Reluctant Striker

It has reached the stage that a draw at Bournemouth feels more like 2 dropped than 1 gained. But, still have to appreciate the change from just over a year ago. And time to look to Man City & Arsenal at Villa Park now.

1-1 at HT. There for the taking. Only a VAR offside stopped Villa from leading. While Solanke has been close a few times. Interestingly Cash & Diaby on the bench. Kamara is suspended for this 1. Neither Ramsey or Moreno starting, after doing so in Europe. So that is 3 certainties & a possible 5 there, who could start vs Man City on Wednesday. Also, very likely Diaby & Ramsey appear in the 2nd half today.

If it wasn't for the 10 point deduction, Everton would be on 17 points, in 11th, ahead of Chelsea.

It's certainly very early for a crowd to be properly excited & up for a football match. Derbies could be a bit unique in the west. There's only ever a few that feel like proper derbies. Villa-Birmingham (Birmingham) & West Brom-Wolves (Black Country) And doesn't really have quite the same vibe when they're mixed up. While Walsall are a lower league friend of Villa. There is still a bit of an anti-Villa or better Villa than that lot sort of thing that unifies some of the west. Coventry are not really paired with anyone. The club's from the east have a very Coventry feel to most fans of the west. Not sure if it's the same the other way around.

Big week for Villa. Qualified for the knock out rounds in Europe. Just missed securing top spot by 1 goal (& in the Conference, 2 less games) But just need to avoid defeat in final away game to lowest ranked team in the group. Bournemouth (a) not easy. Just as capable as Forest (a) were only a few weeks ago. But then Man City & Arsenal at Villa Park Wednesday & Saturday. Where all participants will have endured a similar schedule. But still bank on a false narrative if Villa get any W. Good timing to have Moreno & J Ramsey both fit (again) I would be surprised if Villa do not seem highly motivated to win at Bournemouth & so giving the next 2 as much of a free hit feel as they can be, with Spurs, Man United, Newcastle & Brighton all lingering around just 1 or 2 results from 4th.

.... maybe I missed something, but the whole of the West Midlands is a long way from 'Tory'. It does have comparable fed up of the whole thing types, like regions with comparable populations.. such as Scotland, I would suggest. And Liverpool as a political football club are not pleasant, whatever the wing it's directed from. Toxic is honestly the accurate word for Liverpool Lib Dem Middle Class FC. But, reads like you know Wolverhampton -the West Midlands only by Twitter & Liberal Democrat party manifesto.

Yes, probably one of the only clubs that could win 1 cup & lose in the final of the other, finish 3rd & still be in meltdown crisis before November of the next season. To be fair, mostly by Man United fans, who presumably are looking at Man City, Liverpool & Arsenal looking like the Top 3. Seeing Newcastle emerging. Chelsea spending crazy money. And Spurs & Villa with a 4th vs 5th match up.

Will be long remembered as the England manager at Euro 96. But also managed Barcelona (signing Lineker & Mark Hughes) Spurs & a few other clubs. Also 2 full England caps as a player. Spending most of his career with London area clubs.

I heard somewhere a few days ago that Portsmouth & Middlesbrough both had points deductions in the Premier League. I think both of those were standard 9 points deductions, for 'going into administration'. But this is the first to do with modern 'financial fair play' rules. And the most points. I also heard a defence of points deductions punishments, that if a club owner is happy to take the financial hit, then points deductions are a more effective deterrent.

It has been interesting seeing Big Ange & Unai emerge as new cool, trendy name managers pundits like to talk of. Often as being just below only Pep & Klopp sort of way. And both have done well to this point.

Delighted with that. At least 1 week gate crashing the Top 4. Villa have had problems in some away games. On another day, perhaps with Maddison fit, it could have gone a similar emphatic defeat way. Felt to me the available Spurs players just couldn't quite punish Villa enough. Villa certainly had to trust to luck a fair bit. Son with a hatrick of offsides is crazy. But, against some teams, that is kind of the best Villa can do, right now. Man City & Arsenal at Villa Park soon.

Very open game. Could easily have been a few more for both sides. Watkins with 1 disallowed, for offside. Spurs looked to be taking control & really threatening a 2nd. But Pau with a set piece headed equaliser. Personally, for Villa, I'd be looking at taking Cash off from his right midfield position. Not been going his way & the crowd are on his back for a tackle on reinjured Bentancur. McGinn to where Cash has been. Put Bailey on, risk going with a full front 3. But, at this stage, I'll still back whatever Unai does.

