Taylor looks to make point
Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor has issued a “points make prizes” message to his players as he challenged them to show the level of consistency that has been lacking in the final third of the Premiership campaign.
Villa will go into tomorrow’s televised clash with Blackburn Rovers on the back of finally achieving their first away league success of the season via the 5-2 demolition of Middlesbrough in midweek.
But Taylor is aware that Villa have had a habit of shooting themselves in the foot when they look to have turned the corner, as demonstrated earlier this month when they achieved a deserved 1-1 draw at Liverpool and then lost at home to Tottenham after a below-par display.
A respectable mid-table position looks to be the only realistic aim at this juncture after the 4-1 FA Cup exit at the hands of Graeme Souness’ Blackburn at Villa Park three weeks ago.
But Taylor has urged his side to set their sights high and try and surpass last season’s final position of eighth – and in the process bolster the coffers with around £500,000 (€764,000) available for every place further up the table they finish.
He said: “The season has been disappointing in the sense that I thought we would be in the top part of the table. I had no reason to think anything other than that.
“But we have 13 games left, almost a third of the season, and the most important thing is where you finish – not where you are after 20 odd games. It is up to us to show that we are capable of producing a sprint finish.
“But what we have to do is find some consistency over the final three months. That’s what we are desperately looking for.
“We’ve had good results and then undone things by having a bad couple when things looked as if they were going along nicely. It stares you in the face - the inconsistency.
“A target is to surpass last season’s points tally and if we achieve a 50% win rate in the remainder of the season we won’t be be far off that or getting into seventh place, which would be one place higher than last season.”
Taylor added: “There is also around £500,000 prize money for each place higher up you finish and that is another reason for it being important to finish as high as you can.
“If we climbed up from where we are now by having a good finish, you could be talking about two or three million pounds.
“I think the belief is still there in the dressing room but what we have to do is turn that into results and now build on that first away win.”
Midfielder Ian Taylor will be available again after serving a one-match suspension for incurring five bookings.
But he may struggle to regain his place after the impressive form of newcomer Joey Gudjonsson at the Riverside Stadium.
