Spurs were in a similar position when we faced Villa last season, 5 days before the Europa League Final.
“Resting” players shouldn’t be an issue.
It gives the players one last opportunity to give the manager a selection problem.
Every team has 38 games to stay in the league.
If your team goes down because another team puts 8 12 year olds in the team, that's on your teams inability to try hard enough, be good enough in December or February or September.
Villa's performance last night was disgraceful considering the golden riches of league and European success that could await and Mings "we didn't fight" comments should raise the alarm bells because you can't turn Thursday on like a magic tap.
But Villa after 5 games of the season dug themselves out of their own trench and frankly earned the right ( which I think will backfire) to put out any team they liked last night.
So to supporters of those clubs crying foul about a team who's results or performances are none of their business, you've had 35 match days to get your shit together.
You didn't. You bottled games in regulation season time, you were booed off, you gave up and were given up on.
Only now, at 11.59pm and 59 seconds enough players "care" enough to do what they were contracted to do all season.
Villa's start was equally as bad as anyone's in the league. Their character, personality, bottle to turn 5 without a win at the start got them into the position they are in today. In professional football we say " earned the right". They have.
They earned the right ( once more for those at the back, I believe will backfire Thursday and in league games to come) to play whatever team they liked last night.
My gripe with Villa is the 1% of games that matter to win something. The same criticism Arsenal have faced in recent years. Not the ability to get to that point.
Every Premier League club has around £120m a season to use to buy players.
They have the worlds best academies and talented kids that often they chose not to blood.
90% of European clubs don't get a fraction of English club revenue, so if you can't put a team together having banked 5, 10, 20 years of that level of cash, then your organisation must be absolutely fucking rotten.
Want proof? Some of the worst English club teams I've seen have won European trophies in recent seasons, that's how much of a gap £120m a season buys you.
Villa have a major problem with one off, must win games when favourites. A glass ceiling if you will. We'll find out of they have the minerals to break through it.
But if your team is in a relegation scrap still, them cast your mind back to September, October, December, February. How many games did they bottle? How many star players were on the treatment table or went missing when the going was hard to return like lions with a handful of games left?
Anyone can be a good player for 5 games at the end of a season when you've bottled 70% of it. It's like a team that puts in a great second half performance when 4-0 down. Easy.
Villa have put themselves under pressure week in, week out and have delivered right up to the line. They then choke. Fairs.
But give me that over some of the teams at the bottom who's kidded their supporters on week in week out only now to blame Villa for their own lack of effort, fight and bottle.
You've had 35 games. Your players bottled it. Don't blame other clubs for your own lack of fight, desire and administrative failures.