Are Aston Villa candidates for relegation?

An old, tired cliché in football is that certain clubs are ‘too big’ to go down. Such a phrase was possibly used the year Man City got relegated from the top flight in 1996 or when West Ham United suffered the same fate in 2003. Now, to an extent, this is true as you can’t even begin to imagine a world in which Man United or Arsenal would face falling through the Premier League trap door. It’s just insane! But, what about a team such as Aston Villa? The Birmingham boys in claret and blue, currently in their 24^th consecutive season of top flight football, have endured a difficult last year, during which their status amongst the elite came under serious threat. Finishing 16^th last time round and surviving the dreaded R word by the skin of their teeth, the Villa faithful will be hoping for a much more worry-free campaign this time round.

Now, it’s safe to say that a change was what all Villa fans would’ve wanted in the summer and that duly arrived in the shape of well-respected Scot Paul Lambert, poached from Norwich City. Previous boss, Alex McLeish, saw his contract terminated not long after the 2011-12 season (one day actually) after enduring a dismal campaign, which saw the club suffer their worst home record in history. His move from deadly rivals Birmingham City was one which never sat well with the Villa fans and, after chalking up seven wins and amassing only 38 points, he was duly shown the door. The option to employ Lambert is one which, you hope, would provide Villa fans with a bit more hope for the season ahead given he enjoyed an excellent first Premier League season with the Canaries and is a man who has earned much respect in the game – even in his, thus far, very short managerial career.

Purse-tightening has, though, been very much the main theme with club owner Randy Lerner this summer after the club reported a record £53.9 million loss in the last financial year. On the transfer front, it has been fairly busy, mind – Emile Heskey, James Collins and Carlos Cuellar have all departed. New recruits include midfielder Karim El Ahmadi and defender Ron Vlaar, both from Feyenoord, as well as Australian winger Brett Holman from AZ Alkmaar and right-back Matthew Lowton from Sheffield United. All of the club’s new additions have featured in Villa’s two opening league games but they would’ve hoped that their fortunes might have fared better. Back-to-back defeats to West Ham and Everton ensured that Villa currently sit rock bottom of the pile at this early stage.

Looking at the team’s starting XI in their last home league game, a 3-1 reversal against an in-form Everton, it’s difficult to see where they will get their spark from. Granted, it’s too early to state how much of an impression the new additions will make. And in Darren Bent, the Midlands side have a natural goalscorer, but will his goals be enough to keep the team up? And will the midfield supplying it create enough chances for him to do so? In their opening day defeat at Upton Park, 10 crosses were whipped in – none of which found a claret and blue shirt. Players such as Barry Bannan, Fabian Delph and Marc Albrighton are all relatively young and with club captain Stiliyan Petrov currently out battling leukaemia, the team is missing some much-needed experience and bite in the centre of the park.

Paul Lambert is under no illusions about the size of the task at hand, recently stating: “I know the job is huge and we’re trying everything we can so sort it.” The Scotsman can be relied upon to instil belief and hard work in this Aston Villa side but, let’s be honest, it doesn’t get any easier for them, fixture-wise, with a trip to face Newcastle United next, followed by a visit from in-form Swansea – a team who confidently swept them aside at Villa Park last season. Points are needed on the board – and fast. Or the fans could be facing another long, hard season.

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