Aston Villa's start hasn't been exactly top-notch. Sixth-place finishers in the Premier League last year, the Birmingham club crashed to earth during a poor second half and limped across the finish line. After starting out with so much promise and appearing poised to make a legitimate run at a Champions League position, Villa instead found themselves ending their season on a sour note.
Unfortunately, that sour flavor permeates Villa's opening effort for this season. After two games played, against arguably inferior opposition, Villa has two defeats and no goals to their credit. Wigan's thrashing of Villa at Villa Park was especially disheartening; O'Neill's club did little right, and though one of Wigan's goals (Hugo Rodallega's wonder strike) was unfortunate, the Birmingham club never showed signs of life. Martin O'Neill stood in his technical area, arms crossed and concern showing, clearly frustrated with his side's effort.
Today was no different. On the road for the away leg of their Europa League series with Rapid Vienna, Villa conceded early (very early, as in first minute early) and never really pushed the Austrians for a leveler. Lost for an answer, O'Neill attempted to change the game with the insertion of Gabriel Abonglahor, but to no avail. Again, O'Neill seemed unable to will his team back to their 2008 form.
The question now becomes, has O'Neill's team quit on him? After last season's crushing collapse, have the Villa players lost faith that their manager can put them in the proper position for success? Today's formation, which left Emile Heskey as the lone striker, certainly could not have inspired confidence.
To be fair, Villa has been without their best upfront target option in John Carew, player whose physical influence at the head of the Villa attack was sorely missed. But one player should not be the difference, and so O'Neill remains on the hook for his club's poor start.
Once confidence is lost in a manager by his charges, it's notoriously difficult, if not impossible, to get back. If Villa's poor form goes on, something they can ill afford, the question of O'Neill's waning influence will become that much easier to answer.
If that is the case, Villa's performance on Monday against Liverpool at Anfield isn't up to snuff, then perhaps Villa's owners are the ones that should be asking the question.
O'Neill covered for his team's shortcomings today in traditional fashion, claiming to be "pleased" with the performance against Rapid Vienna.
"We tried to create and in so doing, when you are getting players forward, obviously you are going to leave gaps but overall I'm pleased."
Those appear to be the words of a man desperately searching for a silver lining. Nothing in today's performance truly instills confidence that Villa is working out the early season kinks, and O'Neill certainly knows that.
"The games are hard and approaching us pretty quickly but when we settle down this season we will be absolutely fine. We need to improve and keep improving. As the whole squad gets wound up and fully fit then we will be OK."
Unfortunately for O'Neill, time is already short. If diagnosed quickly, the ineffective manager might not ruin Villa's season; but if hesitation becomes the order of the day, and O'Neill is left in place to flail madly, things could go very badly very quickly.
