24th Jan 2013 | Football
Millwall v Aston Villa
The fashionable viewpoint is to assume Villa will lurch from one crisis to the next. But their Championship opponents have problems of their own.
On the face of it, Aston Villa look like lambs to the slaughter as they head to the New Den on Friday night. With League Cup humiliation fresh on their minds, the visitors are a best price 2/1 (Betfred) to beat Millwall with the hosts nothing longer than 7/5 (Skybet). But I think the most likely outcome is the ‘outsider option’, a draw at 13/5 with Bet365.
It’s easy to forget that Villa did actually win a football match on Tuesday - never has a 2-1 victory felt so dreadful though. But in the first half Paul Lambert’s youngsters showed some genuine Premier League class and where there is Christian Benteke there remains hope.
I suspect the oddsmakers have become so consumed by Villa’s travails that they haven’t noticed that Millwall have a few issues of their own. Of foremost concern, the Lions are having something of a striker crisis.
On-loan recruit Nathan Dyson injured his ankle on debut in the 2-0 home defeat to Burnley last week and will miss out here. Last season’s top scorer Darius Henderson is in talks to join Forest while this season’s main goal contributor, Chris Wood (11), has departed for Leicester after a prolific loan spell in London.
Kenny Jackett doesn’t really have anyone to fill the void at the moment and therefore the short odds on the home win look generous. Villa would probably take a replay, if only to avoid further negative headlines, and they might just get it.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 18:26 24th Jan, 2013 but subject to change
