Corrupt Premier League, Lille, West Ham, a reason and match facts from the BBC
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.
But McGinn is back and Tielemans is back in training. If we can just get past West Ham tomorrow with three points and it will be tough, we could find ourselves in a very good position with seven games to go.
And I know we all know this, but the season is about 38 matches. And it's also that every other side have to play 38 too. It's when you add up all the results from all that count. We had a bad start and we've had a recent run of late that is reminiscent of the start, but we got out of it and I have a feeling we are going to get out of this one quite soon too. It's what it looks like at the end of the season that counts.
And I'm feeling optimistic.
That doesn't mean the Premier League don't go and make it the way the Premier League want it to be and that's why I picked the header image on the homepage. What the Premier League have done to the likes of Everton and Nottingham Forest and not Chelsea just stinks. Chelsea cheated and they have gotten away with it and it's the cheating that allows them to operate where they do.
Manchester City cheated and they're setup to get away with it too. Although a part of me thinks the reason it's taking so long is because they're searching for reasons for why they can't be relegated.
But nothing will change as supporters will keep spending their money and that is all the Premier League care about. That and the money they get from overseas TV deals. The Premier League are laughing at supporters because they have a grip and there is little anyone can do.
Third quarter final in three years
And I can't write a post today without mentioning Lille. It was a great result and overall, a very good performance. And, third season in a row we get to the quarter finals. This time against Bologna and not the first time we've played them recently. Our record is good but that doesn't mean it stays that way.
This will be a tough couple of matches and they're going to start to come thick and fast now, especially the longer we stay in this tournament. It's why the break coming up after tomorrow is coming at a good time.
And on that, three points against West Ham would be a perfect gift ahead of that break. I'll be back then.
Match facts from the BBC
Aston Villa are looking to complete the league double over West Ham for the first time since 2010-11, the last time the Hammers were relegated from the top-flight.
West Ham are winless in their last six Premier League games against Aston Villa, alternating between a draw (3) and defeat (3) each time.
Though they’re unbeaten in six Premier League games overall against West Ham, Aston Villa have won just one of their last seven against them at Villa Park (D3 L3).
Aston Villa have lost three consecutive Premier League games, as many as their previous 17 beforehand (W11 D3). The Villans last suffered four consecutive league defeats in April 2022 (a run which included a 1-2 defeat to West Ham), while Unai Emery has never done so in his entire managerial league career.
West Ham have earned 15 points from their last nine Premier League games (W4 D3 L2), one more than they had in their first 21 this season (W3 D5 L13).
No side has scored fewer Premier League goals so far in 2026 than Aston Villa (10). The Villans were the joint-5th highest scorers between August and December this term with 30.
Despite using a league-high 32 different players in the Premier League this season, no team has had fewer different goalscorers than West Ham this term (10).
All eight of Morgan Rogers’ Premier League goals this season have either put Aston Villa ahead (5) or drawn them level (3) in the match, the highest 100% such record in the competition this term.
Jarrod Bowen has been involved in seven goals in his last eight Premier League games (2 goals, 5 assists), providing an assist in each of his last three. The only West Ham player to assist a goal in four consecutive appearances is Vladimír Coufal in October 2023.
West Ham’s Callum Wilson has scored four goals from 16 shots away from home in the Premier League this season (25% conversion), averaging a goal every 125 minutes on the road. At home, he’s scored one goal from 16 shots (6.3% conversion), averaging a goal every 501 minutes.
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