| Articles
Main |
Behind
Enemy Lines - The View From An Aston Villa Fan |
April 1st 2005
Newcastle-Online.com teamed up with John Atkin, the
Editor of an Aston Villa supporters website - The
Villa - to get his views on Villa, Newcastle United, Saturday's
match at St. James' Park and more. This is what John had to say...
Q: After a great season in 2003-04, this season hasn't quite
lived up to expectations - why is that? Are the competition stronger
or did Villa simply over achieve last term? What's different about
Villa this season than the team that pushed Newcastle and Liverpool
hard for a Champions League place?
Villa are very much a side that rely on confidence. We were pretty
poor for the first half of last season too before a brilliant run
of results towards the end of last season, fueled by Juan Pablo Angel's
goals, which catapulted us to sixth. This season we are playing like
a woman with serious self-confidence problems who's just been told
she is fat, however.
Q: David O'Leary appointment was heralded as a bit of a coup
for Villa and he did wonders last season, with Villa the surprise
outfit, but your side look a totally different team this season. Is
he the right man? What does he need to do to turn things around?
That's surely just the first question - Villa are crap, discuss -
but with a slightly different slant? So stop rubbing it in - just
review the previous answer. As for O'Dreary, his biggest problem seems
to be his unwillingness to change a losing formula. Many players are
pretty much guaranteed a starting place and this has bred a great
deal of complacency while the likes of Stefan Postma (MOM in his only
start this year) and youngsters Steven Davis (MOM several times this
season), Luke Moore, Liam Ridgewell and Gary Cahill sit on the bench.
Or, in the latter's case, excel at Burnley.
Q: As an outsider looking in, I look at Villa as a big club
but unless things change drastically, you are in danger of being overtaken
by smaller club's like Middlesbrough and Bolton, and dare I say it
Birmingham City. Can Villa ever rejoin the upper bracket of club's
competing for Europe and honours season in season out?
Like Newcastle, you mean?
(Ed: It was the Birmingham reference that did it wasn't it?)
Q: Doug Ellis, hero or Villain? As an outsider looking in,
I get the impression he's hated and according to some Villa fans I
speak to, it is he that is holding back Villa. What are your thoughts
on Deadly Doug?
My thoughts on the man are not really representative of Villa fans
as a whole. I dislike him - any man who renames a stand after himself
is clearly a cock - but although he is clearly tighter than a camel's
arse in a sandstorm, Villa do not suffer from debt like many others
in the Division. Still, it would be nice to see him waddle out of
Villa Park. After all, the last time he did so, we won the Championship
and European Cup.
Q: Nobby Solano has been a huge loss at Newcastle and his
sale angered a huge majority, especially at the price in which Villa
paid. What were your initial thoughts when you signed him and how
has he settled in? Would I be wrong in saying he has become Villa's
best and most important player?
We were obviously delighted to sign Nobby, especially those of us
with Newcastle supporters as friends who had bored us to a slow, painful
death about his assists stats over the years. And he has proved a
great £2m buy with a number of important goals. Although I would not
say he is our best player. Olof Mellberg is.
(Ed: Aye, I rate Mellberg highly... wouldn't mind seeing him at the
Toon!)
Q: A swap plus cash offer involving Nobby returning to Tyneside
and Craig Bellamy going to Villa has been mooted, what are your thoughts
on this?
How much are you giving us? It's hard to say. The nefarious Bellamy
is an excellent player and has time on his side compared to Nobby,
but without the Peruvian's assists, then it might be for nothing.
But it is by the by. With Champions League in the offing at Celtic
Park, I think he will pursue a permanent move North of the Border.
Q: What formation and style of play does O'Leary employ? Are
Villa a defensive side or an attacking one?
I did see Villa attack once. It was a cold December day in 1933...
No, we are not an attacking side. We usually play a 4-4-2 but with
injuries we have adopted a 4-5-1 formation for the last two matches,
one win and one loss.
Q: What are Villa's main strengths and weaknesses? What area
of the field are you strongest and weakest in?
If they are both fit, I think that Mellberg and Martin Laursen could
form a very strong central defensive partnership, as long as they
ignore their similarity in appearance and it doesn't turn into some
Chuckle Brother tribute act like it did for the second goal against
Birmingham City. Our strikers have not performed this season but then
there is little attacking flair to create opportunities from midfield.
Q: Which players (if any) from Newcastle United would you
like to see at Villa?
I saw Steven Taylor at youth level and he looks like one for the future.
As are Jenas and Milner, while Dyer would be a good signing for us.
The walking snout, Andy O'Brien, a £3m target in January, would be
most unwelcome.
(Ed: What, O'Brien's world-class man...)
Q: Which NUFC player (if any) do you fear the most?
Titus Bramble. he's got to get through one match without making a
howler, surely.
(Ed: He won't be playing sadly. He's been great since the turn of
the year and isn't half as bad as many believe him to be actually.)
Q: Who will be the key men for both sides on Saturday?
Neither team have got any stars really. It could be a battle of goalkeepers
(you will win), a battle of strikers (you will win) or a battle of
the flank between Nobby and Laurent Robert (which depends on which
Laurent Robert turns up).
Q: Do Villa have any up and coming superstars we should know
about?
Superstars no. Premiership players, yes. Steven Davis is the pick
of the bunch, while Luke Moore and Agbonlahor both scored bags of
goals at youth level but then so too did Michael Chopra. Defenders
Liam Ridgewell and Gary Cahill are good too.
Q: Which NUFC Vs Villa game stands out as the most memorable
for you?
The 4-2 victory earlier this season.
Q: And the worst?
Any of the previous eight that we failed to win in the Premiership.
Q: What are your honest opinions about Newcastle as a club,
as fans, our City and our Stadium?
Sadly, I like all three... a lot. But not The Strawberry. And not
Ponteland ('no, it is Pont e laan')
(Ed: Resists urge to mock Brummie accent... ;)
Q: Finally, do you have a prediction for the match?
3-1............ to the barcodes. And Mary Poppins could get a couple. |
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
|
