ALEX McLeish sends his players into a demanding Villa Park double-header against Liverpool and Arsenal with a “believe we can beat the big boys” message.
Villa welcome Kenny Dalglish’s Reds tomorrow afternoon before pitting their wits against Arsene Wenger’s Gunners at home on Wednesday evening.
McLeish had an impressive record against the Premier League’s leading lights as boss of Blues, while the claret and blues recorded back-to-back victories over Arsenal and Liverpool at the end of last season.
But the manager has warned his team they cannot afford to show the timidity which characterised their poor performances in defeats to Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United.
Before their late season collapse at St Andrew’s last term, McLeish’s Blues side went on a run of just one defeat from 15 matches against the big six of United, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.
“I will try to get the Villa boys believing they can win these games,” said McLeish.
“It’s all about prestige. These games put players on the map.
“We’ve got to try and make sure the teams are leaving Villa Park knowing they’ve been in a big game.
“Games like this can bring the best out of players and this is where they earn their corn and get recognised as great players when they start to take points off the big guns.”
Villa’s four league victories so far this season have come against lesser lights Blackburn, Wigan, Norwich and Bolton, but McLeish wants the claret and blues to target points against the likes of Liverpool, despite their greater financial clout.
“The players have got to believe they can take points from the clubs above us as well,” he said.
“After winning at Bolton it’s about as much momentum as possible.
“We’ve a home game, we lost the last one and have got to do something in this game.
“We need a better and more aggressive approach than we had in the first half against Man Utd.
“There is a bit of a difference in what Liverpool have spent and who they’ve brought to the club, guys who can make a huge difference, not only in club but world football.
“We are going in against teams like that as underdogs in almost every game but we are at home and the players have got to have no fear at this great stadium of ours.”
McLeish refused to be drawn on reports in the Scottish press linking Villa with a January swoop for Rangers midfielder Steven Davis, although the Villa old boy is believed to be on the list of targets.
“I’m not at liberty to talk about other players at other teams,” he said. “We have a lot of players I admire in mind but it remains to be seen if we can do business.”
One player who won’t be coming to Villa next month is Yannick Djalo with McLeish revealing the club have pulled the plug on a proposed trial for the Nice and Portugal international forward.
“I don’t think he is coming on trial now,” confirmed McLeish.
“His contract case has not been reviewed by UEFA yet. It might be easier for him to get another club if his contract is void, which seems to be the case.”
Asked if Villa pulled out after Djalo allegedly revealed the trial on his Facebook page, McLeish replied: “No.
“I wasn’t sure it was an absolute priority for us but we said we would take a look. It was the agents that offered him.”
