The Very Strange Case Of Aston Villa

• 

Liverpool
It's difficult to know what to make of the 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Wednesday. On the one hand, Liverpool played pretty well and of course took a 2-0 lead, but they then did throw that lead away to an Arsenal side going through something of an existential crisis these days.

We know which side Brendan Rodgers falls on: "Normally you would be bitterly disappointed not to have won but I can only be proud of the players, I thought they were absolutely magnificent.

"We never kept the lead long enough and once they get the goal that gives them the momentum.

"We could have very easily won the game but I thought the players were outstanding and really looked a threat tonight."

Those sentiments are all part of Brendan's big world of positivity (apart from discussing his reserves against Oldham), so perhaps it was a tactic to inspire his team in their rather tough trip to Manchester City at the weekend.

You all know that Liverpool are yet to beat a team in the top half of the table this season, and it's a stat that irritates their fans to an amusing degree, but it is a genuine concern. The top four is still within reach, so sooner or later they will have to start collecting points against the bigger and better sides in the division.

And they're playing City on Sunday. What better way to realise their potential and harness Brendan's positivity than by beating the Premier League champions.


Manchester City
After allowing Manchester United to claw back the two points they dropped at the weekend, this is a must win for Roberto Mancini and City.


Aston Villa
What a strange time it is at Aston Villa. The game against Newcastle on Tuesday probably perfectly summed up their season so far, in which they were almost comically awful in the first half, then put up a spirited show after the break that they unfortunately weren't quite good enough to take advantage of.

They're trying hard, bless them, but this collection of youngsters (who, admittedly, aren't quite as naive and wet behind the ears as some would have you believe) might be pretty good one day, but really aren't just yet. And this was reflected in the response from the Villa fans, who actually applauded their team off after the Newcastle defeat, presumably in recognition of their 'trying hard but aren't actually that good yet' status. There's an acknowledgment that Paul Lambert has very little to work with, so the last thing he needs is a restless and mutinous home support.

Lambert said: "The response gives us hope, because it's in our capabilities to go and do that. Credit to them [his Villa players] in the second half. They came out and they were relentless, but it was too little too late."

Of course this is all lovely and positive, but the problem is that Villa are sliding gradually down the table, and if this continues much more then all the goodwill in the world will be useless. They're now second-bottom of the league having lost five of their last seven, and the other two were draws.

And it's not as if the January transfer window really pepped anything up either. At the time of writing (about seven hours before the window SLAMMED SHUT) the only addition was Yacouba Sylla. Now, without knowing a great deal about the young Frenchman, a 22-year-old defensive midfielder who's never played above the French second division isn't the man to save a dying season.

Villa are in genuine trouble, and need a win. It's Everton away (one defeat in the last 12) this weekend, a game from which Villa might normally not expect anything. However, it's reaching the stage where they desperately need something. Perhaps that second half against Newcastle will give them some hope, because hope's pretty much all they have at the moment.


QPR
Given how late most of Harry Redknapp's reinforcements arrived, it's probably unfair to expect any of them to have much of an impact this soon. The trouble is, time is very much a factor for QPR and there is no time for bedding-in.

When Redknapp arrived on November 24, QPR were bottom of the table, six points from safety. They're now bottom of the table, four points from safety. Obviously the return of 12 points from 11 games after his arrival is something of an improvement from the four from 13 before, but they remain in serious trouble.

The transfer window was always going to be crucial for Redknapp and QPR, and he was placing virtually all of his hopes on it. He made his dissatisfaction with his squad quite clear when he was appointed, so any additions would be key to his and the Rs' hopes for survival.

Of course, that does mean that those additions absolutely must work. Redknapp cannot afford for Loic Remy or Chris Samba not to vastly improve his side, but more importantly QPR cannot either. Redknapp's comment about a side that can only fit 18,000 in its ground paying big wages is quite correct - their wages to turnover ratio was thought to be something like 150% before this month, so with the new additions (and even with Djibril Cisse's departure) that wage bill will have increased further. With Premier League money (in particular with the new £3billion TV deal) and Tony Fernandes's continued backing, that sort of outlay might be sustainable, but it definitely won't be in the Championship.

In four of the last five seasons, 37 points has been enough to ensure survival, meaning QPR need 21 points from their remaining 14 games. No game can be discounted, nothing written-off, and they probably need at least five wins. Ideally, that starts on Saturday against Norwich.


Danny Graham
The booing by the Sunderland fans was obviously not the most ideal way to be greeted to your new club, but perhaps a more pertinent point is why Graham has moved to Sunderland in the first place.

Obviously the unspecific 'family reasons' drove his desire to move back to the north-east, but from a football perspective it makes little sense. If he was unhappy at being edged out of the Swansea team by Michu, then moving to a side that only ever plays one striker and behind a man as established as Steven Fletcher isn't going to help him out much.

Graham has basically signed on to be a second-choice forward at a club three places below Swansea in the table. Those vague mumblings about an England call-up won't get any louder.


West Ham
Villa are obviously at the bottom of the form table, but West Ham have the same record over the last eight games. They've only collected five points in those matches, conceding 12 goals in the last four.

They're slipping down the table, and need something to keep them out of trouble. A win at home to Swansea on Saturday would do nicely.


Norwich
Chris Hughton seemed to be trying to usurp Harry Redknapp as king of the deadline day deal, firing off faxes all over the shop to try and strengthen his floundering side.

And it's hardly a surprise either, given they have just two draws to show for the last seven games. The 1-1 with Spurs was obviously a commendable draw, but since their league position is looking uglier by the day, they need more than draws.

They're playing QPR this weekend, and it's tempting to suggest that if they don't get anything from that one, they're in serious trouble.


Lewis Holtby
There's a lot of hope being placed on the young German's shoulders. And given the impact he made after coming on against Norwich in the week, the first impressions are good. Now he's been there for a few days, he might be asked to start.

What will be interesting is, given how adaptable Holtby is, whether he will switch positions with Gareth Bale, allowing the winger the chance to score goals like he did at Carrow Road. This could be quite an exciting time for Spurs.


Wigan
If a survival campaign is built on a team's home form, then Wigan's season is falling into the sea.

They have the worst home record in the Premier League, and haven't won at the DW since November 24. They even somehow managed not to beat QPR in December.

Three points against Southampton at home on Saturday would go some way to solving those domestic problems.


Mauricio Pochettino
Of course, the decision to sack Nigel Adkins was hardly popular, but his replacement is making quite an impression. Could you imagine Adkins reacting to a defeat with Manchester United in the same way Mauricio Pochettino did?

"I'm very frustrated and angry because I always like to win," he said. "Judging how we played in the second half I think we deserved a bit more than leaving here with nothing."

And then when he'd been told that Sir Alex Ferguson had given them a pat on the head by saying Southampton were the best team to visit Old Trafford this season, he said: "His words don't really serve as a consolation to me."

I like this guy a lot.


Peter Odemwingie
Well...this could be awkward. That's assuming he has actually returned to West Brom. Who knows where he is? In fact, he might be well-advised not to show his face for a bit.

Nick Miller - available on Twitter