Derby vs Villa Preview: What do you want me to tell you?

What do you want from a preview of an Aston Villa match?

Do you want me to tell you that Villa are sort of crashing into an injury crisis? With Henri Lansbury and Chris Samba joining the list of crocks on the sideline? Or do you want the optimistic flipside of that, where we have Mile Jedinak back from injury, Gabby Agbonlahor back from injury and of course, Scott Hogan back from injury?

In terms of the match, what do you want me to tell you? Do you want me to tell you the realistic news? That this is a match that Villa really could do with, you know, not losing? This is one of Villa’s most difficult fixtures and dropping points here only gives them to not just a promotion rival, but one that seems likely of scraping automatic promotion just as well as Villa. Do you want me to tell you the positive? That if Villa lose they can simply pick up points elsewhere as though they are the loose coins locked in the back of your seat?

What about Derby? Are they a team that we should be beating, or are they a team capable of giving Villa a good hiding? The truth there is something clear - we don’t know right now and we can’t tell, because Derby County are perhaps the closest side to Aston Villa in the league, and are bringing home the same results. In essence, they could be Villa and we could be Derby - it’s extremely close and too close to call. Derby leapfrogged us, so maybe they have the edge.

I’m really nervous, can you tell? Because if Villa lose, I’ll be genuinely upset - because I’d been led to believe that this is a side capable of beating any team. I’d bought into jubilant celebrations and goals that brought the joy like rain after a drought. If Villa lose today, I’ll be able to see the true vulnerability of this side, and that’s a mortal truth I don’t fancy bearing - simply because this team was turning into heroes in my eyes, and dare I say it? One of the better Villa teams in recent memory. A loss today shows they are capable of doing everything Villa have done well over the past decade; disappoint.

But a win? Well - once again, the world is ours. Maybe. What do you want me to tell you?