Well, well, well.
With Steve Bruce unceremoniously booted out of Villa Park, the “Mad Few” travel to Millwall hoping that a temporary lift can be achieved whilst a new manager is sought.
There will be few to bemoan the departure of Bruce given how badly he’d lost his way, but it raised an eyebrow at Villa Underground to learn that once again Kevin MacDonald has been entrusted with temporary charge. Perhaps there’s literally no-one else willing to take on another short term role at the helm of our great football club as it once more finds itself in the dreaded “transitional period”.
We shall skip over the fact we were ordered to make “sweeping and vigorous changes” in relation to the “welfare” of academy players around MacDonald. You can refresh your memory of The Telegraph’s story [February 2017] following a Premier League enquiry here.
On the footballing side of things, we arrive at The Den urgently needing to arrest a dismal run of form.
- Sheffield United – 4-1 away drubbing.
- Sheffield Wednesday – 2-1 home defeat
- Bristol City – 1-1 dreary draw.
- Preston 3-3 draw to put the final cabbage in Bruce’s coffin.
- (oh and a win against Rotherham, yawn.)
MATCH FACTS & STATS
- With 4 goals, Jonathan Kodjia is our top goalscorer.
- We lost 1-0 at The Den last season. We also lost there in 2013.
- Milwall’s form isn’t great: LLLLD
- Villa’s form is marginally better: DWLDD
- Millwall: 22nd out of 24.
- Villa are currently 13th.
- Villa could rise as high as 5th with a win.
- Kevin MacDonald is in temporary charge for Villa.
- Former Welsh international Mark Delaney will be in the dugout.
- James Chester is suspended (sent off against Preston).
- Mile Jedinak is a doubt with a hamstring problem.
- Mark Bunn expected to continue in favour of Nyland in goal.
- A win for Millwall would be only their 2nd this term.
- Villa are on a run of just one win in ten.
- Hosts came from 2 down at Forest to draw last time out.
- But only Preston have conceded more goals than Millwall.
- Scott Hogan is fit and made the bench against Preston.
- Kienan Davies is unavailable still.