Ahead of this weekend’s West Midlands derby, I had a brief chat with Villa fan Damian who runs The Villa Blog. Here’s what he had to say.
Damian, welcome to Wolves Blog. I suppose a good way to start is by asking you about the 1-1 draw at Molineux earlier in the season. What were your abiding memories of that game?
My first memory of the game was frustration but on reflection, dull springs to mind and some dodgy penalty decisions.
SEB scored a late equaliser at Molineux
If by ‘dodgy’ you mean we were turned down a stonewall penalty in the opening minutes but then awarded one for another clear foul later in the game, then I agree. It was a tight game but it really came to life in the last ten minutes, with both sides probably feeling like they could have won it. What’s your opinion on the rivalry between Wolves and Villa? Blues is obviously the biggie but do you look forward to this derby with similar relish?
Its a local derby and it is important to win but it will never be the biggest, although it is one I did look out for when the fixtures were released.
Yeah, same here really. What’s your overall opinion on Wolves this season?
Its hard for me to say after maybe only watching you three or four times. I’m sure the brief Mad Mick had at the start of the season was to keep you up and as things stand you are safe and you look like you have a fairly decent run in. Would be nice if you stayed up.
Do you think we will stay up?
Having just looked at your fixture list, I think its going to come down to how badly you want it. Mad Mick is one of those managers that I think can, on his day, get the best out of his players and if by the end of April you only need to get six points to stay up, I think you can probably get them out of your last three games (Blackburn, Pompey and Sunderland).
I certainly hope so. If you could pick any Wolves player to pull on the claret and blue jersey, who would it be?
There has been talk recently that we are interested in your captain, Karl Henry, but if I had to pick one it would be Wayne Hennessy – still very young for a keeper and will get much better.
Hennessy is an interesting choice, particularly as he’s not even making our starting eleven at present. To be honest, I could see him moving on in the summer, whatever happens this season. He can’t be happy sitting on our bench. I’m surprised you didn’t pick Kevin Doyle. Not only is he our biggest asset, I think he’s exactly the kind of player you need. Anyway, let’s talk about Villa a bit. How would you rate your season up to this point?
As things stand we are 3 points from fourth with a game in hand over Spurs, have already had one Wembley final and have a semi-final coming up against Chelsea, so there can be no complaints with where we find ourselves. I also don’t think as supporters we can complain about work ethic and determination but the time to reflect is at the end of the season. Progress this season, for me anyway, will be finishing fifth and sixth would be further consolidation. Next season is a very important one.
I suppose the way the Premiership is, you’ve got to be happy with gradual progress unless you’ve got the big bucks to throw around. What constitutes success this season though?
Success would be finishing fifth or higher and/or winning the FA Cup. Ideally winning the FA Cup because success in football is/should be determined by silverware and not finishing anything other than 1st in the league – but I’ll take progress on last season too as a consolation prize.
Interesting point about the definition of success and definitely something we’ve discussed on here more than a few times. OK, down to the serious business. What are your predictions for Saturday’s game?
Home win, sorry. It isn’t that I expect it to be easy. Mad Mick will set out his side to probably play how we like to play; sitting back and attacking teams on the counter and I think that is his best chance, but I think our quality and home support will be enough to see us win.
That’s probably a fair answer. Thanks for chatting with us Damian and good luck for the rest of the season, after Saturday of course.
Interesting comments.
Villa fan Damian seems very confident, perhaps too much so considering the fact that it is a local derby.
Why is it that when “glamour clubs” are mentioned, the Villa never get on the list?
Is it because the name is so old fashioned?
Is it because they are in Birmingham, a shitty city if ever there was one?
Or is it, shock horror, because they are not a glamour club?
Anyway, we all know that Cowardly Lion MM will field a team not to lose, and pick the same side as last week, coz “you can’t change a winning side”
The fact that Burnley were shit is going to be irrelevant.
It’s Wednesday, no footie of note, and i’m bored.
Nice to see Chelsea lose last night.
Have a nice evening, y’all.
