Premier League - Weekend Preview: Aston Villa versus West Bromwich Albion
The two West Midlands clubs will clash at Villa Park on Saturday in the Barclays Premier League competition. The subject of scrutiny will inevitably be Gerard Houllier and his side who have shown a poor on-field performance for their past fixtures. The Aston
Villa manager has come under fire for the comments he made concerning Villa’s match against Liverpool. "If I have got to lose 3-0, I would prefer it to be to them as I like Liverpool,” remarked the ex-Liverpool manager, who has now attracted a wave of criticism
from the fans and board members alike.
The Frenchman explained his comments were made in jest of the situation but the Villa Park faithful feel their position in the league and his insensitivity to the situation is no laughing matter. The Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner’s right hand man and close
associate, Krulak has responded to the criticism that Houllier’s comments have attracted. The board member strongly condemns Houllier’s statement, saying, “What I don't know is what was going through his mind at the time - and neither does anyone else.” Krulak
further cited his support for the fans’ reaction by saying, “Those who are looking for his head have the right to feel that want. They buy the tickets and can say what they want.”
It’s a different story down at Aston Villa’s opponents for Saturday, West Bromwich Albion. The West Brom boss, Roberto di Matteo has steered his side to triumph over clubs that the Baggies have not won against for at least twenty-five years. The Italian
manager saw his team beat Newcastle United last weekend, after winning against Arsenal and Everton. The team which achieved promotion to the English Premier League last season currently occupies the ninth position in the table, seven spots above Aston Villa
who have featured more regularly in the Barclays competition.
West Bromwich have attained a total of twenty two points from sixteen matches. Aston Villa have managed to score only seventeen points so far this season. Houllier’s team have won four matches compared to the Baggies’ six victories and have drawn five to
West Brom’s four. Aston Villa have lost one more match than the six defeats Di Matteo’s team have incurred. Both teams have conceded twenty seven goals this season, with West Brom scoring twenty three compared to Villa’s seventeen. West Brom have the better
disciplinary record, with twenty three yellow cards being shown to players, while Aston Villa have incurred thirty. However, Albion players have been shown the red five times, as opposed to Villa’s clean record concerning reds.
The two teams’ head to head record favours the faithful at Villa Park, as Aston Villa have never faced defeat at the hands of West Brom in all their eight games played in the English Premier League. The Clarets have won four matches and drawn four against
their neighbours. In the past twenty five years, the teams have played sixteen matches in other competitions, where Aston Villa have reigned supreme, by winning nine and drawing seven. Villa recently faced a slump in form, having seen victory only once from
their previous ten Premier League fixtures. Houllier’s side have recently seen defeat three successive times, which is the club’s worst record after April 2009 when they lost four matches in a row. The opening goal by the opposition could prove to be detrimental
for the Villans as they have lost the five fixtures in which the other team have scored first. Aston Villa and Liverpool now share the shameful record of squandering the most points (twelve) from winning positions.
West Bromwich Albion have managed to attain ten points from losing positions, which is a record only the high flying Spurs can top. Di Matteo’s team will be looking for their third consecutive win, a feat the Baggies previously achieved in 2002. Di Matteo’s
men have yet to find the net in the first fifteen minutes of any match they have played this season and since the second week of this season, they have not maintained their clean sheet for fourteen games.
Aston Villa will be without Agbonlahor, Delph, Petrov, Sidwell, Weimann and L Young. West Brom will have to manage without Olssen. Odemwingie and Brunt are said to be doubtful for the fixture.
Tags: