Season Review - 2007/08
Ian Symes - May 27, 2008 @ 8:04 am
First things first, this was a great season. When things are going well, Villa fans tend to take it for granted. We’re a huge club, why shouldn’t we be at the top end of the table? But that simplistic view fails to take into account just how bad a state we were in before Martin O’Neill took us back to where we belong. The bad old days that stretched from the end of Gregory’s reign, through Graham Taylor’s return to David O’Fuckingleary had turned us into strugglers, with players queueing up to leave the club and European dreams a distant memory. We’ve gone from 16th in 2006 to 6th in 2008, and that’s a hell of an achievement.
Any season that sees us rise five places in the league, holding our own against the best teams in the country, scoring 71 league goals and still fighting for a UEFA Cup place on the last day of the season, has got to be regarded as a success. The Intertoto Cup is as valid a route into next season’s UEFA Cup as any other, and in any other season 6th place would have been enough to bypass this extra qualifier. This was a good season.
And the catalyst for this was undoubtedly the home victory against Chelsea in game four. Having matched Mourinho’s men for the whole of the first half, Zat Knight got a debut goal early in the second half and we looked good for the lead. They had plenty of chances, but we didn’t seem worried. Then Ashley Young broke away, and instead of just keeping the ball next to the corner flag, his youthful exuberance caused him to find Gabby Agbonlahor in front of goal, and they made lots of people very very happy. Not least Doug Ellis, who nearly made up for his past crimes by mocking a dejected Roman Abramovich as he headed for the exit.
Excellently, we took this form back to Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day, and an incredible game eventually finished four all. We were unlucky not to win, and that was also the case at Anfield and the Emirates, both occasions on which we took a surprise lead only to surrender to a late equaliser. We’ll gloss over our performances against United, and consider ourselves pleased with our performances against the big four this season.
But despite our encouraging form against the bigger teams, there were several games against lesser opposition that we managed to fuck up royally. Sometimes we just inexplicably failed to turn up to the game. Fulham away was one of them - how did we manage to come away from Craven Cottage empty handed? There was a baffling couple of home games against Middlesbrough and Sunderland, where we played like absolute shite, at a time when we should have been consolidating fifth place. The Wigan game was the most sickening - capitulating at home immediately after our best run of the season. To get a mere one point from these four games is abysmal, and it cost us a UEFA Cup spot.
But let’s pause for a while to consider the aforementioned best run of the season. Four games, 17 goals and performances that will live forever in the memory. It started with a 4-0 demolition of Bolton. We were nervous before the game, but it proved the ideal opportunity to lay several demons to rest. We hadn’t won for five games, and Gabby had lost his goalscoring touch. His relief on breaking his duck was plain for all to see, but Gareth Barry took the plaudits for a fantastic attacking display in a new and exciting 4-3-1-2 formation.
Then came Derby away. It’s easy to dismiss this display for being against “only Derby”, but six goals away from home, each from a different scorer, is impressive no matter who the opposition. Petrov’s goal was the pick of the bunch, and it gets better every time you see it. This was a very pleasing victory for many reasons, but the two biggest ones were: a) that Robbie Savage was playing for Derby, and b) we had the Blues next.
We’re never going to forget that one. Due to the Blues being nowhere near the top flight for the whole of the 90s, local derbies for my generation of Villa fans have been nothing but painful at times. We didn’t beat the bastards until getting the double over them sent them on their way back down two years ago. They were back, in turmoil off the field, and we were primed to take advantage. The away game was, of course, brilliant. Liam Ridgewell may as well have changed his first name to “Agent” when he scored that own goal at the Sty. It was a deserved lead for Villa, but for much of the second half, the game seemed destined to end in a draw. That was until Gabby Agbonlahor wrote himself into Villa folk lore by clearing off the line at one end, and scoring a great breakaway goal a minute later at the other.
By the time they dragged their knuckles to Villa Park for the return leg, Steve Bruce had fucked off to Wigan, and Blues were hovering perilously above the drop zone. It was up to us to nudge them over the edge. Full of confidence and invigorated by Ashley Young’s new free role, we steamrollered them with constant pressure until Young scored a typically awesome opener. John Carew (who, lest we forget, is bigger than me and you) scored another just before half time to give us some breathing space, and the game (along with the Blues) was dead and buried by the time both players got their second goals. The final score was 5-1, obviously, which fairly reflects the gulf that has developed between us and them. This is our second straight double over them, and they’d better think twice before dragging their sorry arses back up for another round of embarrassment next time.
This was of course followed by the Everton game, which we went into thinking we needed to win. In the end, a battling and exciting 2-2 draw was enough to put us in the driving seat when Everton lost to Arsenal. The aforementioned Wigan game put paid to that, and the five point gap between the two of us in the final table belies just how close it was. But although that four-game run ultimately didn’t lead to our triumphant grasping of the solitary UEFA Cup place, we can still look back on it as the highlight of an atypically exciting and dramatic season for us.
And there’s no greater testament to the entertainment value of our season than the sheer amount of contenders there are for game of the season. Both the Blues games would qualify, as well as both Chelsea games, the aforementioned thumpings of Derby and Bolton, and the away games at Liverpool and Arsenal. But as well as those, who can forget the incredible 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane? It didn’t go the way we wanted, but what a game! Then there’s the away wins at Middlesbrough and Blackburn, 3-0 and 4-0 respectively, plus the 4-1 demolition of Newcastle. I can’t remember the last season to have half as many great games as this.