FOWB
Clive from Houston, we have a problem. Is MM picking his team ‘not to lose’ or because ‘you can’t change a winning side’? Or are you, as usual, ready with your criticism before we know the result? Do you even know the town motto? or do you have your own version – ‘out of darkness cometh more darkness’? Cheer up for f**k’s sake!
That’s the problem, he doesn’t know!!!
How can you sit there, straight faced, and say I’m critical?
I resemble that remark!!
Town motto is ” If you’re a shit fan, fuck off”
Of course I’m ready to criticize, that’s what being a fully paid up member of the “We Want Moxey Out Club” is all about.
Once again, to all clockwork mice, and I’ll write slowly so y’all understand……
If I wasn’t a passionate, black and gold blooded lifetime supporter, I would’nt give a flying fuck, but I am and I care deeply, and I will be as forceful and vocal in my criticism and praise as I want to be.
MM is not capable of knowing the players limitations, and must either get with the programme, or go.
We pay good money to see a good product and when it is not forthcoming we have a right to complain, bitch, moan and any other words you wanna use.
If you don’t like my comments, tough shit, go to the Wolves home page and read sanitized platitudes all day long.
Have a nice day.
FOWB
A bit defensive but, otherwise, fair enough. I promise not to criticise your criticism again.
Bob – can I criticise your decision not to criticise Clive’s criticism. Clive, while I agree with your right to bitch and moan – paying good money has nothing to do with it. While the quality of the product is up for debate, I think that you shouldn’t have to pay money for a right to critize, nor does paying money give you a right to slag off carte blanche.
Criticise away.
I just wanted to make my ‘Clive from Houston we have a problem’ remark really.
But Clive, How could you tell I was sitting or that my face was straight? Spooky.
I think you should all just have a group hug!
“Town motto is ‘if you’re a shit fan, fuck off’” Is that why you went to Houston? Never trust a man who doesn’t know the colour of his own blood. It’s OLD gold and black.
Actually, its ‘Auld’ Gold strictly speaking
And I thought I was being pedantic!
I actually came here to spread the gospel according to St. Molineux.
Let’s face it, if any of us were a shit fan, we could’nt even spell fuk off!!!
Now let the comments begin, ha ha.
Prediction for Saturday.
Villa 1 Wufflers 3,….. you heard it first here on Radio Texas
FOWB
I’m pretty sure what FOWB means, but could you clarify that for me?
Don’t listen to ‘em Clive, you keep that positivity of yours up!
Damien is pretty fair, and he’s right about us sitting and countering. We did it at spurs so why not Villa?
I’m not allowed to use swear words on here, so FOWB stands for Fuck Off W… B…
It is such a mantra in my house, that when I tell my wife to fuck off, she automatically responds W… B…
FOWB
This will cheer you all up…
If we retain our Premier league status the Hof costs us another £900,000!
Daylight robbery!
Pfft – I’d take it, all things being equal.
If we stay up we can afford it, Stourbridge.
It will not be easy to get anything at Villa Park, that’s for sure. I watched theier game against Wigan away and Milner was fantastic. On Statto you can see that they have the best defence in the PL as well.
It is at going forward they can have a problem. But first of all we got to stop Milner doing his magic. He is their engine. We succeeded with that pretty well at home. But I think he is a tad better now. A point and I will smile for a week.
You have the same attitude to spending money as my wife ha,ha,ha!
I think the away fixture suits us more. Villa (like Spurs) like space to attack into, and if we can plug the space, they seem to run out of ideas sometimes. I can see us attaining a point.
http://www.glennhoddle.com/glenn-hoddle.html
Worth a look – I don’t think they like him either.
I see we’ve offered Craddock a new contract – thoughts?
Proves my point about the cowardly lion not having a good footballing brain.
Next thing we know Back off Wardie will be signed up for the next ten years, unless he already is, which wouldn’t surprise me.
Still got that good feeling between me legs that we’em gonna get all 3 points on Sat.
FOWB
Come on Clive – Jody has been excellent this season, and would be a good “off the bench player” (same as Zubar should be in my opinion) should we sign a better centre half or too. Also – useful to have some “bin there done that players about”
I agree t’om, Craddock has earnt the right to a new contract even if he wouldn’t be starting every week.