The Soccer Blog: Villa

Showing posts with label Villa. Show all posts

Friday, 31 January 2014

Premier League: Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Aston Villa

Saturday 18th January 2014 19:25

Daniel Sturridge: Flicks the ball over Brad Guzan

Liverpool came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa after an entertaining clash at Anfield.

Villa raced into a deserved 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Andreas Weimann and Christian Benteke, but Daniel Sturridge pulled a goal back right on the stroke of half-time to give the home side hope.

Liverpool won a penalty early in the second half as Luis Suarez went down in the box under a challenge from Brad Guzan and Steven Gerrard scored from the spot.

The home side pushed for a winner, but the Villa defence held firm as Liverpool were held to a draw for the first time this season at Anfield.

Villa came flying out of the blocks and should have broke the deadlock inside the first minute when Gabriel Agbonlahor latched onto strike partner Christian Benteke's flick-on to go clear on goal, but Agbonlahor could only poke his effort wide of the post.

The visitors continued to call the tune early on and Ashley Westwood fired in a half-volley on the edge of the box which Simon Mignolet did well to keep out.

Villa were inches away from opening the scoring on 24 minutes when Ciaran Clark lost Glen Johnson from Westwood's corner and was unlucky to see his header come back off the base of the post.

A minute later Villa grabbed the lead their early dominance deserved as Agbonlahor beat Kolo Toure for pace down the left and crossed for Weimann to slide the ball home from close range.

Villa grabbed a second goal on 37 minutes with Agbonlahor again the provider as his cross from the right failed to be cut out by Mignolet and Johnson and Benteke was on hand to head home into an empty net.

Liverpool created their best chance of the opening half on 41 minutes when Suarez beat two Villa defenders and laid the ball into the path of Aly Cissokho, who sliced his shot horribly wide of goal much to the annoyance of Suarez, who was expecting a return pass from the full-back.

Liverpool pulled a goal back right on the stroke of half-time when Suarez found Jordan Henderson inside the box and his clever flick ran into the path of Sturridge, who expertly lifted the ball over the onrushing Guzan.

Liverpool drew level seven minutes after the break with Suarez latching onto a fine pass from Gerrard to go clear on goal before being upended by Guzan.

Gerrard took responsibilty from the spot and scored to drag Liverpool back into the game.

Guzan denied Liverpool a third on 65 minutes with a superb reaction save to keep out Henderson's powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Suarez went close 13 minutes from time with a free-kick from fully 35 yards which flew just wide with Guzan beaten in the Villa goal.

Neither side could find a winner in the closing stages as they both had to be content with a point.

Friday, 5 April 2013

Premier League: Aston Villa pay the penalty as Liverpool come from behind to win

Aston Villa remain in the Premier League relegation zone after Liverpool came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory at Villa Park.

Villa had threatened a third successive league victory when Christian Benteke fired them into a first half lead against the run of play.

But Liverpool hit back two minutes after half-time through Jordan Henderson's well-taken chip and Steven Gerrard then stepped up on the hour to convert a penalty after Luis Suarez had been felled inside the box.

The result keeps Villa in the bottom three on goal-difference, while seventh-placed Liverpool slashed the gap to Merseyside rivals Everton to three points.

Villa posed plenty of problems for Liverpool in the first half and Gabriel Agbonlahor should have put the hosts ahead after 17 minutes but fired his close-range shot straight at Pepe Reina.

Benteke had scored twice in the 3-1 win at Anfield earlier in the season and after 31 minutes he put Villa ahead.

Ashley Westwood's long ball was turned back by Agbonlahor to Benteke who drilled a fierce shot past Reina who got a hand on the ball but could not keep it out of the net. It was the 18th goal of the season from the Belgian international.

Liverpool failed to level before the break but did so soon after when Philippe Coutinho's defence-splitting pass was seized on by Henderson who flicked the ball over Guzan into the corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

With Liverpool on the front foot and pressure building it came as no surprise when the lively Suarez was needlessly brought down in the box by Nathan Baker and the resulting spot-kick was converted by Gerrard.

