Can Aston Villa avoid relegation is most certainly the question on the lips of all Villa fans at the moment and rightly so.
To say Villa have been abysmal this season would be a massive understatement keeping in mind that they’re way off at the bottom of the table with just 8 points after 20 games.
At the time being, the Villains don’t seem to be able to find a win for love nor money and they are currently a far cry from Premier League safety.
The 40 point mark has often defined the line between relegation and survival, but Remi Garde and his men are way off this mark and look primed for life in the Championship next season.
The appointment of Remi Garde following Tim Sherwood’s sacking created an aura of optimism among Villa fans, but was it the right decision? After having a look at this season’s stats, anyone would beg to differ.
The Villains have found themselves in somewhat of a ‘quicksand’ situation as they are currently sinking without trace in the fight to beat the drop.
Sherwood was supposed to be a long-term investment at Villa, and he may very well have weathered the storm like he did towards the end of last season.
Villa seem to be worse off under Garde than they were under their former manager as Remi Garde doesn’t appear to possess the cohesive effect that Tim Sherwood brought the Villains the last term.
The players seem to be without luck, motivation and skill, and there’s no denying the fact that Aston Villa are by far the worst team in the Premier League.
But asking Villa to avoid relegation at this stage would be asking a lot considering how far gone they are in the race for survival.
Mathematically speaking, their chances of survival are not over yet but requires some extraordinary efforts. Leicester did it last season after being at the bottom of the League table for most of the term, although Villa aren’t showing any signs of a miraculous comeback.
Although they are written off by Pundits and League rivals alike, but return to form still remains a possibility and with the January transfer window underway, they should look to salvage what they can in terms of experienced Premier League players to help them out of their slump.
Time’s running out for Villa, so whatever Remi Garde wants to do to keep his team up, he’d better start now before it’s too late.
One man that will be tantamount in Aston Villa’s fight for survival is Jordan Ayew. The Ghanian professional has shown that he can be reliable on a couple of occasions, and by improving his consistency and performance levels, he might just play a crucial role in the greatest escape from relegation yet.