Why this weekend's game at Wigan could be the match that defines Villa's season

By James Nursey

Published 10:49 23/02/12

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Alex McLeish's Villa team easily brushed aside Wigan earlier this season in a 2-0 home win.

But it has since proved only one of just THREE Premier League victories at Villa Park this season in an under-whelming campaign.

And after personally witnessing Wigan win 2-1 at Bolton in their previous game, the Latics' side facing Villa this weekend promises to be an entirely different prospect.

Bottom club Wigan really did play very well at the Reebok Stadium, where Victor Moses was extremely dangerous playing off striker Franco Di Santo.

I expect Moses will perform a similar role this weekend as new signing Jean Beausejour is now operating on the left enabling the ex-Crystal Palace trainee to push upfront.

Moses' pace and skills are sure to stretch Villa's rearguard which has looked cumbersome at times this season.

And Roberto Martinez's men also appear to have discovered some backbone and grit after still triumphing at Bolton despite the hosts equalising against the run of play.

So I think 15th-placed Villa, for whom Robbie Keane plays his final game on loan, will do well to continue their impressive recent run at Wigan.

Wigan away has been something of a good fixture for Villa with wins in the past three seasons.

But there has to be a good chance of that run ending this weekend as McLeish's side struggle for consistent displays.

A home win would move Wigan - who previously looked marooned at the bottom - to within six points of Villa.

And Villa's next match is a tricky away game at struggling Blackburn.

AVFC's season therefore appears to have reached a crossroads where Villa will either climb to safety and respectability or plunge towards relegation.

And given the simmering ill-feeling among many supporters towards former Birmingham boss McLeish, the latter would clearly cause a crisis and a lot of unrest.

Already we have seen a small Anti-McLeish protest before the Man City reverse which would could really gather momentum with further defeats.

I repeat, I like McLeish as a person and he clearly has some decent managerial skills and a good overall record, so I wish him nothing but the best.

But the time has now come when McLeish really needs his Villa players to start delivering for him regularly after four games without a win.

Most of his squad (including Alan Hutton and Emile Heskey) have shown sporadic flashes of form this season but the team have rarely clicked collectively.

Wigan's visit to Villa Park in October was one such rare day when Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent ran amok.

McLeish must hope the pair are in a similar vein of form this weekend, because a defeat, coupled with Keane returning to LA Galaxy, would be a real downer.

And it may even start an irreversible spiral towards relegation.

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