Aston Villa have failed this season and there will be no excuse if they aren’t promoted back to the Premier League next time around
Villa fan Jonathan Fear, who has his own remarkable story and was asked by his club to feature in their pre-season kit campaign, shares his views on his pride and joy with SunSport
SO, there you go. 13th.
Villa owner Tony Xia has given the season . My judgement?
THIRTEENTH. I’d not be happy with that if we were in the Premier League, let alone a relative average Championship.
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I didn’t see one team really dominate or run away with it and results (interestingly) were all over the place but we didn’t dominate a single game.
We had moments and sometimes even mustered a good half. But a full game? Nope, not true dominance.
I kept waiting for that game when the floodgates opened and we really impressed. I’m still waiting.
The owner backed the then manager Roberto Di Matteo in the summer and then Steve Bruce in January.
CEO Keith Wyness did the business he was asked to do in the transfer windows for the managers. The fans turned up in huge numbers.
I said the other day that
Bruce says he thinks the fans have taken to him because he doesn’t give us ‘any flannel’ and that he always ‘tells it like it is’.
He adds, about his worst finish in 20 years of management how determined he is to give us a team to be proud of.
It’s all good from Bruce with the honesty, his enthusiasm and, having met him this year, you can tell he’s absolutely delighted to be at such a big club and SO wants to succeed.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t take a share of the blame though. Do I want him sacked? No.
He has to have the summer and then a fair start. He said to the few of us from the Fan Consultation Group he thought it would take three transfer windows to get Villa back in shape.
We can’t argue, having stunk out the Premier League last season, that this was a total mess.
However… well, I can’t say I’ve seen many (or any?) real signs of improvement yet.
Owners, CEO and fans can hold their heads up.
The manager has a big job to do so I’m on the fence with him and coaches, the summer and start of next season will be the time the answer will be clear I think.
The players? Some have worked hard every game and deserve to be excluded from the blame.
Alan Hutton never gave up trying. Nathan Baker never let us down. James Chester rarely let us down.
Mile Jedinak, once he settled and when not injured, was , and where would we have been without the goals of Jonathan Kodjia?
I’m not saying all those players are perfect, but all I demand as a fan and long serving/suffering season ticket holder is effort. They put a shift in and that does for me.
The rest? The worst let-down for me was Ross McCormack, that was embarrassing, I think you know that in your heart of hearts that you let down a club that put massive faith in you.
Then there were the other new signings, pretty much each and every one I thought were great signings at the time, only to see them go hiding on the pitch.
Maybe the likes of Conor Hourihane and Henri Lansbury were played out of position? That’s down to them and the manager to sort.
Maybe they did shrink at such a big club, but I find that a bit hard to buy to be honest, they should be blossoming with these facilities and this support.
No hiding places now. No more excuses. Not for the manager, the coaches or the players. Aston Villa cannot afford a 3rd season in the Championship.
WE the fans expect better. Bring on the new season… but a few weeks break won’t go amiss first will it!
Until the next disaster fellow Villans…