by Heroes and Villains
Aston Villa are a great old club. One of the founding members of the Football League 12, they’ve always had that vibe, the sheepskin coat of a run-down club full of trendy anoraks. The magnificent Villa Park – with its brick facade, Holte End, wood paneled interior and grandeur befitting an FA Cup semi-final – has seen it all for the past 126 years. And in the not too distant past, Villa were champions of England, champions of Europe. Later, they are relegated, advanced and a little average. Villa fans have long dreamed of ending their nearly 30-year major trophy drought (no, we’re not counting the 2001 Intertoto Cup) but nobody thought it would be the Premier League that would end the drought. The size of the trophy cabinet doesn’t make a club (just ask Newcastle), but it certainly helps.
If “Aston Villa: title contenders” sounds a little strange, well, it is. But the facts are this: Villa have won 10 of their 15 league games this season: their most at this stage of a league campaign since 1980-81 – the last time they won the title. They are four points off the top and could close the gap to one this weekend when they host leaders Arsenal at Villa Park, which we are contractually obliged to label as a “fortress”: the Birmingham club has won the last 14 home leagues. games, equaling a club record stretching back to 1903.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Villa is on a bit of a roll at the moment. Unai Emery has now won 31 of his first 50 games in charge, two more than Pep Guardiola managed in his first 50 in charge of Manchester City, who got the boot at Villa Park on Wednesday. Guardiola’s sides are not beaten regularly but this was a complete rout of 1-0. Leon Bailey got a fairly quick winner, but it could easily have been 4-0. Villa had 20 more shots than City in their win (22 for, two against), the biggest margin Guardiola’s side have conceded in 535 league games. Even with the absence of Rodri (suspended) and Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring twang), this was a complete victory.
Emi Martínez is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world right now. The great John McGinn is not only the owner of the best celebration in the Premier League but he is also one of the best left-footers in the business. Ollie Watkins is the league’s undisputed striker and is just one Harry Kane knee-knock away from leading England’s attack at Euro 2024. The recruitment has been crucial, with a mix of bargains and money well spent. Youri Tielemens and Boubacar Kamara arrived on free transfers, although no one is questioning the big fees for Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres, among others. But it was Emery and his coaching that set up Villa’s rise. This was an evolution, not a complete revolution – six of the players who started against City also featured in Steven Gerrard’s starting XI in his final game as manager 14 months ago. Now Villa have an elite manager, an elite squad and the momentum of our weird uncle is all tumbling down the ice sculpture at the Big Web’s annual Christmas bash. If Mikel Arteta thought Arsenal’s trip to Luton was difficult, he has quite the job to beat his predecessor on Saturday.
LIVE ON A BIG WEBSITE
Join Rob Smyth in the Premier League clock chair from 7.30pm GMT for updates from Everton 2-3 Newcastle, along with Tottenham 2-2 West Ham.
STATEMENT OF THE DAY
“It was a very sad evening for us. The reality is that expectations are high, hence the boos. But the reality is that the fans have been spoiled here for a while, they are used to seeing us do really well at home and get good results and this year we couldn’t do that. I hope they have enough compassion to stick with us when times are tough” – Roy Hodgson chooses some words that are unlikely to have left Crystal Palace fans wanting his head after a 2-0 home win against Bournemouth .
DAILY FOOTBALL LETTERS
Regarding Jimmy O’Brien’s email about a certain number of points being clear (Football Daily letters yesterday), I congratulate him for introducing me to a new piece of pedantry that will now trigger every time I hear someone is ‘two points clear’. I have the same problem with the phrase used, usually at the end of a season when goal difference comes into play, that a team must beat their opposition ‘by two clear goals’. What is the difference between beating a team by two goals and beating them by two clear goals? What makes them clear?” – Brendán Mac Carrann.
I would go further and ask the dictionary authorities to impose the harshest possible penalties on any use of a phrase that is somehow ‘obvious’ and ‘adrift’ in acceptable English: I refer of course to the utter horror of being one or more goals ‘for the good’. I thought I’d get this off my chest before I go to the Christmas party later, and I’ll probably be on a few pints of Tin ’til the smashed’ afterwards” – Tim Clarke.
A blast from the past in Memory Lane (yesterday’s full email edition) – yes, I know that’s the point – as Pat Nevin shows off his best Gregory’s Girl fashion picks. Did everyone from Scotland then have to have the hat with the flicked brim or was that the one we all liked best?” – Colin Reed (and others).
I don’t mind Pat Nevin. When I think of pure rizz on a park bench, I always think of him Wilson and Glendenning” – Jim Hearson.
Maybe rizz is what VAR and the referees are missing? A bit of charisma. None of today’s current crop, apart from Michael Oliver perhaps, carries the rizz like Pierluigi Collina did. Those bug eyes, the death stare, followed by a grim smile, Collina was both your worst enemy and your best friend. VAR is definitely making enemies, time to make friends with a little rizz” – Stephen Jackson.
Send any letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter winner is … Jim Hearson, who receives a copy of Pretty Polly: The History of the Football Shirt, published by Pitch Publishing. Visit their amazing football book store here.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
The Football Weekly Extra podcast is here, here, here.
