Happy new year Villa fans. We head into 2008 riding a wave of optimism, seventh in the league with an improving set of players and with an owner and manager intent on improving the club even further, writes Villa blogger Gregg Williams.
We’ve done well to be where we are with such a small squad, a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.
Even Oscar winning actor Tom Hanks is name dropping our famous club in interviews for his latest movie, perhaps he and Prince William will be queuing for season tickets in the summer.
At the risk of sounding like Kevin Keegan, I have to say I would love us to beat Man Utd tomorrow.
We have been unlucky with our cup draws since Martin O’Neill took over, but at least this time we’re at home.
The law of averages suggests we have to beat them at some stage, maybe this is our chance.
I notice Alan Hansen said on Match of the Day this week that he still thinks Spurs are the team most likely to break into the top four.
This was after we’d beaten them of course. It is staggering how the national media can continually turn a blind eye to our successes.
I’m sure Mr Hansen will be in attendance at Villa Park for the United game as a BBC pundit, how I would love us to dump their media darlings out of the cup right in front of them, and see them be forced to show a moment of brilliance from Agbonlahor instead of Rooney or Ronaldo.
It annoys me that our players and manager don’t get the recognition they deserve, but all we really should care about is results, and maybe it’s for the best if we continue to be relatively ignored as we rise up the league.
It was after we beat Man Utd 3-1 at Villa Park in 1995 that Alan Hansen famously said that ‘you can’t win anything with kids.’
Hopefully this time it will be our youngsters that prove him wrong.
Villa fans, what do you think? Have your say below
5 Comments
I for one am pleased that the media is ignoring us. Lets MON build on what he and the team have achieved an get us into europe before Hanson and Co wake up.
I’m just enjoying the football and the joy of upsetting those blue noses.
Up the Villa
Why worry about a man who makes his money pushing a trolley round morrisons….
lets not get to carried away yet, i think we are getting a lot of credit from the media etc on how much we have improved as a side under oneil. we still do have a long way to go untill we can compete at the highest level, and if we can compete anyway is going to take almost a mirracle, because the top four are so far ahead and have been for a long time.I realy hope we can beat united on sat, but are record against them is terrible and u have to ask, how many of our players would get into ther team ? none. lets hope we have a right go at them and if we play to our best , on our day we can give most teams a game, and that shows wot a great job oneil is doing at the moment. but lets not get carried away ther is still much to do!
Hansen is right Villa are not ready to break into the top four. But I am more than satified with the way things are going and don’t have a problem with his comments.
Are you sure we aren’t ready to break the top four?
Add 3 players, for example Defoe, Milner or Barnes from Derby and a back up right back to Mellberg and i’d say we have an excellent chance of finishing fourth.
Man city are a flash in the pan who will fade through the winter, pompey lose half the team for a month and liverpool are doddering
Everton have the UEFA cup to contend with..I’d say it’s in our hands to get that fourth spot