Crystal Palace assistant boss Keith Millen, has warned his side not to drop their performance levels against a poor Aston Villa side. Millen took over Alan Pardew’s pre-match press conference duties on Monday and saw fit to recognise how far Pardew’s side had come in the last 18 months. As reported by The Daily Mail.
Villa haven’t won a game since Remi Garde’s appointment and sit anchored to the foot of the table, with the chance of Premier League survival all but faded.
Millen feels Palace players need to prevent the Villa fan’s from having an impact on the game, giving the Villa players ‘something to cling on to’. He also believes they need to try and dominate from the off to create a ‘hostile atmosphere’ within Villa Park, putting the home side on the back foot.
Millen also told of his admiration for Villa captain Micah Richards, who attempted to discuss the issues with fans at pitch side during the clubs 2-2 draw with Wycombe Wanderers.
Millen told the gathered press;
We need to get off to a good start and if there is a volatile atmosphere there we don’t want to give them any sort of encouragement to get behind the Aston Villa team
Fair enough to Micah Richards to brave the fans and try and explain the situation to them. I don’t know what was said but he is certainly passionate about Aston Villa and what is going on and it is hurting him.
The main thing from the fans’ point of view is that they want to see the players going out there fighting for the cause of the club and they have got every right to express their feelings.
They are under pressure and they desperately need a win. We have been there at the bottom of the league but fortunately managed to get ourselves out of it so we know what that pressure is like.
You are looking for something in the game to cling on to – whether it is the first goal or something to get the crowd involved – so we have to make sure we are ready for the start of the game.
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