Andreas Weimann could have made it 2-2 but scooped his shot over the bar from 10 yards and Gerrard then reacted well at the other end to head Benteke's header off the line at full stretch from a corner.

But Liverpool had succeeded in taking much of the string out of Villa's attacking threat and quietening the Holte End, who had their late celebrations cut short after Benteke's injury time effort was ruled out for offside.

An elated Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports after the match: "Our character was outstanding today. I thought we played reasonably well in the first half but we made a mistake and were punished by a good finish from Benteke.

"I thought we created chances in the first half and second half we upped the tempo and going forward we were excellent. Defensively we were nice and solid so it was a terrific win for us. Paul's (Lambert) teams always go right to the end and it was tough for us.

"Our quality was there as was our drive and determination. I thought that tactically we adapted very well and overall I'm very, very pleased. After losing the previous game (against Southampton) you want to bounce back and we did that."

Lambert did not think there was much between the sides but was left to lament two "poor goals".

He said: "I thought first half we were excellent - I really did. There was Gabby's (Agbonlahor's) chance which if he mis-kicks it, it probably goes in but the keeper (Pepe Reina) did well and stood up to it.

"There wasn't much in it in the second half but we never had the fluency which we did have in the first half, but you can't give away goals like we did. It was a definite penalty, I've just seen it."

Asked how disappointed he was to concede so soon after half-time, Lambert added: "It was a poor goal two minutes in, when we were attacking, but Liverpool can do that with the players that they've got. You've always got to be switched on against them but from our point of view it's a poor goal."

View the original article here

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Premier League: Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 1

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Aston Villa 2-0 on Monday to move third in the English Premier League, thanks to a brace from Emmanuel Adebayor.

Togolese striker Adebayor had chances to complete his hat-trick after his two strikes at White Hart Lane ended a run of seven appearances without a goal.

Tottenham were boosted by the return of manager Harry Redknapp to the bench after a period of absence following heart surgery.

But it was visitors Villa who started the match strongly and could have gone ahead inside the first minute.

Emile Heskey got on the end of a deep cross from Stilian Petrov, but Kyle Walker did enough to prevent the striker heading the ball back to partner Darren Bent.

It proved a false start for Alex McLeish’s away team, and after that, it was all Spurs.

Rafael van der Vaart’s clever trickery on the edge of the box nearly put through Adebayor, but the pass was too heavy and went harmlessly through to goalkeeper Shay Given.

Benoit Assou Ekotto’s cross-field pass then found Aaron Lennon, who nipped past Stephen Warnock with ease.

His delivery was headed into the ground and wide by Adebayor, who should have hit the target.

The on-loan Manchester City striker made amends for his error shortly afterwards, showing great technique in the six-yard box to open the scoring after 14 minutes.

Younes Kaboul’s volley was deflected wide, and from the resulting corner Adebayor scored with an overhead kick after Villa’s defence fell asleep on the second ball back into the box by Gareth Bale.

Van der Vaart twice went close again, as did Adebayor, before Villa’s second chance of the first-half fell to Heskey, who was played in by Gabby Agbonlahor.

The powerful centre-forward opted to try and set up Bent rather than go for glory himself, and the ball trickled out of play for a goal kick.

That poor decision making proved costly when Adebayor made it two five minutes before half-time.

The goal came courtesy of a Bale cross that was deflected up and over Given by defender James Collins, leaving Adebayor the simplest of close-range finishes.

Villa’s attempt at a response in the second-half proved uninspired.

Kris Herd crossed for Darren Bent, with the resulting header well saved by goalkeeper Brad Friedel, called into action for the first time in the match.

Adebayor went close for his hat-trick on numerous occasions.

And he had the ball in the back of the net late on, but play had already stopped with Lennon flagged for offside.

Spurs had further chances after that but could not add to their tally.

Nevertheless, they saw out the closing exchanges for a comfortable victory.

Tottenham are now four points behind Manchester United and nine back from leaders City.

Villa meanwhile sit eighth, and remain without an away win from six league matches on the road this season.

View the original article here

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Villa to appeal Herd red card

Aston Villa will appeal the controversial red card shown to Chris Herd in their 2-1 defeat to West Brom on Saturday.

