Editorial

As somebody once said, there are more questions than answers. So pardon my indulgence while I ask a few:

What's the difference between the best defence in the country and the current shambles which is conceding two or three goals a game? The answer seems to be Mark Bosnich, at fault at least once a match.

We've cast some doubts at the Evening Mail's letters in the past, but one writer recently hit the nail firmly on the head. "In forty years of watching the Villa I've never seen a manager so stubborn to an obvious problem", sounds about right to me. Brian's an exceptionally talent manager. So just why is it that he's about the only one who's yet to realise that Savo isn't ever going to be the goalscorer that would make the difference?

It seems that every club in the Premier League are being linked with every striker in Europe. Have we got less money than them, or just less ambition?

As for the performances, how come a side whose main virtues last season were their teamwork and consistency appear to be such bunch of inconsistent prima donnas this season ?

Doug reckons the money's there if Brian wants it. Brian appears satisfied with what he's got. Or maybe he knows who he wants and is biding time until the player becomes available. If thats the case then he'd better hurry up if such a promising season isn't going to end up in disappointment. The championship might be beyond us for this season, barring a miracle, but there's still Europe and a respectable league place to play for. At the time of writing there was also the FA Cup as well, but we all know the answer to that one. To change the words of a song: It's up to you, Brian Little, Brian Little.

Day by Day

22nd December: Villa 5 Wimbledon 0. Perfect, For the last hour the Villa played the kind of football that you dream about. Every player was at his best, today we could have beaten anyone. Savo and Dwight got most of the praise, but the rest of the team should get a mention as well. Nelson had his best game for the club, and anybody who says we don't have a strong squad should have noted Sasa Cureic coming of the bench to set up the fifth goal. When a player of his class can't get in the team you're a bit special. The only sour note was cast by who else but the national press, who preferred to concentrate on Wimbledon's defeat and the fact that we've got some hard games coming up. Well what's harder than a team who've gone nineteen matches unbeaten? If a team in red had played like this it would still be making headlines in February. But who cares?

23rd December: Reaction to the weekend. Our odds to win the league are halved to 8/1. The team we're playing in the FA Cup sack their manager. I feel a touch of the Altrinchams coming on.

26th December. Villa 0 Chelsea 2. Regular fixed odds punters will know that every so often there's a price that jumps off the page because it's such good value. Today it was Chelsea at 5/2. To say we weren't in it was an understatement. Ruud Gullit must love playing at Vila Park - in two seasons he hasn't been tackled once. In contrast our midfield was anonymous, with Mark Draper particularly guilty. If somebody could tell me what's happened to him this season I'd be grateful. Then again it should be no surprise. How many Villa players in, say, the last ten years have had two good seasons in succession? Platt, McGrath, then who? The other results today went for us, proving that this is the most open league in memory. This game proved yet again two blindingly obvious facts. We need a goalscorer, and Villa Park isn't big enough. Obvious, that is, to everybody except one man. And apart from the Chelsea supporters, how many others went home happy because they'd seen Ruud Gullit play and Zola score twice. The sooner they all p*ss off back where they came from and leave our game alone the better I'll like it.

28th December: Arsenal 2 Villa 2. There's no half-measures with this team, is there? After a first half when they were second to most ball, and later than the ref to the rest, the team decided to make some attempt to rescue the game, but still didn't look like scoring until, they did. Even then Arsenal got another and we thought that at least we could claim to unlucky when straightaway Dwight equalised again and we could have won. A good point. but there was still room for improvement. Our midfield was missing again and there wasn't a single first time pass forward. Arsenal passed and moved, we passed and dithered if only we'd run at them a bit more, as their defence is showing definite signs of age. And Savo might be our lucky mascot now, but he's still not a genuine goalscorer. He could, though, provide the championship for Dwight and another partner. But you know that already.

Ist January: Manchester United 0 Villa 0. The new year starts at the horriblest place on the planet and the Villa get a point. There didn't seem the urgency this fixture's had attached to it in previous years, maybe it was the kick-off time, maybe we're just getting sick of the sight of each other. Anyway they attacked a bit, we countered well, Savo got upset and apparently spat at the angelic David Beckham. I know spitting at players is disgusting, but remember, that two years ago one of our players got fouled here and never played again. Not too much said about that, was there ? But was consistency ever a commodity found in Trafford ?

