From Derby to 'the' derby

By Bill Howell on April 14, 2008 10:48 AM | Permalink

Memories of Derby: quite the worst cardboard half-time sandwiches and all the chips had gone pre-match. And could I find a pub on the way back with Sky Sports on to watch the footie afterwards? Could I heck.

The first pub we couldn't find the car-park as it was hidden away and blocked by raised kerbs, the second pub had no TV's, the third was showing Portsmouth-Newcastle and so on to the fourth, with no TV's again but a decent pint of Becks.

Rob and Geoff from Villa's media department have slightly different tastes as they sank some German white beer and an Otter Ale.

As for the footie? The biggest away win in the top division since 1914- a perfect way to prepare for the visit of you know who this Sunday? Undoubtedly.

Villa should win, of course they should. But I remember those initial games back in September 2002 and March 2003 when Villa went in with just as much confidence and optimism as they will now.

Derbies are dangerous beasts.

Back then I expected Olof Mellberg, Alpay and Ronny Johnsen to be too good for Stern John, Clinton Morrison and Geoff Horsfield. I also expected Juan Pablo Angel, Darius Vassell and Dion Dublin to be too hot for Kenny Cunningham and Darren Purse.

This time around Blues will be extremely wary of Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor's pace, John Carew will look to dominate aerially, Gareth Barry and Nigel Reo-Coker will look to boss the middle of the park and set-pieces are likely to come to the fore once again, although interestingly, only one in six came from a set-piece at Derby.

A fortnight ago Villa supporters were anxious and wary of this game. Not now. Now they can't wait.

When Manchester United tore Villa apart with quite the best display of football I have seen in the Premier League, all the talk surrounding Villa centred on Martin O'Neill's decision not to spend in January.

Well, ten goals and two clean sheets later and suddenly there is no questioning the manager's judgement in safeguarding Randy Lerner's millions.

And yet Villa are still not firing anywhere near their capabilities.

Derby were quite the worst team you would ever wish to see, at whichever level.

Paul Jewell at least at the decency to admit that his side would struggle in the Championship.

I'm not sure whether, having seen the highlights on Match of the Day, whether 24 second tier managers would quite want to be associated with them.

But that argument is unkind to Villa who, after a 'stodgy' (O'Neill terminology) start they were dominant, and in the case of Stiliyan Petrov's goal, breathtaking.

The defence was never tested. Reo-Coker was powerfullly brilliant, Barry the master craftsman, and Villa's other attacking players: Carew, Agbonlahor and Young eventually more than rose above a meek Derby challenge and cast aside markers at will.

It promises to be an interesting week.