The Aston Villa Blog Feed

Summer nearly over and silly season about to start for Aston Villa and England

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

So, it’s almost here but before we get to Aston Villa, I can’t not write a post and mention England. After the first match the media were all over the national side, but after the match the night before this one or maybe the night before the night before depending on when this gets posted, you’d think they lost.

Yes, Harry Kane dived and got caught but he saved the side and won the match. And every match at this stage of the tournament is going to be tough. Maybe not for everyone, but you don’t get to the final without tough matches and it’s all about winning. And the dive, well that’s just what players do these days (and Harry has a history) but you’d think these players would have unlearnt by now that this would have got checked had the referee not seen it.

Season done, hopes for next season and the World Cup

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:57:12 +0000

So, here is the end of season post and I’m sorry it’s late. I’ve tried to write this three times in real life but in my head I’ve tried to write it every day. It’s not easy because it was such a great end to the season and I know this is going to fail in hitting the levels it should.

But we need a new post. The World Cup has now started and we have a post with over 4,000 comments.

Manchester City tomorrow, this week, Spurs or West Ham and match facts from the BBC

Sat, 23 May 2026 13:05:41 +0000

There requires a post about what's happened this week and it's coming, but we also have a match tomorrow. And what happened this week is only really starting to all come together for me and while I got home at a good time on Thursday, I slept until Thursday night and I've been playing catch up ever since.

But we need a new post and with Arsenal having already won the title and us already winning the Europa League, I'm not sure what incentive either side has tomorrow other than the additional money for finishing fourth or for Pep to leave on a high.

Here we go, Freiburg in the Europa League final

Mon, 18 May 2026 14:20:01 +0000

Due to a little trip, I've just got back to my home airport and I've come straight back into the lounge, ready to board the same plane I just landed on, so I can get a flight to Stockholm, then Copenhagen and then Istanbul. And this is what it's all about.

Remember when at the start of the season, years and years ago, you used to believe we had a chance of silverware, well it is starting to feel like that might be the case again.

Liverpool at Villa Park and match facts from the BBC

Thu, 14 May 2026 08:56:50 +0000

We are not at the end of the season and I'm not even thinking about using the term business end, but we are in need of something tomorrow night to let us go into next week, with a little less nervousness. And I write that for supporters.

And Villa Park under the lights, with next Wednesday coming up, will be some atmosphere and hopefully enough to get us the three points we should have picked up against Burnley.

Oh what a night, more of the same on Sunday please and match facts from the BBC

Fri, 08 May 2026 19:46:26 +0000

I'm really not sure what to write about yesterday. It feels like trying to sum up the performance and result isn't going to be possible with a few words written by me, but I have to write something so I'll try, but I most definitely wont be getting carried away even though I think I have today.

You see and as I wrote in the last post it's Sunday that counts. Don't get me wrong, yesterday was fantastic and special and a moment that in terms of recent times will only be topped by winning the tournament, but win on Sunday and we are all but assured Champions League football next season. In fact, we could confirm it if results go our way.

Forest tomorrow, Burnley on Sunday, match facts from the BBC and acting like grown up adults

Wed, 06 May 2026 15:39:40 +0000

So, it's the day before a big match and as is custom in my household I've finished work early, I've opened a bottle of wine and over the next hour or so I'm going to enjoy a glass or two and turn my mind to the match post.

But seeing as I've already had a glass, I want to write a little something about the Spurs match. In particular I want to focus on the meltdown many people seem to have had. And before that I just want to remind everyone that we are currently fifth in the table, six points ahead of the team below us and in the semi-finals of a major European competition.

Forest, Spurs, Forest and match facts from the BBC

Fri, 01 May 2026 10:15:29 +0000

I don't often write a post the day after a match but we have Spurs on Sunday and there are a couple of things to write about after last night and it's nice to get it out of the way while it's fresh.

I want to start with VAR and I've been a fan of VAR and the referees in Europe this season and for a long time because VAR doesn't get involved unless absolutely necessary and the referees like to let the game flow. I like this. But I don't think VAR should be in the game and I think there is a reason for it that nobody wants to discuss.

