Last night’s draw with QPR was a very exciting game; I’m sure the neutrals had a great time with the six goals and the stakes so high. However, I really can’t revel in Benteke’s brilliant hat-trick for too long. The game was a fantastic opportunity to move towards safety – and an opportunity missed.
We now face two very tough away games, broken up by a trip to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final, that could see us slide into the relegation zone with four games left to play. It makes me uncomfortable writing that sentence, as the feeling of ‘it could be our year’ just won’t go away.
The margins have been so narrow since Sherwood took over. The last gasp penalty against Stoke, the last minute sucker punch against Swansea and the amateur defending last night against QPR can be all seen as blips that every team has, every season. For one in the Villans’ predicament, however, they are hammer blows.
Stepping away from all the doom and gloom, we have improved considerably since Sherwood took the reins. There are goals going in and Benteke seems like the footballer he’s meant to be again, although the defensive fragility and the silly mistakes remain. The only way to fix these issues is with new players. I feel, to be blunt, that some of Villa’s current squad are not Premier League quality. After last night, Kieran Richardson’s name springs easily to mind.
I was particularly gutted at the end of the game, although not as much as I would have been if we had lost. To dominate a game like that and only draw, gifting our opponents – and relegation rivals – three completely avoidable goals is unforgivable.
We could really do with picking up some points at White Hart Lane. Sherwood should be able to get the players up for the game as I am sure he would love to go back to his old stomping ground and claim three points. However, I just don’t see that happening, especially if we defend like we did last night. A draw would be a good result.
Our three remaining home games are massive; we have to win at least two of them to stay up. We can’t rely on other teams not picking up results now. I urge each and every one of you to get to Villa Park for these games if at all possible. Aston Villa needs its fans’ backing now more than ever.
