New owner Tony Xia has been given a crash course in how to run a football club since replacing Randy Lerner at Villa Park.
A half-season of two-halves, Aston Villa are looking up at last under Steve Bruce. But that’s not to say it didn’t get worse before it got ever so slightly better.
Start to the season
Like the hangover from hell, Villa woke up in the Championship only to be flooded by memories of the season before. If fans and players thought they were in for an easier ride in the second tier, they were soon reminded that commitment is as integral as quality outside of the top flight. And Villa were once again found wanting in both departments.
By October, new owner Tony Xia had already printed out his first P45, giving Di Matteo the boot after one win in 11. If you’re interested, that was against relegation certainties Rotherham.
Fortunately, the new manager bounce under the experienced Championship veteran Steve Bruce shows no signs of abating. The 55-year-old currently has the best win ratio of any manager in Villa’s history and has replaced fears of successive relegations with tentative dreams of a play-off push.
Performance of the manager
A promotion winner with Birmingham and Hull (twice), Bruce has expertly cleared the wreckage left behind by Di Matteo. The haphazard Villa defence that conceded a combined seven goals against Bristol City, Nottingham Forest and Preston looks increasingly solid while their new-found ability to grind out results has airlifted them into mid-table.
Nonetheless, Bruce is still yet to get the best out of a number of Villa’s summer signings while defeats to Norwich and Leeds pinpointed their soft centre.
Team performance of the season
In only Bruce’s second game at the helm, Villa inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Jaap Stam’s automatic promotion chasing Reading.
Though the visitors were far from fluid, snatching a win thanks to a stoppage time Jordan Ayew penalty, the performance demonstrated grit and resolve that last season’s pitiable bunch had sorely lacked. Oh, did we mention first away win since the opening day of 2015/16?
Star Player
The majority of Villa’s summer signings are yet to prove their worth but, in James Chester and Jonathan Kodjia, Bruce is blessed with two of the leagues best at either end of the pitch. Yet, without the goals of £15 million striker Kodjia (BBC), the Championship’s Player of the Month for November, the recent turnaround would not have been possible.
In fact, seven of his eight Villa goals have come since Bruce’s October appointment.
Where to strengthen in January?
Strangely enough, up front. Bruce may possess one of the most complete strikeforces in the league on paper, but performances on the pitch are another matter entirely. Ross McCormack, Rudy Gestede, Gabby Agbonlahor and Jordan Ayew have located the onion bag just eight times between them in well over 3,000 minutes.
Likelihood of strengthening in January?
Fairly high. Bruce told the Birmingham Mail that one, maybe even two of his strikers could face the chop meaning reinforcements with be required. Recent reports suggest Jordan Rhodes of Brentford’s 13-goal Scott Hogan are at the top of the wishlist.
Challenges ahead
On initial inspection, Villa are some way off salvaging their season, lying out of the way in mid-table. Yet, they remain just a stone’s throw from the top six such is the competitive nature of the league, meaning the main challenge for Bruce is to maintain the recent resurgence.
Furthermore, Villa’s record against the so-called ‘bigger sides’ remains poor. Norwich, Leeds, Brighton, Derby and Newcastle have all taken points off Villa this season, a habit Bruce must alter if they are to bridge the gap to the play-offs.
End of season prediction
6th. In Kodjia, Villa have a potential 20 goal a season striker and, in Bruce, Villa have a manger who knows this league like the back of his hand. Furthermore, they are still to see the best of experienced, lower league stars a la Mile Jedinak, Albert Adomah, Ross McCormack (below) and Tommy Elphick.
For the first time in recent memory, the future is looking up at Villa Park.
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