Damian
I used to write a lot more when things were not going well at Aston Villa and when things were clearly wrong. And there were a lot of things that went wrong or were not right. There used to be daily posts.
These days, there isn’t much that is wrong and I’m struggling to find anything in my mind. And by wrong, I mean things that are wrong and it’s something they’re not trying to fix.
And so much stems from the ownership and the manager, context and intent. If something does go wrong, on the pitch or behind the scenes, do any of us doubt that the ownership or manager isn’t aware of it and trying to fix it and do what is right?
And things are going so well at the moment that I’m actually stopping myself from posting, because I’m worried about getting carried away and then if things don’t go exactly how we want, I’m going to feel like I jinxed it, even though I know that’s ridiculous.
So that’s why there are less posts these days. But why there are also posts on or around matches, because it’s all about the football and today is big and it’s going to be tough. But the tough part, I’m confident the manager has a grip on.
It’s big, because if we win we will finish the weekend in the top four and if Liverpool don’t beat Luton later, we’ll be third. If some are talking about Arsenal as contenders then some will be talking about Aston Villa as contenders. I think they’re getting carried away but that’s what they like to do.
Read that last paragraph again. Win today and we’re in the top four after 29% of the season. I have to stop now because I could jinx it and I also have to go find my blue underwear and orange socks. Catch you all a little closer to kick off.
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
- Nottingham Forest beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the Championship in February 2017 but that is their only victory in the past 15 league meetings (D7, L7).
- Villa are unbeaten in nine Premier League games against Forest since a 2-0 home defeat in October 1994 (W4, D5).
- Forest’s most recent top-flight home victory versus the Villans was in April 1992, when Scot Gemmill and Teddy Sheringham scored in a 2-0 win.
Nottingham Forest
- The Reds won two of their first four league fixtures this season but are without a victory in their subsequent six games (D4, L2). It’s their longest winless run since an 11-match sequence between February and April.
- They have failed to score a first-half goal in any of their past seven matches.
- Since promotion, they have lost 10 of 12 Premier League games against sides starting the day in the top five, with their solitary victory coming against Arsenal in May.
- However, they have lost only two of their past 19 top-flight home fixtures.
- Anthony Elanga is one short of 50 Premier League appearances. He has registered five assists in his last eight Premier League home starts.
Aston Villa
- Villa’s tally of 22 points from 10 games is their best start to a Premier League season since 1998-99.
- They have won seven of their opening 10 top-flight fixtures for the first time in 70 years.
- The Villans have scored 26 Premier League goals this season, a joint-high prior to the weekend fixtures. It’s is their highest total after 10 league matches since 1931.
- A 21st Premier League win of 2023 would equal the club record set in 1998.
- Unai Emery’s side are unbeaten in six games in all competitions, winning five of those fixtures and scoring a total of 19 goals.
