Aston Villa’s chances to win EPL for the 2010/2011 season
The new season commences on the 14th of August, 2010 and the last season’s sixth place finishers are in a bit of a crisis. Not only are they without a manager but they are also about to sell their squad’s most talented individual to Manchester City.
Aston Villa’s previous three seasons have seen the club rise from relative mid table mediocrity to a top six finish. Under Martin O’Neill’s guidance, the Birmingham club reformed its image completely. With new owner Randy Lerner, Villa decided to change their logo and their kit colours as well. They also saw a heavy injection of investment which attracted talented footballers to the club.
However, there is a threat that Villa will submerge back into the mid table quick sand because as things currently stand, if there is a club in the English Premier League that needs to bring things under control its Aston Villa. Most recently, Villa’s long standing talented manager Martin O’Neill quit his post as the club’s manager due to differences between Villa’s administration and him.
O’Neill’s departure is looking ominous as it is but there is also another nail in Villa’s coffin. That nail is none other than, James Milner’s departure to Manchester City, which will be finalized in the next 24 hours it seems. Milner was bought by Aston Villa in the summer transfer window of 2008 from Newcastle United for around 12 million pounds. Ever since his arrival to the Villa Park, James has impressed through his performances due to which he was even selected for England’s squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
O’Neill played a crucial role in nurturing Milner’s talent along with managing the affairs at Villa. He bought well and efficiently and in doing so, he created a balanced side which managed to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 2009/2010 season. He led Villa to three consecutive six placed finishes in the English Premier League and also pushed them to the F.A Cup semi-final as well as the Carling Cup final.
Martin’s departure from Villa could mean disappointment and de-motivation for players before the start of the season, which is not exactly the best way to prepare for a tough league season. It also means that players, who were bought by O’Neill to play in his specific tactical system at Villa, might face an uncertain future as anyone who replaces the Irishman will bring in his own brand of football to the club.
As far as Aston Villa’s squad is concerned, they have a minor problem in the goal keeping department. Their first choice goal keeper, Brad Friedel is a marvellous shot stopper and an expert in organizing the defence in front of him. However, if he gets injured, Villa will be in some serious trouble because their number two goal keeper, Brad Guzan has only played nine matches in the last two seasons. In the defensive department, Aston Villa have almost all bases covered as their first choice back four includes, Richard Dunne, Stephen Warnock, James Collins and Carlos Cuellar. These four defender’s proved their worth last season and will be expected to continue their form this season as well. Dunne and Co. are backed up by the likes of Luke Young, Curtis Davies and Habib Beye, who are quite capable of filling in the gaps when necessary.
In the midfield, Villa fell short when it came to creating from the centre. Their one dimensional attack with Downing and Young on the wings sometimes gets too predictable. Along with that, the possibility that Milner might be missing for them in the coming season, Aston Villa require a credible solid creative midfielder who can control the pace of the match and play the final ball toward the strikers.
John Carew, Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey and Nathan Delfouneso make up the Aston Villa attack. Carew and Agbonlahor are perhaps not the best attacking partnership in the English Premier League but they do provide different threats. Carew’s height gives Villa an option to put in crosses from the wings and Agbonlahor’s pace gives them an option to play the ball in behind the opposition’s defence. Heskey, who will most likely play a substitutes role in the new season for Villa, will be looking to prove himself after an embarrassing World Cup with the English national team in the summer. While Delfouneso will strive to get in front of Emile Heskey in the substitutes pecking order at Villa Park.
All in all, Villa is running the risk of self destructing and undoing all their handy work over the past three years. The major fear amongst the Aston Villa faithful will be, whether anyone who takes over from O’Neill will be able to sustain the teams standing in the English League. Or will the new manager falter under pressure and take Aston Villa down to their all too familiar mid table sordidness.
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