Villa did win at Tottenham last season. Actually did the double over them, for what must have been the first time in many years. But, even with the Spurs absences, which seems a bit more than Villa's, this kind of is not feeling like a great time to be going there. They have lost last 2 & have Man City next. But, it's getting to that sort of time we start to know more of where teams & squads really are. Should be entertaining. Any result possible. Goals almost guaranteed. And this does seem a week that Sky genuinely have the pick of the fixtures. Monday the only box ticker. For all the Everton-will-be-ok-this-is-actually-good-timing & they'll be up for it now, talk.. I'd back Bournemouth & Luton this weekend.. for at least a point.

Yes, for me, all I hear of FFP, is just wired up wrong. It feels designed to stop clubs doing a Man City, Chelsea, or if you go back far enough, a Blackburn. Coming from mid table, or even further back & getting to the top. I don't have any issue with that, in theory. It's a part of what I liked way back decades ago. For me, the issue is broadly spiralling market values, where smaller or less currently successful clubs, find it very difficult to compete. To the extent Luton & Sheffield United have arguably not even bothered to try. Clubs that were able to win league titles & cups in the 70s, 80s & 90s are now nowhere near. Or get a once in a blue moon shot. And in the case of Everton, being harshly punished for essentially messing up an attempt to change that. I'm not sure what the rules should be. But a more American twist of the least successful having more allowance to place big bets / take first pick, really would not be too bad. And less allowance for Champions League regulars to splash out crazy money when they finish mid table. It does start feeling like a tangled complicated mess to get to something everyone can be happy with & also level out the playing field, at the same time.

It does all seem harsh, but then maybe not any more or less than being just about relegated by a small margin. Of the 20 sides in the Premier League each season, a slight majority do spend more time contemplating the bottom 3, than how near top 4 is. You would certainly hope certain other sides do get treated at least equally. But I'm not quite sure where the connecting comparison line to the European Super League is.

Not quite sure I'd go that far. But wins & points for Villa from Spurs, Man City & Arsenal, all in the next month, by 9th December, could be as good for Villa as much as anyone else.

Maupay with a goal last week. Raul Jimenez with a first in a very, very long time this week.

Another where it seems 75% done in the 1st. Just need to keep concentration levels high, as they say in FIFA, or whatever it's called now. Villa's next matches: Spurs (a), UECL Legia Warsaw (h), Bournemouth (a), Man City (h), Arsenal (h) Soon time to see how far they have progressed since some bad defeats early on in the season. And after those matches, at the 16 match point, should also have a clearer idea of where they are perhaps on course for. Certainly seems top half. Where exactly is a bit unclear still I think.

A Villa home win Vs Fulham will be: The 13th consecutive home league win. Best club run since 1983 (the champions of England & Europe era side) It would also be the 21st home league win in 2023. The last time there were that many was 1998. And there will still be a few chances to add more. And the stats keep rolling, currently only Man City have more 2023 home league victories. Still not sure what the expectation should be of Villa. But certainly the best ride its been for a good few years.

Seemed very harsh on Palace to get nothing, but Everton do seem to be moving up a few gears now. Spurs looked surprisingly poor at Wolves. Yes, Man City lost there, after hammering on a resolute defence. And Wolves have taken other points. But Wolves fully merited the win, just on balance of play.

Brilliant to get 2 W's over AZ. Feeling proud of the Villa right now. They are rotating quite a bit. At least as much as the injury list allow. Hoping rumours of Barca recalling Lenglet are false stories, as it seems so suitable having him for Europe & perhaps FA Cup, with Pau for the league. Also feeling like Villa are trying to do Europe within themselves. At least at the group stage. And with Legia (h) & Mostar (a) remaining, it all looks good at this stage.

Had just started to expect better than this.

It's been a while since I've felt intrigued by 3rd vs 8th, to see what possible Villa effect could be. In other news, clickbait interpreters have confirmed Jamie Carraghers feathers are ruffled by a club that apparently must not become a jedi.

It's all to do with age I think. Unai Emery at 51, would have been starting high school (or whatever is 11 in Spain) when Villa were European champions. Late teens to early 20's when they were English league runners up a few times within a decade of that. And would be aware of the years following that, of often being in the Big 6, before Chelsea & Man City created need for the Big 6 to be officially recognised as a thing, to appease certain other clubs fans, and that more 'Champions League' spots were available. But someone 25 & under, Villa is not much without a history lesson. If I was a lower level manager I would tend toward sides like Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland & even in non league: Oldham Athletic as being something of a big name. But right now, Burnley, Wolves & Brentford are now being looked at & will be thought of in that way by the current kids.

I do agree on how bad the direction has been since Brexit, with all those new chat-news TV channels. It does feel to me like things are regressing. I do hope the next election gets us heading in a better direction.