3rd January: It's Doug's birthday. Happy birthday, Doug.

4th January: Sasa Curcic says he wishes he'd never joined the Villa and wants to leave. No, Sasa. Sasa Curcic.

6th January: Curcic, who it is revealed was our record signing last August, continues to stamp his foot and want away.

7th January: False alarm. He wants to stay.

9th January, Brian's not going either. Which is just as well, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sign his new five year contract. Just like the one BFR was offered in November 1994.

I I th January: Villa 2 Newcastle Utd 2. For twenty minutes the Magnificent Magpies were unstoppable, playing the football that was handed down to them from the Lord Keegan, worship the very sound of his name, and the other team's goalkeeper, whoever he was, was fortunate that Alan Shearer touched him. Others would have to pay handsomely for the privilege. Then the Bountiful Black and Whites were so superb as to continue their wonderful attacking play, thereby letting their opponents get a couple of lucky goals. The Gregarious Geordies even conceded a penalty so that the game would be more exciting, and to allow their goalkeeper to make a save. The contribution of the Nonchalant North-Easterners to the latter stages of this game was typically generous, enabling the other eleven players on the pitch to attack incessantly just so that this match would look the better on television for the benefit of those who weren't able to be at whatever ground this match was being played. And then wasn't it just typical of the referee to blow for time when the Tremendous Toon were, about to score their 'inevitable winner'.? After a display like this, thanks to the wonderful managerial abilities of the Almighty Kev, all bow down in worship, surely it can only be a matter of time until the Super Stripes win a trophy. For the first time in forty years,

13th January: That Curcic bloke looks like he's going again.

14th January: Notts County 0 Villa 0. There was probably more excitement on the pitch the day this match was postponed. We had a dozen or so players out injured, but that's little excuse for a display that ranged from pitiful to inept, with plenty in between. We can console ourselves with the thought that we can't play any worse, and any team that wins a cup has a lucky escape somewhere along the way but that's all. Without Yorke we haven't got an attack and what Joachim had done to Bosnich that made him think our diminutive striker could win balls in the air against defenders two feet taller is beyond me. To sum up a night best forgotten, we couldn't even score against a team that are below Walsall in the league.

18th January: Liverpool 3 Villa 0. Another watershed? Possibly. What happened today was what we've long suspected All talk of winning the league's hopelessly optimistic and if we're not careful we'll miss out on Europe as well. Even though we were alright in the first half, there was always the feeling that we were at full stretch and Liverpool weren't. There's never been a team like them for suddenly putting together a ten or fifteen minute burst which wins a game and the best you can say is that today's game later than last season's. We had four players missing but on this show they wouldn't have made much difference. Sasa certainly didn't, but in fairness he wasn't the only one who faded after the first goal. If we're going to get what we deserve from this season then something's got to be done, and quickly.

19th January: Headline in the Sunday Mercury "War on TV Soccer Pirates". The Premier League are takeing legal action against English pubs who tap into live games being shown on satellite channels abroad. No news on the ongoing two-year bungs probe, no new Hillsborough inquiry. Get your priorities right, why don't you?

20th January: Labour Party election campaign meeting: "What can we say that might win us a few votes but we won't have to actually do anything?" "Let's talk about bringing back terraces. " Thanks for finally thinking about us Tony. It's obvious that you're a Newcastle supporter - where were you when we needed you?

22nd January: Villa 3 Notts County 0 was just about right. The first half was average at best, but after the second goal went in we could have had a few more. Yorke got his usual couple, Sasa showed us nothing we didn't know already - he can beat players but passing's an alien concept to him. Lee Hendrie, on the other hand, is becoming more of a pleasant surprise with every game he plays. If he can learn to control his temper then there could be something a bit special in the making there. But then again, we've said that about plenty of players before. And so on to the inevitable heartbreak, whenever it might occur.

23rd January: Mark Bosnich is in the papers criticising supporters who were moaning at him during last night's match. Maybe before he shoots his mouth off he should ask himself why they were moaning at him. And maybe he should spend more time learning the job he's paid for.

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