THE MIDWEEK DEBATE: Will a rejuvinated Villa tear apart Spurs?

March 11, 2009 by Martin Banks
Filed under: Aston Villa, Hot topic debates 
debate

Now look 'ere you, believe what I say or I'll box your ears in!

Villa have spent a large part of the season being a somewhat unknown quantity, rising the short distance but large gulf from 6th to 4th. We have dominated games with some slick passing and some terrifying counter attacks. Our attacking style is fast and penetrating and has put many defences onto red alert this season.

But recently we have been pretty blunt.

Has this been caused by us just having a bad few games? Or have teams got us figured out now?

Well personally I don’t believe we lost much other than confidence. We also didn’t have as many bad games as the press (and Arsenal fans) would like to have us believe. We played poorly against Man City and we fell asleep for the last 5 minutes against Stoke. The Russia game was a makeshift team and the Everton loss was no big thing to me; they wanted FA Cup success more than us. We played well against Chelsea and for most the Stoke game.

Morale

So myself, I think that how we play against Spurs is all down to the confidence of the lads. We are capable of getting a win in the game, but do the players remember that?

It’s one of the biggest tests of Martin O’Neill’s Villa stint so far, because it’s all on him to have done some great man-management over in Dubai and got the team back believing that 4th is ours and we will NOT give it up.

How has he done over there? Has he put the belief back in the side? Will we sprint out of the blocks and throw everything at Spurs?

Or has recent results and the knowledge of no silverware took it’s toll on the boys and we’ll go out limp and let Spurs bring the game to us?

(NB: Spurs comments welcome, but try not to be as big dumbasses as some of the Arsenal fans who’ve commented in the past :) )


Comments

21 Comments on THE MIDWEEK DEBATE: Will a rejuvinated Villa tear apart Spurs?

  1. Spurm on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 10:28

    2. nil nil draw is written on this one.

  2. Matt on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 10:43

    3. Being a spurs fan, not really sure how to call this one. Based on our appalling away form I would think most likely result is a victory for you guys (although now that we’ve got a bit of fight and quality in the team I don’t think it will be easy).

    I like the way MON approaches the game, think he is one of the best bosses in the league so although I hope for a commanding victory for us on Sunday, I would love to see you guys go on a run after that and secure Champions League ahead of the Arse :)

  3. Tony on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 10:45

    4. Spurs tend to play better against the better teams at home but can be very poor on our travels.
    If Ledley King plays we will be tighter at the back than in our recent meetings where Ashley Young in particular has tormented us.
    I have a feeling this game will be a nil nil with us playing a very defensive team and not being as adventurous as we are at home which has led to you scoring on the counter attack coupled with the fact that you are going through the inevitable poor patch that every tean goes through at some stage of the season.

  4. Dan on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 10:48

    5. Spurs fan in peace. I’ve been really impressed with Villa this season and I really hope they get fourth (for obvious reasons and because it’d be nice for someone to break up the Sky Four).

    I’m not too hopeful for this game. We’re a totally different team away from home – the 4-0 against Boro was Man U in disguise, I think. And although Villa have stuttered a bit at Villa Park, I’m sure they’ll have enough (especially in the air) to see us off. Ashley Young will probably tear Corluka apart again and Carew’s always a handful.

    I’m pretty confident we’ll avoid relegation so I won’t cry if we lose. I’ll be shouting Up The Villa after the weekend, but until then it’s COYS.

  5. OsvaldoVilla on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 10:53

    6. Nice to see that you recognise Gooner Dumb Asses or as we like to call them a5ena1.
    I have been an ardent SPURS fan all of my life , but I have allways had a soft spot for the VILLA and I worked in Walsall and Litchfield for a long time, so when I could I used to go down and watch them. I think that you have probably the best manager in the league in O’Neill he has proved himself time and time again on a shoestring, as has Moyes of Everton. I hope that our “arry ” can do the same.
    I think that we are all up for a two all draw , so get your money on it! (with the two liverpool rejects scoring one piece, if you know what I mean. Anyway kind regards to you all at the VILLA enjoy the game. coys AUSTRALIA

  6. Ramses on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 10:56

    7. Being a spurs fan, hope you finish ahead of the Arse, but we just need the 3 points.

    I think it will be a 1-1 draw.

  7. nick on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:02

    8. As a spurs fan I’m very dissapointed to see you’re recent dip in form & completley hanging out for you to take 4th place. You’ve got a good manager but a small squad which depth looks like its being found out & I’m never really sure if mid season breaks really help teams or not.
    On you’re day you can beat anyone but I’m pleased spurs are playing you now and not a month or so ago.
    Even with Tottenhams improved form of late I think we’ll struggle against you’re pace and power and expect us to be behind at some point. My gut feeling is 1-0 but If we only let you get 1, we might just sneak a draw.

