Aston Villa supporters should retain the faith despite slumping to 17th in the table under Roberto Di Matteo.
Aston Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo
The season has not started well for Aston Villa. Having slid into the Championship without so much as a fight, Villa supporters might have hoped for some better times after having to witness the ignominy of last season. So far, they have won just one of their seven second-tier fixtures and currently sit five places above the drop zone on seven points.
It may be early days but Roberto Di Matteo is starting to feel the heat as some fans have grown impatient, witnessing a worrying concession of late goals in five of the seven games.
It may only be over a month into the new season, but the club are losing ground on their promotion rivals.
However, there are still reasons for Villa supporters to be positive. Take a look at the reasons why Di Matteo can still turn this around.
Di Matteo has Championship experience
Forget the fact that Roberto Di Matteo has won both the Champions League and FA Cup, as cup wins are irrelevant when evaluating a manager’s worth in the Championship.
The former Chelsea boss is no managerial novice in the Championship having guided West Brom to promotion in 2010. Finishing second to the division’s runaway winners Newcastle United, the Baggies lost just seven league games as they amassed 91 points to bounce back at the first attempt.
He would be sacked in February the following season, although he might feel harshly done by considering the newly-promoted club was perched in 11th place.
Unlike some of his Championship contemporaries, the Italian knows how to weave his way out of this division.
West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo
The club have been here before
Younger Aston Villa supporters might not have seen darker days, but times were bleak during the start of the 87-88 campaign. The newly-relegated club had not adapted well to their new surroundings, amassing just six points from their first seven games in the Second Division.
Just five years after lifting the European Cup, they were in a crisis and had lost to Birmingham, Hull and Middlesbrough in their opening six league games.
However, a 2-0 win at neighbours West Brom in mid-September sparked a turnaround in fortunes and the club avoided defeat in their next 13 games. After 44 games, they would have soared up to second in the table behind Millwall on 78 points, earning promotion back to the top-flight.
General view of Paper planes on the pitch thrown by Aston Villa fans in protest – Villa Park
They have a strong squad
Aston Villa’s squad is one of the strongest in the Championship. Having cleared out many of last season’s disappointments, Di Matteo has drafted in some top-level talent to add to his ranks.
£12 million man Ross McCormack is a born goalscorer, while Rudy Gestede hit 20 goals for Blackburn Rovers the last time he played at this level.
Jack Grealish has long been earmarked as a future England star, while Jordan Ayew, Albert Adomah and James Chester would not look out of place in the top-flight.
With such an upheaval this summer, it’s no wonder the squad hasn’t clicked yet. Once Di Matteo’s side gels, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Ross McCormack celebrates with Jack Grealish after he scores Aston Villa’s first goal
Late goals have denied them
If Aston Villa were being outplayed and beaten by six goals like QPR this week, then there would be serious cause for concern. But the club have let seven points slip due to goals conceded in the last five minutes of games already this season. Concentration is clearly a big issue for Di Matteo’s men, and something they need to work on.
The encouraging signs however, are that they are taking control of the game. Had they seen out those clashes, they would be above neighbours Birmingham City in fifth.
Once the team stops conceding silly goals in the last few minutes of games, they should start to see a significant upturn in fortunes.
Aston Villa’s Pierluigi Gollini looks dejected after Huddersfield’s first goal
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