Can Aston Villa changing of the Garde and French ban bear fruit?

Eithad outfit City have won on three of their last four visits to Villa Park and, having crushed Sevilla on the road 3-1 in midweek to round off a seven-day period in which they scored 10, expecting to see an immediate reaction from their hosts would be somewhat naive.

Before a ball is kicked this weekend, the Premier League’s Sunday lunchtime kick-off pits top against bottom, but Garde believes the table lies as far as his new charges are concerned.

Aston Villa need new boss to be avant-Garde

“I think the current level of the table doesn’t reflect the level of the team,” he continued. “The situation at the moment is very difficult for everybody. I have watched a lot of the games they have played since the start of the season.

“The team is unfortunate at the moment. Hopefully we can pull together and improve the level. I am quite confident, because there are some very good players in the team.”

Villa gaffer Garde must get the best out of his French connection, though the fixture list going forward is no less forgiving. Everton and Southampton are upcoming games on the road, while there’s old team Arsenal in their next televised outing.

To avoid West Midlands woe this winter, Villa thus need their new head coach to show a touch of the avant-Garde.

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