  8. Carlos on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:27

    9. good to see its all Spurs fans on here. Come on Villa, where are you?

  9. gettingthereslowly on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:30

    10. Close game either way ,hope aston villa break into the top four, spurs should of made martin their manager a long time ago as he is one of the best around not sure about harry although time will tell

  10. fiftypeehead on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:32

    11. Another Spurs fan. I think Ashley Young will keep Lennon and Corluka pegged back and that will probably stop us from attacking, and allow Barry and Petrov to bomb forward. Id take a 0-0 now. Apart from possibly a bit of magic from Modric or Keane, i dont like our chances. Im really rooting for you for that 3rd or 4th place. Id love to see a team with the resources and manager to build break into the top 4 :)

  11. carteltheyid on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:41

    12. “tear us apart” LOL….now thats confidence!……it will be a hard one to call, young will no doubt cause us problems as many of my fellow spurs fans have pointed out, but lets not forget little aaron lennon who i can see causing just as many problems for you! keane is back on the goal trail so im optomistic we can avoid being ripped apart….i expect a great game of fluid football, going end to end.

  12. Ted on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:45

    13. Tear us apart? No mate, don’t see that happening. We are not only playing well recently but also showing some battling qualities as we did at Sunderland. Now you are up near the top lots of players give that bit extra against you. I expect a close game and most likely a draw.
    I really hope you do get a CL spot though – any club that breaks up the top 4 is doing football a favour in my opinion. So good luck to you and Everton for the rest of the season. If you stiff the gooners that is better still.

  13. davspurs on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 11:58

    14. not inpressed by villa and there is a lot of energy teams out there and one has just walloped ramos team this is one of the reasons he lost is job the duracell bunnies they have bean called in our league new testers have bean installed and this will slow a lot of teams down except us lennon who has always bean fast will torment villa and we will win 2 or 3 -1 and villa will be lucky to finish 6 th

  14. IaG on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 12:37

    15. Just for the sake of the ARSE I will love to see Villa nick 4th off them however with that said I doubt Villa will pick up all 3 points this weekend. Villa is being found slowly but surely and it might end up cummulating in a bad loss against Spurs. Your only consolation is that ARSEnal will end up doing what they are accustomed to doing at the Emigrates: battle out a nil nil draw against Blackburn.

  15. Kilf on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 12:56

    16. davspurs, learn to spell and use punctuation and people might take you opinion more seriously.

    To the Villa, it should be a good game of football with differing styles of play but I suspect it might be a score draw. Good luck for 4th spot though!

  16. folkestone Yid on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 13:23

    17. I believe that Spurs are looking like a team that believes again and Villa are going in completely the opposite direction. confidence is a massive thing and both Villa and Spurs have too many ”confidence players”…..Darren ”My wife Sandra could have scored that” Bent. Villa need a win soon to keep the CL dream alive but my money is on a Spurs win. I really do hope you get that 4th spot, you do deserve it.

    take a leaf out of our books and make sure your chef is not a Gooner when eating the night b4 the last game of the season!!

  17. Timmy on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 13:30

    18. Could go either way. Depends on the Villa reaction to the break

  18. Stokespur on Wed, 11th Mar 2009 17:27

    19. very close call this one, we (spurs) havent yet lost a league game home or away to a “big four” side all season and have won and drawn our last two away games, although generally our away form has been poor, we do have some very good offensive players who can give anyone a run for their money on their day, lennon has been in sparkling form and keano and modric have created an instant understanding, lots of nice little give and go’s and interchanging, palacios has added some steel into midfield…just hope bent doesnt play because we tend to change our game to suit his style which is basically based around running after balls hit through the channels and not at all suited to our playing style, he also as an incredibly poor touch, if pav and keno play up top i can see a draw

  19. Stoney on Thu, 12th Mar 2009 8:14

    20. Spurs’ fans all over your site. Little club villa flattering to deceive. ‘Tear us apart’. Dream on.

  20. andy villa on Thu, 12th Mar 2009 15:21

    21. ignoring the thick little cockerney beaut’ with the inferiority complex above, i would like to add that the majority of spurs fans on here have done their club proud… taking the article for what it is, and being extremely respectful and seemingly knowledgable…

    personally, it really does depend on which sides turn up… both can be quite jekyl and hyde to some extent… if the good villa, and the crap spurs sides turn up, then villa will win… and vice versa…

    i do expect a very hot reception for old droopy face…

  21. Tony on Fri, 13th Mar 2009 13:16

    22. Being a spurs fan means i cannot go into any game with any optimism. In all honesty this game (as with the majority of our games) could simply go any way. We certainly have enough quality to hurt you in modric, lennon and keane, but can we keep Villa out? will be interesting whether harry decides to play zokora at right back ahead of corluka after the horrible time he had with him earlier in the season.

    Hope the spurs do it, but good luck to Villa in your quest to keep the scum out of the champs league!

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