Where will Aston Villa finish next season? It is the question which seemingly nobody can agree on.
The season kicks off tomorrow, and Aston Villa will be looking to get back to winning habits in the Premier League after a disastrous end to 2011/12 which almost reach Titanic proportions.
Bringing in Paul Lambert to replace Alex McLeish was the most important piece of summer business the club could have asked for. Lambert is a shrewd and talented manager who looks like he could one day be on his way to the very top.
But next season? It seems the football world is quite split on how to take Aston Villa. We ran our Premier League predictions on HITC Sport last week, asking 12 of our writers to predict where they will finish in May, and they were one of the most divisive teams to predict.
Three of the 12 predicted they would finish as high as ninth, while two selected 16th and 17th for their final position. I was one of the writers who stuck my neck out and said Villa could finish in ninth spot, so I am hoping the club can prove me right.
In my view the Premier League can only benefit from a strong Aston Villa. The club have a rich history which includes winning the old first division in 1981 and the European Cup in 1982. When the Premier League began they were one of the top teams and have been an ever-present. Had they been relegated last year it would have been the first time since 1986/87 – 25 years ago – and they remain one of just six Premier League clubs who have been a regular fixture since its inception in 1992.
They also had the ninth highest attendance in the Premier League last season, despite the apathy and stay away supporters who decided not to attend due to McLeish’s appointment and turgid brand of football.
Five years ago under Martin O’Neill they looked to have firmly got it together, but they could not quite make the jump into the Champions League places, and the emergence of Manchester City has made it only more tougher. Now thanks to Everton’s durability it looks a tough challenge just to crack the top eight, and realistically ninth is the best they can aim for.
But then who would have called Newcastle finishing in fifth last season?
What Villa do have in Darren Bent is a player capable of scoring 20 goals a season which can be the difference between finishing five or six positions higher than they would otherwise, and propelling them from mid-table obscurity and dare we say it, relegation.
Yet for all the positivity of those who believe Aston Villa can achieve this year, as we have mentioned not everybody is convince. Robbie Savage yesterday predicted Villa would be relegated this coming season.
Now we’re sure that comes with his dislike of the Villains thanks to his spell as a Birmingham City player, but there are those who believe firmly that the club still have fundamental problems.
Those problems include a defence packed with inexperience, a goalkeeper suffering injury problems, a lack of creativity in midfield, a winger in Charles N’Zogbia who hasn’t performed for 12 months, and a lack of proven back up in case Darren Bent gets injured.
These all present a compelling case as to why Villa may not break into the top 10, and Lambert will have to hope his side can prove solid at the back at least in their opening games, with new signing Ron Vlaar needed to play a key role.
Their opening three games are intriguing encounters which may just set them up for the rest of the season. An opening trip away to West Ham, a home clash with Everton, and a trip to Newcastle. If they can come out of those fixtures with a minimum of five points, they will be set up for a successful campaign.
Lose any of their opening matches, and it will prove there is still work do to. The most pressing thing for Lambert to do in the transfer market is to buy support for Bent up front. Weimann is a good option but can’t be asked yet to carry the side on his own if their star gets injured again.
If they can add a proven goalscorer to their ranks, then perhaps others will be more convinced that their new manager can lead them to a top 10 finish.
Where do you think Villa can finish next season?
image: © Ben Sutherland
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