Luke Young insists Aston Villa now have a "stronger mentality" to
cope with any setbacks and avoid a repeat of last season's
fade-out.
Villa lost both their games during the festive season against
Arsenal and Liverpool to drop out of the top four of the Premier
League. It brought back memories of how Villa surrendered a
five-point lead over Arsenal at the start of March last season as
they ran out of steam and eventually finished sixth.
But Young is adamant the characters and quality in the
current dressing room - plus the benefit of an extra year's
experience - will mean Villa get back on track sooner rather than
later. He said: "Do I sense a stronger mentality this season?
Definitely. We've brought some big characters in like Richard Dunne
and Stephen Warnock - and Stewart Downing is a great player as
well.
"We are better equipped this year. We've got more options if
you like and everyone knows they've got to be on their toes to stay
in the side.
"We've got an extra year's experience. It all came very soon
to us last season. We were learning along the way and we are
determined that bad run we had won't happen again."
Villa now take a break from league action for two crucial
clashes with Blackburn - in the third round of the FA Cup at Villa
Park on Saturday and in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup at Ewood
Park next Tuesday.
Young said: "There's no time to dwell on results. There are
so many games coming thick and fast this month. We've got to
concentrate on the next game coming up and that's Blackburn on
Saturday.
"Do we expect a physical game? You know when you play
Blackburn that is part and parcel of their game.
"But they've got a lot of skill as well. They are not just a
tough side who go with the long ball all the time.
"They have a few flair players in there as well who can cause
us damage. You know what you're coming up against when you face a
Sam Allardyce team. We can cope with that."
