Now, last night, Aston Villa took on Arsenal at Villa park on a cold night. For 65 minutes, we all felt the cold, then the team woke up and we weren't aware of our surroundings, and the crowd was full of energy, full of life, as was the team.
Sadly, they were already 2-0 down at this point [due to a minute of two mistakes] . This happened not long after losing Nathan Baker to a mild concussion, and a very scary moment in which he didn't move from the moment he went down, and I suspect he was already out before he hit the turf, for a further five or six minutes. They hadn't really looked like losing, until then, and didn't deserve to lose either, as Arsenal weren't that dangerous in my opinion. Something needed to happen, something like, maybe a Benteke goal, but given that he hadn't scored for 11 hours it was unlikely, wasn't it?
Suddenly, down he went and sent a diving header [which probably could have been scored with either foot] but whose complaining? A goal is a goal, and for the tall striker, a much needed confidence boost, and he looked a different player for a small period before it, but mostly after, he had a new sense of self belief, but that's only natural for an out of form player.
It was certainly refreshing to hear applause and pride from the crowd at the final whistle, instead of the usual booing, to which he have recently become accustomed. It was a moment of clarity, that when everybody is back and fit and playing well, we are definitely a team that can, and will cause problems for any team. I said at the beginning of the season, that there will be some dark times ahead, and in the future the team will start winning more regularly, and be more competitive for longer, and the beginning of "The Project" is.... Now.
I will reiterate, a creative midfielder is still needed, as is a more experienced CB, it is a position were they just can't keep healthy, and Baker is definitely better than Clark. Without Vlaar, there's little chance of a win, Vlaar is really the key for keeping the back door locked. That said, 2014-15 is tipped to be one of high potential, which should be fulfilled, for the most part.
Last night, it finished 2-1, and Villa one another day, might have had more, but sometimes that's football.
Sadly, they were already 2-0 down at this point [due to a minute of two mistakes] . This happened not long after losing Nathan Baker to a mild concussion, and a very scary moment in which he didn't move from the moment he went down, and I suspect he was already out before he hit the turf, for a further five or six minutes. They hadn't really looked like losing, until then, and didn't deserve to lose either, as Arsenal weren't that dangerous in my opinion. Something needed to happen, something like, maybe a Benteke goal, but given that he hadn't scored for 11 hours it was unlikely, wasn't it?
Suddenly, down he went and sent a diving header [which probably could have been scored with either foot] but whose complaining? A goal is a goal, and for the tall striker, a much needed confidence boost, and he looked a different player for a small period before it, but mostly after, he had a new sense of self belief, but that's only natural for an out of form player.
It was certainly refreshing to hear applause and pride from the crowd at the final whistle, instead of the usual booing, to which he have recently become accustomed. It was a moment of clarity, that when everybody is back and fit and playing well, we are definitely a team that can, and will cause problems for any team. I said at the beginning of the season, that there will be some dark times ahead, and in the future the team will start winning more regularly, and be more competitive for longer, and the beginning of "The Project" is.... Now.
I will reiterate, a creative midfielder is still needed, as is a more experienced CB, it is a position were they just can't keep healthy, and Baker is definitely better than Clark. Without Vlaar, there's little chance of a win, Vlaar is really the key for keeping the back door locked. That said, 2014-15 is tipped to be one of high potential, which should be fulfilled, for the most part.
Last night, it finished 2-1, and Villa one another day, might have had more, but sometimes that's football.