Very big night in Nottingham tonight

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:44:17 +0000

We've been treated to the best and worst of football this week. Okay, maybe not the best best or worst worst but the PSG match was great and Arsenal last night, was well, Arsenal.

But at this stage of the tournament both away sides from the Champions League will probably not be that disappointed because they both know they have an advantage in the second match.

And I'm not suggesting that we have to wait until next week but there is a degree of context. That said and I'll probably get to this soon, I think tonight is so important.

Fulham tomorrow, something else next week, Spurs and match facts from the BBC

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:00:44 +0000

Here we are, five games to go and playing for third in the Premier League, still with a chance in Europe. It doesn't really get much better. It can and that's obvious, but think about where we were such a short time ago.

And like I write every week, it wont be easy tomorrow. All games in the Premier League are games that can be won or lost on any given day. We have had a good run against Fulham however, but that doesn't mean it's three points tomorrow.

Fulham and Spurs coming up in the League, Sunderland just gone and Forest in Europe

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:48:02 +0000

There are an interesting number of games coming up over the next few weeks. First up is Fulham in London on Saturday, followed by the first leg of the semi final against Forest. We then have Spurs at Villa Park.

It's a hard ask, but imagine we win all three? I fancy, although I've not really looked, if we did, we'd have secured top five and will give us a great opportunity for a European final. And things feel good again don't they.

Sunderland on Sunday, Forest next in Europe and match facts from the BBC

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:57:05 +0000

Last night was very good and I'm struggling to find anything something that made me think that was strange or why did we do that. Disappointed with the missed penalty but penalties get saved and it happens to everyone.

The approach to the game, the energy, the professionalism, it was almost the perfect ninety minutes. But I'm an Aston Villa fan, so I'm not getting too excited or optimistic. I think by writing it was almost the perfect ninety minutes is getting too excited though, but I have a habit of contradicting myself.

Bologna at Villa Park, an eye on Sunderland and match facts from the BBC

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:31:49 +0000

There are no easy matches in the Premier League and if you get this far in Europe, there are also no easy matches. We might be going in to the match with a nice lead, it doesn't mean it's over.

But there may be an eye on the weekend as we are challenging on two fronts. And while there are no easy matches when you get this far, the two goals does allow us, maybe, to rest a player or two from the start and have them as options.

At Nottingham Forest, another step and match facts from the BBC

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 09:06:05 +0000

We had a good result in Italy and beating West Ham last time out in the League made a lot of us feel a little better about things but today will likely not be a walk in the park. Nottingham Forest are fighting relegation and playing sides in this position is never straightforward.

That they are at home and Vitor Pereira looks like he's getting a tune out of them now is reason to be cautious. And that's quite good for us, because under Unai Emery we're not a side that takes too many risks.

Football is back and it's quarter final time against Bologna

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:43:37 +0000

It's so nice that proper football is back and I think after the farce of the last two England matches I can confidently write proper football. I mean, some sides didn't even take it seriously so why should we have to. And that was not a question.

But football is back and it's Club football and it's Europe on Thursday in Italy at Bologna. They are currently eighth in the table and not on the best run. That said they've won three of the last five and they are at home and they will know what to expect.

Corrupt Premier League, Lille, West Ham, a reason and match facts from the BBC

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:09:32 +0000

I was reading some comments the other day, one in particular stood out and I can't find it, but it was along the lines of others commenting that they just want us to play with some heart or a decent level of football, but the commenter had never seen comments to back that up when the football has been decent or the heart was in the game.

And it got me thinking (not deeply) that we are in fourth place for a reason. And while we haven't had the run of results we might have liked of late, I think most people would put that down to losing our midfield three. We've also got quite fortunate that sides around us haven't done as well as maybe they would have liked and for that, we should be grateful.

Lille at Villa Park and match facts from the BBC

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:23:39 +0000

While it is a great time to be an Aston Villa fan, with one win in the last six in the Premier League, many could be forgiven for feeling a little nervous.

But tonight isn't the Premier League and we have done quite well in Europe. And it's important to mention, while our Premier League run hasn't been great of late, the teams chasing us are also dropping points, albeit doing a little better.

