Aston Villa’s 2022/23 Premier League campaign started with a bang, but not the kind of bang fans would’ve wanted as we travelled to Dean Court to face Bournemouth and basically got schooled tactically and fell to a 2-0 defeat as head coach Steven Gerrard failed to improve on his form last season, despite now having more of ‘his own’ players in the side.
Whilst most eyes are on a proper reaction when we host Everton in the coming early Saturday afternoon kick off, the domestic season continues and we now know who we will face in the second round of this years EFL Cup – and with long standing form and performance levels, we absolutely have a banana skin on our hands as we visit the University of Bolton Stadium to face, the quite obvious, Bolton Wanderers.
There may not be a Sam Allardyce or JJ Okocha to face this time around, and for the first time in a long time, I am seriously torn between whether or not we should play our first team squad, as I write, as opposed to giving further experience to the talented youngsters we know we have on our books.
Normally, this is a tie for youngsters to try to impress and make a substitute claim, with reliable professionals on the bench to account for a ‘whoopsie’. So, why do I think this will (or should) become a tie where we have professionals on the pitch, trying again to learn to play together, with youngsters on the bench, where their own pride and energy could account for a ‘whoopsie’?
Round two games begin in the week commencing Monday, August 22 – I so hope I’m proven wrong but I’ve already got a large order in for Valium. The fact it’s not a home tie again doesn’t even bother me at this point.
Bolton.....
Hiding Behind The Settee
Curled Up Behind The Fringe
Stevie Will Get It Right
I'm Taking The Missus For A Meal - Either Way I Win