It’s a shame, then, that we couldn’t match our league form in either of the cups. Both domestic trophies were up for grabs this season, with the top four all conspiring to play like puddings, in the FA Cup in particular. But for fuck’s sake, do we have to draw Man United in the third round every bloody year? No such bad luck in the League Cup, being knocked out early doors by a Leicester team that will be playing in League One next year. Not good enough, and something O’Neill will definitely be looking to improve on.
When it comes to evaluating the players, pretty much everyone gets bonus marks for having to play so many more league games than most of their contemporaries. My hat is particularly off for Martin Laursen, who started every game this year, despite having such a shit record with injuries previously. A great season for him, he was solid at the back and chipped in with more than his fair share of goals in the earlier part of the season.
The main headline-grabbers, though, were the flamboyant young trio of Gareth Barry, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor. It didn’t always work for them, but it’s no coincidence that all our best performances this year came in games that all three were firing on all cylinders. I hope Young’s free role will continue into next season; not only does it bring out the best in him, but it also frees up Gareth Barry to get forward far more often, which can only be a good thing.
Johnny Carew (who, on average, is gonna score one or two) became somewhat of a cult hero this season; that sort of talisman front man that always appeals to the crowd, and has been missing from the Villa set-up since Dion Dublin’s days. A top-scoring return of 14 goals is not to be sniffed at, but it could have been more with a bit more confidence and consistency from the big man.
Another trio of players impressed with their consistency and solidity. Freddy Bouma has to be the most improved player in recent history, impressing both in the box and on the wings, in defence and going forward. Nigel Reo-Coker had a solid debut season, giving us a bit of bite in the middle and fighting for every ball. The only thing missing is a bit of discipline, but don’t forget he’s still only 24.
A special mention for the most reliable, consistent and solid player of recent years. Olof Mellberg, despite having to play at right-back for almost the entire campaign, always gave it his all and never failed to impress. He’s stuck with us through the good times and the bad times, and it’s clear he has a lot of love for the club. It’s a shame to see him go, but we wish him nothing but good luck at Juve.
Curtis Davies recovered well from his self-confessed “pub team” debut performance to become a valuable member of the team for a while after Christmas. He’s certainly a much better prospect than Zat Knight, who looked frail and uncertain at times. But in my opinion, neither player is as good as Gary Cahill. Why the fuck did we let him leave again?
As for Scott Carson? Hmmm. He looked great up until the England v Croatia game, but unfortunately he let his scapegoat status get to his head. He lost all confidence, becoming a hesitant and ineffectual shadow of his former self. He did start to improve again towards the end of the year, but once again Villa are still looking for a keeper they can trust. We haven’t had that since Nigel Spink.
Marlon Harewood had a bizarre season. If Premier League games only lasted for 20 minutes, he’d be the best striker in the league. As it is, he looks out of his depth when called upon for a full game, and yet looks a world-beater when he comes on in the second half. I’m not sure how satisfied I’d be to be known as a super-sub, but he’s carved himself a pretty unique niche.
As for the rest: Gardner was unlucky this season to be so frequently played out of position. He could still come good. Sorensen was treated a little unfairly, I reckon, but he won’t be missed. Neither will Berger, the loud-mouthed injury-prone knobhead. Which leaves Stan Petrov… how much longer are we going to tolerate a bloke who has about three good games a season and plays like a complete twat for the rest of the year? Get rid, he’s not good enough.
When evaluating the season, it’s easily to complain that things could have been so much better if things had been done differently. There’s no way we should have gone through an entire season without a recognised right-back, for instance. I’m still baffled as to why we didn’t spend more in January, when the previous year had given us Young and Carew.
But such complaints only detract from the fact that this season represents a significant step on our road back to the top. Martin O’Neill’s got a five year plan, and you’ve got to say it’s firmly on course. Taking us from 16th place to Europe in two years is amazing, and the growth has been encouragingly organic. There’s a real sense of belief about the place, as well as one of togetherness. I simply can’t wait for next season to start! Bring it on…
>once again Villa are still looking for a keeper they can trust. We haven’t had that since Nigel Spink.
You’re probably wary of ex-Liverpool keepers after Carson’s loss of form, but if I were MON and on the lookout, my first port of call would be to try and prise Chris Kirkland away from Wigan, especially now that he’s proven he can get through a full season without shattering into a thousand pieces…
Oh, and kudos for the “Harewood” picture, natch.
It’s odd. In a way this all feels the end of the 03/04 season, with the hugely impressive effort of getting so close to an automatic UEFA place but with a feeling of a wasted opportunity due to our inconsistency.
The important difference now is that we have an understanding and proactive chairman, a hugely talented and devoted manager and this season wasn’t nearly as dementedly schizophrenic. That helps this season’s lack of more obvious success be much more palatable as for the first time in years and years it feels like we’re on the brink of really breaking through and worrying whoever decides to be worst of the top 4 next season. It’s a really exciting feeling.
[...] Season Review - 2007/08 (3) [...]
[...] Season Review - 2007/08 (4) [...]