To Boo Or Not To Boo?

A familiar story unfolded on Wednesday evening as Villa once again squandered a slender lead to end up with another solitary point instead of the maximum haul. The pattern has become well trodden already this season. We completely dominate at least one half of a game and should be three or four goals up, only to then allow the opposition back into the game and ultimately snatch a late goal. It is absolutely unacceptable to keep making the same mistakes, as the Villa Park faithful demonstrated vociferously.

The real frustration comes from the fact that those goals which are being snatched are coming so late in the game. So far this season we have gifted four goals in the 85^th minute or later. Had we managed to see these particular games out without conceding, we would have seven extra points (wins against Huddersfield, Forest and Brentford and a draw against Sheffield Wednesday), which would see us on fourteen points and in fourth place. That would also have created an impressive 100% home record.

Last night, the boos at full time returned at Villa Park for the first time since last season. It was a raucous effort and I imagine it was probably a shock to some of the players and staff. After all, we are just seven games into the season. However, was it a complete surprise? And was it justified?

I’m not a fan of booing the team. In the long run I don’t think it achieves anything and only creates an atmosphere of fear and adds extra pressure for the next game, knowing that anything less than a win will probably be greeted by even more boos.

On this occasion, whether it was right or wrong, the boos were completely understandable and born totally out of frustration. Put into context, the fans have seen four games at home so far and in three of them have seen a win snatched from their grasp. On top of this, there is a frustration that the goals that are being conceded are sloppy and completely preventable. Once is understandable and you accept it. Twice is poor. Three times is unacceptable. Especially in such a short space of time, which is also a contributing factor to the reaction at full time. Seeing a team throw away four points in as many days in those circumstances is hardly going to evoke a standing ovation or even just a shrug of the shoulders.

I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing for the fans to show their frustration in this particular situation. It is certainly understandable. Much has been made of this team now having leaders throughout it, so I would hope that those individuals take the reaction on their shoulders rather than crumble under the pressure. They should react in a determined manner rather than the wallflowers of last season or just allowed the situation to fester.

The obvious downside is that a pressure cooker environment is inevitable should we find ourselves leading by just the one goal in the next game at Villa Park and entering into the latter stages of the match. Everyone was fully aware of our tendency to throw a game away late on, and as the Brentford game drew on, the inevitability that they would score was tangible. This was helped in part by our deep defending which invited the Bee’s to come onto us in search of that goal. 

Whilst it may be argued that the fans are creating an unhealthy environment by booing, it is the players, and staff, who must take the responsibility of providing something for them to get behind. One win in seven is not good enough. Whilst we have no right to expect to win every game, the fact is that we have shown that we are clearly capable of winning these matches comfortably. We either need to take our chances to avoid this situation, or learn to see a game out.

The key now is that supporters, having displayed their displeasure last night, must get behind the team again once more. The boos cannot continue and become a regular feature if we draw or lose the next couple of games. We have no right to expect to win games, but we do have a right to expect us to not keep making the same mistakes over and over. The message has been sent – we aren’t happy with the manner of conceding late goals. Now we move on.

Adama Traore - Wrong Player, Wrong Time

With the news breaking that Adama Traore has submitted a transfer request, Villa fans have taken to social media to air their views on the situation.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the reaction has been largely indifferent to the Barcelona graduate wanting out. However, there are clear reasons why a large section of the support are nonplussed about losing Adama.

Most obviously is the fact that we have barely seen him feature. Due to a seemingly constant stream of injuries, coupled with simply being out of favour, Adama’s Villa career so far amounts to exactly 200 minutes. However, even so, there has been massive excitement about the Spanish U19 international. His first appearance at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace last season ignited real optimism about him. Coming off the bench, he terrorised the Palace defence and whipped in a cross which was diverted in for a an own goal. He was direct, he was strong, and he was perhaps the quickest player we had ever seen in a Villa shirt, even making Gabby in his prime look like a slouch. Adama would go on to pick up an ankle injury in the next game, a league cup tie with Notts County which would contribute to his fleeting role from the subs bench for the next few months. His momentary start had only whetted our appetite however, and in a dismal year where the supporters were subjected to defeat after defeat, we were desperate to see more of Adama and unable to fathom out why both Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde were reluctant to play him. He was a player who could make things happen. That raw excitement was, at one point, seemingly the only possibility of something exhilarating happening to make all of the miserableness that was being served up on a weekly basis more bearable.

Another cameo performance away at Sunderland at the start of the year would only fuel this further, where a direct and powerful burst forward saw three men unable to stop him before putting in an admittedly slightly wayward cross that Carles Gil did extraordinarily well to convert on the volley. In a match which perhaps best sums up Adama’s Villa career, he then promptly managed to break his ankle which would keep him out until April.

Despite his obvious talent though, there was also a growing frustration with Adama. Keen on playing football like a ten year old in the park who believes he’s better than all his mates, there was no positional sense to his game, there was no tracking back, and most of all, there was a reluctance to pass to any teammate. I’m only half joking when I say that I don’t overly blame him for this when his teammates last season were the worst group of players imaginable. Yet there has never, and will never be a player who can do it all on their own, let alone Adama. Teamwork is by far his biggest weakest in his game and there appears to be very little evidence of any sort of improvement being made. 

Then there is his contract. Last season, rumours were abound that clauses had been triggered which meant that Adama’s basic wage rose from around an already substantial £40k a week to reportedly anywhere between £60k-£75k. I can’t imagine which clauses had been triggered through playing so little, but it wouldn’t surprise me for Villa to have lost any sort of coolness in negotiations and caved into any demand his agent made. The last regime including Tom Fox were out of their depth and made extremely poor decisions, including this one. It’s an absolutely ridiculous contract and it’s not the players fault for the club being mug enough to grant it. However, it is a huge drain on resources at a time where it could be much better spent.

It’s a shame that the move hasn’t worked out. There is obviously talent there and ability of some description. But the player is so raw to such an extent that in reality we just aren’t in a position to develop him. The Championship certainly isn’t the league to do it in, where hard work and effort counts for so much more than talent. We have seen so little of the player that there is most definitely going to be a ‘what if’ factor when he leaves, especially if he goes to fulfil his potential.

I don’t blame Adama for wanting out. He isn’t getting game time and trying to see things from his perspective, this is a player who has been used to better things at Barcelona and even had Kieran Richardson was being picked on the wing ahead on him last season; from his view he must be wondering how it’s all gone so wrong. 

From our point of view, his style of play is a liability and will only leave other teammates over exposed when he dashes off in whichever direction he pleases. He just hasn't done enough to warrant a place in the side.

He isn’t getting game time and the fact that he wants to move on and start afresh elsewhere actually shows an ambition rather than simply being happy to pick up a hefty wage packet each week. I’ve seen many comments along the lines of that if he isn’t up for the fight then good riddance to him, which I think is a bit harsh – at least he isn’t prepared to simply steal a living from us as others have done and simply sit on his huge contract.

I like Adama, and I wish we could accommodate him. But the reservations about just how underdeveloped as a footballer he is are clear. It’s a shame it hasn’t worked out, and it's a shame he didn't even start a single league game for the club. But a parting of ways does seem to be a good option for all concerned at this moment in time.