We’re now in the midst of the Premier League’s busiest period and the Villans managed to kick it off with a win. After I’d picked my jaw up off the floor, I began thinking about where we could end up come January 2nd once all the festive fixtures are out of the way.
Refreshingly, the Villans haven’t got a terrible Christmas parcel of fixtures, with Manchester United the one team you’d think we won’t get something from. Well, I’m certain we won’t win all our games but if we can take twelve points from the upcoming games then we could be sitting nicely in mid-table once we have rung 2015 in.
Tuesday’s win was far from pretty and we had to rely on a little bit of luck at times too. Nevertheless, we just needed something to break the winless run.
The Leicester game this afternoon is now a massive one. It will really show if the Villa players have shaken off the effects of their recent shocking form. Leicester are there for the taking – bottom of the leagues and witha few key players injured – so anything other than a win is unacceptable. With Benteke firing again, I feel oddly confident that we will take the points.
Looking at the rest of the festive games, I definitely see a few other possible wins in there. The local derby could throw up anything. Albion have been poor of late and if we can build up some momentum with back-to-back wins we should be favourites to take the victory at The Hawthorns next weekend. Swansea will be a tough test on Boxing Day, as will Sunderland on the 28th. Honestly, I’d settle for a draw in both these games.
We need to steady the ship and, with the games coming thick and fast, there is no better time to do it. I may sound surprisingly positive given the tone of my last few pieces but it is great to see what a win can do, isn’t it? Maybe I am simply happy to be celebrating my birthday this weekend: I’ll be missing my first home game of the season this afternoon (damn you, Sky, and your ability to move games) so we’re bound to play well and smash five past them. I haven’t changed my position on Lambert or on the way the team is set up; I just have a gut feeling that this Christmas might be a happy one for Villa fans.
Let’s spread some festive cheer and back the boys in claret and blue!
