Villa Park after a long awaited away win. With the Villa fans having to wait 437 days to finally see their team record a win on the road, a sense of optimism and new found belief is starting to creep in.
However, Steve Bruce will not have an easy task ahead of them as they welcome Fulham who find themselves in mid-table due to their poor home form. Unluckily for Villa, Fulham are undefeated away from home all season.
With both teams eager to pick up three points to announce themselves as late arrivals to the promotion push party, this tight affair could be a real catalyst to begin the Bruce revolution in earnest.
Here’s three ways of making sure it happens…
3. Accident Prone
With Ritchie De Laet out and Micah Richards also injured, the emergence of Leandro Bacuna moving into a more advanced midfield role, means there is only one man who could possibly fill the right-back berth – Alan Hutton.
The former Scottish international has his name shouted from the Holte End on regular occasion despite the fans’ acknowledgment of his obvious limitations. Being arguably one of the worse players in last season’s relegation, Hutton is more likely to imitate De La Cruz rather than Gary Neville.
With Fulham boasting some quick and technically proficient players like Sone Aluko and Chelsea loanee Lucas Piazon, Hutton could be a target for Fulham boss Slaviša Jokanović, especially when 38% of Fulham’s attacks this season are conducted down the left flank.
Bruce needs to address this weakness and have one of a midfield three to keep an eye on things, or licence Albert Adomah with the task of tracking back more to aid Hutton.
If this is address, it could neutralise Fulham’s threat considerably.
