BREAKING

Watford Preview: Villa must avoid an 11th successive defeat. Wake up Eric Black.

10 defeats in a row.  

There was a time where looking at the form guide ahead of a game required the examination of two opponents.  These days it isn’t possible for anyone to be on a worse run than Aston Villa.

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In a desperate bid to find some glimmer of hope ahead of our penultimate Premier League away game, the barrel is certainly being scraped.

Whilst there was more than a touch of “on the beach” about Southampton last week at times, they still won at a canter.  However, we managed to score two goals, even more unbelievably both from Ashley Westwood.  His first goals in 70 appearances.

The downside is that it was an absolute stroll for Saints, they scored at will, missed a hat-full of other chances and over-ran our defence with ease.

It goes without saying that we must do better.  Understatement of the century or what?

Watford had a storming early season period but have been very much off the boil in the league since the turn of the year.  Their last 6 games have yielded just a single win.  Further, they have just 4 points from 18 available over the same period.

Their last home win came in January against Newcastle & the limited return over the 5 home games since then tells a tale of how their season has tailed off.  A limp defeat in the FA Cup Semi-Final last weekend to Crystal Palace hardly helps matters.

On this basis The Hornets will no doubt be delighted to see the Aston Villa team bus arriving.  Who better to face than a side off the back of 10 defeats, in disarray off the pitch and which is unable to defend or score.  Hoorah!

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Watford also came to Villa Park and scored 3 goals.  I wrote at the time that it was the tipping point for our season even in November.  We collectively knew then that the players weren’t up to it, Remi Garde looked ill-equipped for the battle and that losing in the fashion we did made the outcome inevitable.

And here we are.  I hate being right.

With that said, things can only get better?  No?

Eric Black (Caretaker extraordinaire…) has already come under scrutiny from this blog and other Villa sites for his baffling perseverance with the faces that have simply given up and disgraced our colours.  I absolutely cannot believe that I, and countless others it seems, are already forming a negative opinion of a caretaker manager.  His picks are really that infuriating.

Black has perhaps already eroded trust in some quarters, but he could redeem a little by dropping any one of the hapless Guzan, Lescott, Bacuna or Richards and blooding keen youth.  Take your pick, drop them all; win win.

We aren’t talking about unleashing the whole youth squad, just a few in order to at least provide some interest.  It’s really not much to ask.

But…If it’s the same old failed disgraceful names that appear on that teamsheet at 2pm on Saturday, you might as well consider this a home banker.

Predictions;

If Black mixes up the team selection & stops being scared of dropping the Villa Villa Idiots – a draw or perhaps even a surprise.  You never know your luck..

However, if it’s the side that started either Bournemouth, Man Utd or Southampton then its an absolute home win for sure.

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