A trip to Old Trafford, Lille next Thursday and match facts from the BBC

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 09:44:57 +0000

What is really more important, the League or Europe? For me, it's Europe because it's our only chance of silverware. That written, what are the chances of winning it, when you think about our form of late.

But we've just won our first match since Brighton over a month ago and I'm thinking today could be the day when we start another little run. And if our form suggests winning silverware is going to be tough this season, isn't winning what we can to get top four the target.

Four in ten, what was is and a trip to Lille

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:18:51 +0000

It would be very easy to moan about our recent run of form. It was also easy for me to write that when we lost to Wolves, unless we saw an immediate change in how we approach games, we probably wouldn't get top five.

But these things are not just easy to write they are not the right approach. I reacted. I should have known better.

When Aston Villa appointed Alex McLeish, it was easy to write it was a dark day for Aston Villa. When we got relegated, it was easy to write that we should have appointed Steve Bruce that very day. And it’s also very easy to write that as Aston Villa fans we haven’t had it this good in the Premier League era. And that our decline began when we lost our three best players.

Losing to Wolves, Chelsea tonight and match facts from the BBC

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:52:03 +0000

Losing to Wolves was tough and I wrote before the match that there can't be any excuses and I had to stop myself from publishing a post after the match and the day after. It was tough and I've got to tell you, even though Liverpool lost to them last night, it shouldn't have happened.

And I'm fairly sure that I left a comment about that match as the match that told me we were not going to get top five. In the exact same paragraph I can write that winning tonight would have me believing we could again, but we have looked flat for a while now and I'm not feeling that inspired.

At Wolves, finding a third word and match facts from the BBC

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:22:03 +0000

Football is a funny old game. Just a few weeks ago many thought Manchester United would struggle for European football this season, now they're top four and three points behind us. I understand why the manager spoke about looking at who is chasing us the other week.

You see for us, the most vital thing to achieve this season is Champions League and the chances of us winning the Premier League are so slim it's almost comical to write about it. It's not impossible, Leicester did it but we need all our players to be fit and to not be distracted by other things.

Leeds at Villa Park, match facts and the season is getting interesting

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:47:40 +0000

It feels like it was such a long time since we played, but it was the FA Cup that makes me feel that way. And it wasn't a nice result against Newcastle and quite a surprising performance, but I've written about that, so we move in.

It's Leeds at Villa Park tomorrow and it's a big match.

It's big because we are three points behind Manchester City and if Arsenal bottle it again this season and we can stay close to Manchester City, we might just get quite close to Arsenal too.

Aston Villa lose to Newcastle in an advert for the game without VAR and now a week off

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:21:37 +0000

I'm not a fan of the video assistant referee and never have been. It goes against the spirit of the game and accepting it means the game would and has changed.

And football was never supposed to be about technology in a room somewhere else, it's about the 22 players on the pitch and the 3 referees.

It's about the cheeky pull of the shirt, it's about moving before everyone else does and a millisecond before the ball is kicked. It's about having referees making the decisions. It's not about the opinion of two guys in a room who get to see something in slow motion fifteen times and still get it wrong.

Newcastle in the FA Cup at Villa Park and match facts from the BBC

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:23:13 +0000

It's FA Cup Saturday and we're playing Newcastle and that sort of makes it feel like a regular Saturday and not as interesting. But it is the FA Cup and it's a route to silverware, so there has to be some optimism and a part of me is excited because of that.

However, another part of me puts the FA Cup in bottom place of what is important right now and if we were to go out today, it would probably increase our chances in the other two, and that part of me sort of thinks that would be a good thing.

Brighton tomorrow, matches tonight and facts from the BBC

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:45:20 +0000

Things seem to have stalled of late and it's easy to see why. That said, it's not going to stay like this and it's why we all love the manager. He has this ability to start a stalled car. He did it when he joined, he's done it every season since and he even did it at the start of this season.

And I expect we will soon be back to where we have been, or close. I think it's hard to get exactly back to where we were when you consider the parts of the engine we are missing. But with a little hope, we'll be firing on all cylinders and we'll start to feel a little better.