Australian-born right-back Herd was sent off by referee Phil Dowd after 36 minutes for deliberately treading on Baggies defender Jonas Olsson.

But furious Villa manager Alex McLeish supported his player’s assertion that this was untrue after the match, and confirmed on Monday that the club would be appealing the three-match ban.

“Oh yes, absolutely, I don’t think there’s any doubt about it,” he told Sky Sports.

“Looking at the pictures again, Chris has done nothing wrong.”

“It’s a poor decision on the day by the official. These things are not deliberate, he’s made an honest mistake, it’s just a shame I think that he’s guessed the decision rather than saw anything.”

Herd will miss the trips to Sunderland and Tottenham either side of Norwich’s visit to Villa Park if the suspension is upheld, but McLeish is quietly confident.

“I spoke to Phil,” said McLeish. “He will look at it again. We will see what the outcome is of the re-runs.”

“The slow-motion one indicated that Chris was extricating his foot from Olsson’s grasp. I just could not see a stamp in that situation.”

“Phil never saw it. He never saw Olsson’s punch on Chris’s shoulder. It’s difficult for a referee to see everything but the linesman saw the alleged stamp.”

Meanwhile, Villa midfielder Barry Bannan was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after being involved in a crash on the M1 early on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Scottish international midfielder smashed into the central reservation of the M1 at about 5.30am.

He was arrested by police officers, along with a 20-year-old friend, in the nearby village of Bulwell, in Nottinghamshire.

View the original article here

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

New Aston Villa Home Shirt 2011/12 Nike

May 4, 2011

Here is a look at the new Aston Villa shirt 2011/12 ( 11/12) which the Midlands club will wear in their home games during the 2011/2012 English Premier League season.

This kit is a mockup of the actual Aston Villa 2011/12 shirt because it has FxPro as the sponsor, but the forex company are only sponsors for the 10/11 season for Aston Villa. Nike’s Dri-Fit technology has been used in this 2011 jersey.

The new Villa home shirt has a silver stripe around the Villa shield. The 2011/12 home shirt also has a chequered design, and will be accompanied by white shorts and socks.

Your thoughts on the new Villa home shirt?

Saturday, 30 April 2011

Premier League: West Brom 2 Aston Villa 1

Youssouf Mulumbu was the hero with a late goal as West Brom ended their 26-year wait for victory over Aston Villa with a 2-1 win.

With manager Gerard Houllier recuperating at home, Villa got off to a perfect start after a comical own goal from West Brom defender Abdoulaye Meite.

But they failed to build on that early momentum and were swept aside after the break as Peter Odemwingie and Mulumbu struck, even after Paul Scharner was sent off for picking up two yellow cards.

West Brom had not tasted victory over their neighbours since 1985 and were behind within four minutes as Stewart Downing’s centre was sliced past the helpless Scott Carson by Meite’s poor attempt at a clearance.

Under Roy Hodgson though, West Brom refuse to lie down and die as Mulumbu forced Brad Friedel in to a full-stretch dive to tip a long-distance drive around the post.

Both teams wasted ideal openings to add to the score line in the 23rd minute as Ashley Young and Carlos Vela both blazing over when clean through on goal.

Having played second fiddle despite Meite’s early error, Villa picked up the pace with Darren Bent flagged offside as he turned to fire in seven minutes before the interval.

With the hosts throwing as many players forward as possible, Vela and Odemwingie failed to win half-hearted penalty appeals straight after the re-start.

Parity was restored on the hour with Odemwingie ending a goal-mouth melee by hooking his 14th goal of the season in to the roof of the net after Scharner’s close-range shot had been blocked at close range.

But within two minutes, the home fans joy was dampened when Scharner was dismissed.

The industrious Austrian had walked a disciplinary tight rope since scything down Nigel Reo-Coker in the eighth minute of the match and another late challenge on Stiliyan Petrov resulted in his second caution of the game.

But unabated, Albion poured forward with Mulumbu on the end of a swift 84th minute move to clinch a well earned West Midlands derby win for West Brom.

Sat 30 April, 2011