Three Games in and Villa Missing the Marc

Some will be quick to point out that there have only been three matches played and that I'm jumping the gun here, but I think after three games I'm comfortable expressing a bit of concern. I say "a bit" because I do not support Arsenal. I digress.

It may also appear that this is a dig at the manager, but it isn't. I was not one of the many vitriol-spewing Villa supporters who likened the appointment of Alex McLeish to being anally violated while having sugar poured into the fuel tank of my new car. That said, I'm not from Birmingham.

So there you go. The chancer Yank Villan, the outsider doesn't get it. I don't get it.

There are many things I like about the guy. He's a tough bastard or as some might call it, Scottish. He's also one for getting a determined perfomance from his players and fostering unity in the dressing room. Villa have needed that and only got the former from O'Neill.

One area I am not so sure of is the McLeish style of play. Oh, sure. I'm pleased with the fact that the gaffer has tightened up the defence and it looks like the sieve that was Dunne and Collins has been repaired. That's big but defence does not win games even if that's what NFL pundits will tell you. Nobody wins at 0-0.

After watching Villa practically sleepwalk through 70 minutes of their derby clash with Wolves at VP, I find myself very concerned with the midfield. But I shouldn't be.

Up front we have Darren Bent who is clearly.. well, Darren Bent. The guy could score at the Pink Cadillac ffs. So much so that Eck has decided to leave him as the lone striker.

That stated, a natural goal poacher needs to be fed. The midfield in McLeish's 4-3-2-1 formation consists of N'Zogbia, Petrov, and Delph with Agbonlahor and Heskey ahead of them.

So what's my problem then? The curious absence of Marc Albrighton.

You see, with the myriad players Villa had out the door in the close season McLeish only needed to sort out just a couple of items. Get a keeper to replace Friedel (um, check, Very big check) and midfield replacements for Ashley Young and the Hypocritical cu.. erm, Stewart Downing.

Charles N'Zogbia was brought in from Wigan and the other vacancy can be well filled by rotating in Villa's many academy products. McLeish has chosen to give Fabian Delph a run. I'm a big fan of that.

I was initially bemused at this attacking midfield pairing but after seeing Gabby's performances along with knowing that the lad possesses plenty of speed I think this will be a good fit for him. He can't finish for shit but as a midfielder he need only throw it into the box and have a poacher like Bent scoop it into the net.

I should mention the goal Gabby bent in from the left flank... gorgeous.

It is the inclusion of Emile Heskey that I find most troubling. Why wouldn't you want Marc Albrighton on the other side? Young, determined, fast.. doesn't frequently end plays on his arse... all things that Heskey is not and a perfect one-two with Agbonlahor on the other side considering the Delph-N'Zogbia combo right behind them.

I find that I'm beginning to think that perhaps Emile Heskey is one of the nicest guys in the game. While on business in Rotherham I met a radiographer who used to work for Leicester City FC. He can't speak any more highly of Heskey. Perhaps that's the reason. And that he's a veteran.

Why else would three managers in a row insist on including him in the side on a regular basis? Sure, Emile chucks in the odd goal scored with the grace of a newborn giraffe but the guys's on his arse more than firing anything on goal worthy of troubling even the likes of Manuel Almunia.

It's not that Eck doesn't rate Albrighton either. He's subbed him each week. Twice for for N'Zogbia very late and once for Gabby when he got banged up against Blackburn. A game, I should point out, where Heskey scored with the aforementioned grace.

The Albrighton for Gabby substitution happened in a match they won 3-1. The match was also against Venky's FC so that's not saying much but what does say a lot is subbing for N'Zogbia who was up until the substitution leading the charge when Villa were putting the pressure on in the other two matches.

Two dour matches that ended in goalless draws. And not against top six chalengers.

Marc my words.. (shut up, you thought that was cool) the sooner McLeish drops Heskey for Albrighton, the better. Hey, they guy wasn't the face of Villa on their Hong Kong tour because he's a useless sack of shite. Did he not prove himself last year? What am I not seeing here? Am I mad? Can I end another god damned sentence with a question marc?

Let Emile Heskey play his days out as the geezer who gets subbed in late as third striker when you're going for the jugular.

The problem I have with the Wolves match is not drawing at home to a team that finished 17th and avoided relegation on the last day of the season. My problem is how Villa played to result in drawing at home to a team that finished 17th.

And the Villa should have 9 from 9. Pure and simple.