Dunne 'Let's catch Sunderland.'

[Rip Van We Go Again]

birminghammail.net

Richard Dunne has challenged his Villa team-mates to repeat last season’s late recovery by finishing with a flourish.
 
Dunne is targeting a late April comeback after being sidelined since breaking his collarbone against former club Manchester City in early February.
 
And the experienced defender wants his colleagues to climb the table in the next few weeks so he can help seal a top-ten finish upon his return.
 
“We’ve had a steady season so far and we could quite easily finish the same way as we did last season,” said Dunne.
 
“We had a late run and ended up finishing ninth. I think that’s still achievable for the lads. The last three performances have been brilliant, the results have been good and there’s plenty of confidence now going into the games coming up.
 
“They’re going to be a bit tougher, playing against sides pushing for the Champions League places, but the lads have been doing really well.
 
“There are ten games to go, plenty of points up for grabs, and we can go and strive to get up towards the top half.”
 
Dunne reckons the aim is to reel in former Villa manager Martin O’Neill’s new club Sunderland in ninth. The Black Cats are just four points better off than Villa, having played a game more.

“The teams all around us have similar runs, so we can get up there,” said Dunne.
 
“I think the big thing for us is that we’re looking up.
 
“We’re ten points off the relegation zone, so that thought doesn’t even come into it.
 
“We’re looking up at Sunderland in ninth place only four points ahead of us.
 
“Win a few games and we can push up there. We have some big games coming up at Villa Park, so hopefully it can be an entertaining end of season for the fans.”
 
Dunne has been a frustrated spectator for the past five weeks and admits he has found it tough to deal with the longest injury lay-off of his career.
 
“The lads have only played three games but it feels like I’ve been out for ages,” he added. “To be honest, you just want to be out there playing but it’s one of those injuries that just takes time.
 
“I’ve never really had an injury where I’ve been out for a long period of time.
 
“I’ve had injuries and operations, but I’ve always put them off until summer, so I’ve never really missed an awful lot of games. This is, by a distance, the longest period I’ve ever been out.”

[Mazrim]

Wow... let's catch... Sunderland.

Sorry, I'm in a piss taking mood today.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Ambitious.

Although we do have to pick off the mighty Norwich, Fulham, Albion and Stoke before we can aspire to catching Sunderland.

It's up for grabs now.....

[pauliewalnuts]

“We’ve had a steady season so far and we could quite easily finish the same way as we did last season,” said Dunne.

Yeah, we're looking much better defensively of late, Richard.

I wonder why that is?

[levico]

I think we should be more interested in looking over our shoulder. Some worrying results yesterday.

[PaulWinch again]

A steady season? I wouldn't say it's been steady at all, I'd say it's been more perilous.

[N'ZMAV]

As long as we finish above Baggies...

[Mazrim]

Get as many points as we can with attacking intent, finish as high as possible.

Simple.

[QBVILLA]

As long as we finish above Baggies...

That's how far we've slipped

[N'ZMAV]

As long as we finish above Baggies...

That's how far we've slipped

Indeed. Very sad.

[Phil from the upper holte]

You beat me to it paulie, we've looked defensively better since he stopped making mistakes in the centre, turning circle of a bus

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Beating Sunderland would be a big help in 'catching them up' but you can bet your life that Pubehead will have them revved up for our clash, as if it's a World cup final.

[JJ-AV]

I don't think there's ever been a more inevitable result than Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland on April 21st, with a 76th minute winner from a set piece.

[bertlambshank]

I wish Dunne would fuck off to MON's Sunderland.

[ktvillan]

I don't think there's ever been a more inevitable result than Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland on April 21st, with a 76th minute winner from a set piece.

If the 76th minute goal happens if they are playingthe MON way they will inevitably retreat and keep hitting the ball back to us.  So we just stick about five strikers on and go shit or bust.  And they will concede two minutes before the end, and two minutes into injury time.