Villa are on a tear and looking like one of the form horses in the division. That’s not to say it’s always pretty to look at, but the results and league position certainly are.
More impressive still is that since the club lost John Terry to injury, coupled with a hot streak from Alberty Adomah, they haven’t lost stride – a big fear as JT has been a key man in tightening up the back and stopping the odd silly mistake that dropped points last season.
MASTER AND SERVANT
The recent run didn’t start well with a rare Johnstone mistake at Loftus Road. But the end result proved – even if not reflected in the score – that Villa can dominate games. Fans on social media were rubbing their eyes at the 26 shots for Villa statistic. But that’s what good teams are supposed to do.
Teams like QPR are everywhere in this division – they can’t compete financially with the big boys, they are years away from challenging to get up and out, and Villa should be sweeping three-quarters of the league rivals aside with the investment and talent at the club.
UGLY WINS = THREE POINTS
Fans want Villa to play like teams of old, with a swagger and flair while powering up the table. But after years of playing just to stay up, that’s not going to happen overnight.
Winning ugly is still winning and it’s not desirable or sustainable to look as unconvincing as they do in certain games (the one against double-relegation candidates Sunderland springs to mind), promotion is the prize and the rest might have to wait.
This is not an endorsement of Bruce Ball, but this club has flapped with all the confidence and style of a fish out of water for years. This column is happy to see a glimmer of actual progress.
YOU SAY ADOMAH AND I SAY ONOMAH
While Adomah is on a hot streak, fans have seen both sides of loanee Onomah of late. It’s hard to tell what fans think of Onomah because there is such mixed opinion of him to go along with his inconsistency.
This column would like to think he is a raw talent with an eye for goal and a point to prove, but is unsure of whether the club should pay big money to try and keep him when his loan is up. Unlike Johnstone, who the club should be negotiating to keep permanantly, Onomah would be a nice addition to the top flight squad should Villa go up but Spurs rate him and wouldn’t let him go cheaply – even if he wanted to stay at Villa Park.
HAIRCUT 100
Henri Lansbury’s goal against Leeds reminded fans of the depth in the squad – and also that a unwelcome corner has been turned.
Leeds are tough – their reputation is historically so – but Villa burst their bubble with the deserved equaliser from their semi-forgotten man Lansbury, sporting his new barnet.
Although he yet to set the Villa midfield alight since his move from Forest, he can contribute as his first goal showed and even if he can’t displace the starting midfielders his influence as a former club captain can only be a good thing for the team and its promotion prospects.
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When you look at last nights Sheffield United result this should really spur us on, a win today will put us above them and in a great position to continue the challenge for automatic promotion, shouldn’t be too difficult for Bruce to get the team motivated for Millwall, they are a decent team but it’s definitely a game that we should win comfortably. Come on Villa take it to them from the get go.