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Aston Villa fans have had little to cheer about since Martin O’Neill left the club, with his three consecutive sixth-placed finishes a distant memory.
Paul Lambert is attempting to rebuild the club, but a poor showing this season could see him heading for the door.
What happened last season
Aston Villa’s preparations going into the 2013-14 season were largely disrupted by the constant speculation surrounding star striker Christian Benteke, who was coming off a fantastic debut year.
Lambert was adamant on keeping the Belgium forward, with his presence crucial for plans to build a new-look side focused on youth. In the end Benteke remained at Villa Park, but an injury in March meant he wasn’t involved at the business end of the season.
Villa lost four of five matches, leading them into a relegation battle, but they managed to secure survival with two matches to spare. Despite his injury Benteke was still top scorer with 10 goals, with Villa only managing a meagre 39 strikes in total.
What happened in the off-season
Lambert has brought in Joe Cole from West Ham, a former title-winning playmaker with Chelsea, as well as Philippe Senderos and Kieran Richardson to shore up the back line.
Cole’s signing could provide the link between midfield and attack that has so often been lacking in Lambert’s side. They too often resort to long balls, but a genuine playmaker could change all that.
Former Sunderland manager and Manchester United great Roy Keane has also been named as Lambert’s assistant in the dug-out, and his experience should prove invaluable.
But it’s the potential departures that threaten to derail Aston Villa’s season before it’s started, and sees them touted as relegation candidates. Randy Lerner has finally put the club up for sale, after years of speculation. Captain Ron Vlaar could also be gone before the season starts, with the Netherlands international due for talks with Lambert about his future.
On top of that a rift has reportedly developed between Lambert and club ambassador Ian Taylor, after the Villa legend criticised the club in a column with the Birmingham Mail.
All this doom and gloom doesn’t bode well for fans.
Why Aston Villa fans should be excited about the 2014/15 season
That’s a tough one. The return of Benteke will be a huge boost, and Villa fans should be happy that he’s still at the club, even if that’s largely down to his injury.
If Vlaar sticks around, and Benteke finds his scoring boots, then fans should be at least confident of continuing their record of having never been relegated from the EPL.
Joe Cole will also be critical to Villa’s aspirations, and is likely to play the number 10 role behind two strikers in a 3-5-2 formation. His ability to add a creative spark could help determine Villa’s season.
But fans’ hopes will ultimately rest on Lambert’s ability to get his players on the same wavelength though, which he has so far failed to achieve. Villans will hope this is the year that everything finally clicks.
Further signings are expected, despite Lambert already dealing with a large squad. Chelsea’s Victor Moses has been sounded out for a loan move, and Ki Sung-Yeung from Swansea is a known target.
Australian fans have a reason to follow Villa, too, with Chris Herd a contender to partner Fabian Delph in the midfield.
The main man that can carry Aston Villa’s 2014/15 hopes
Christian Benteke. If Benteke can return to fitness and form, then Villa should stave off relegation and possibly even mount a challenge for a spot in the top ten.
The Belgium striker missed the 2014 FIFA World Cup, so should have had plenty of time to knuckle down and get fit for the new season. If his overall aim is still to move to a bigger club, then another season full of goals is necessary for him to achieve that.
Verdict – A successful relegation battle
Aston Villa are run by an owner who wants to sell, are managed by a coach who has yet to impress and have been dependent on bargain deals for squad reinforcement. It’s not a great time to be a Villa fan.
Not long ago the club was challenging for Europe under Martin O’Neill, but it’s clear the Villa board see Lambert as the man to take them back to right end of the table. They’ve been patient with him so far, and Lerner’s desire to sell will likely see him stay.
However, if new owners do arrive, and results aren’t on course, then expect Lambert to be shown the door.
Manager: Paul Lambert
Home Ground: Villa Park – 42,682
Nickname: The Villans
Captain: Ron Vlaar
Players in: Joe Cole, Philippe Senderos, Kieran Richardson
Players out: Mark Albrighton, Nathan Delfouneso
First five matches: Stoke City (A), Newcastle United (H), Hull City (H), Liverpool (A), Arsenal (H)
Aston Villa’s full squad for 2014/15 season
Goalkeeper: (1) Bradley Guzan, (13) Jed Steer, (31) Shay Given.Defenders: (2) Nathan Baker, (3) Joe Bennett, (4) Ron Vlarr, (5) Jores Okore, (6) Ciaran Clark, (14) Philippe Senderos, (18) Kieran Richardson, Alan Hutton (21), (32) Janoi Donacien, (34) Matthew Lowton, (35) Enda Stevens.
Midfielders: (7) Leandro Bacuna, (8) Kariam El Ahmadi, (12) Joe Cole, (15) Ashley Westwood, (16) Fabian Delph, (18) Yacouba Sylla, (22) Gary Gardner, (24) Alekandar Tonev, (25) Samir Carruthers, (28) Charles Z’Zogbia.
Strikers: (10) Andreas Weimann, (11) Garbriel Agbonlahor, (19) Darren Bent, (20) Christian Benteke, (27) Libor Kozak, (38) Graham Burke.
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