Aston Villa avoid winner-takes-all match at Wigan
Aston Villa fans have been looking at the Premier League fixture list with trepidation over the last month, with the prospect of travelling to take on Wigan in a winner-takes-all clash at the DW Stadium on the last day of the campaign an ominous prospect. The Latics have become renowned as being relegation escapees over the last number of seasons, however Roberto Martinez’s men’s luck ran out this week.
Villa can go into the last game of the season resting easy, with Wigan already relegated after their 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday night. Villa were relegation candidates with Unibet in April, however positive results against Stoke, Sunderland and Norwich have assured the Birmingham-based side’s safety turned the odds in their favour.
Aston Villa v Southampton preview
In years gone by, a visit by the 17th place team would be an automatic 3 points for Aston Villa, and a chance to close the gap between themselves and a European spot.
Not any more, not by a long shot. The Villa project under Lambert is admirable for it’s courage and long-term vision, but not for it’s results. Football has changed. Partly it was because of Mourinho’s arrival that changed the culture of the league, where every defeat could cost you, and partly it’s because of the money involved in the game where success on the pitch makes a big difference on success off the pitch.
Villa v Norwich preview: Will the players actually try to win this time?
5 points from 8 games is a damning statistic for any manager. Projected over the course of the season, that’s less than 25 points. It’s relegation form, plain and simple, and Villa are stuck in a rut because of it.
Advanced Look Ahead to Reebok Road Trip
Villa face a Bolton side this weekend who have the worst home record in the Premier League having won just 1 and lost 6 of their opening 7 games at the Reebok. Despite this, Bolton’s home advantage makes them slight favourites according to SkyBet and Betfair football, with a draw unsurprisingly the longest odds with Owen Coyle’s side the only team yet to draw a game all season.
Villa Preview vs Tottenham: Van der Vaart Fitness the Key
Filed under: Match Previews, Pre-Match Analysis
Villa face Tottenham having not beaten Spurs in their previous 5 encounters, with Redknapp’s side doing the double last season in strangely similar fashion. Both games ended 2-1 and while Marc Albrighton scored in each game for Villa, Rafael van der Vaart netted all four of Tottenham’s goals past Brad Friedel, now a teammate of the Dutchman at White Hart Lane. Read more
McLeish’s Villans ready for Spurs, Swansea and Man United
Aston Villa will be primed to re-launch their flailing Premier League campaign this season after the international break starting with Tottenham Hotspur, then facing Swansea City and finally coming up against Manchester United in a busy few weeks for the midlands club.
Villa Preview vs Sunderland: Goals at a Premium
Filed under: Match Previews, Pre-Match Analysis, Pre-Match Predictions
It is fair to say that Villa have not exactly set the world alight under Alex McLeish so far and they will be aiming to prevent a third successive defeat in Darren Bent’s first return to Sunderland. Read more
Villa Preview vs WBA: All Indications Point to Narrow Home Win
Filed under: Match Previews, Pre-Match Analysis, Pre-Match Predictions
Villa host West Brom this Sunday in their second Midlands derby of the season and will be hoping for a significantly better performance and result than in the last one with Wolves. West Brom are playing their own second derby of the season, also having faced Wolves but with a much improved display earning them a 2-0 win last week. Read more
Villa Match Preview vs City: Heskey to Offer Midfield Muscle in Manchester?
Filed under: Match Previews, Pre-Match Analysis, Pre-Match Predictions
Aston Villa travel to Eastlands hoping to right a couple of wrongs from last season that were undeniably two of the lowest points of the Gerard Houllier regime. Read more
N’Zogbia – To Play or Not to Play vs Wigan?
Filed under: Match Previews, Pre-Match Analysis, Pre-Match Predictions
Villa were left down-heartened by an injury time equaliser courtesy of a Richard Dunne own goal last weekend and will be looking to stop a run of 4 straight draws in the league as they host Wigan. Read more
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