Arsenal 1 - 3 Aston Villa (17/08/13)

An opening day fixture in which Arsenal were strong favourites ended up exposing Wenger’s tactical fragility; as an ever attacking Arsenal were left frustrated by some great goalkeeping from Guzan and desperate defending from the Villa back line, the Claret and Blues, today Claret and White, made their chances count, with a small hand from referee Anthony Taylor.

The first half started as last season ended, Villa fragile at the back and lacking a controlling midfield presence, and Arsenal attacking freely and looking like they could score at every opportunity. After 5 minutes Oxlade-Chamberlain was clearly ready to play as he used his pace and Arsenals incisive passing to stretch his full back and feed in Giroud with a simple cross. That’s right, I said Arsenal cross. 1-0 Arsenal. In fact the Gunners crossed a good amount for a Wenger team, sadly Jenkinson, who came on for Gibbs (cut above the eye) was the main exponent of this and he wasn’t particularly productive.

The first half continued that way with Arsenal creating good space in wide areas and Rosicky pulling the strings in the middle, yet for all of Arsenals good chances and neat play it was the pace of Agbonlahor that caused the most danger. A lovely move left the striker free to play kick and run through the middle and Arsenal only had one option to stop this advancement. A blatant foul in the box by Szczesny almost worked as the resulting penalty, taken by Benteke, was saved by the keeper. However the striker is a goal scorer and the nicely presented rebound was nodded in with ease.
Villa looked sharper for the rest of the half but Arsenal were clearly the better team and Villa simply couldn’t cope with their play.

1-1 at the break, Arsenal fans would feel rightly aggrieved.

The second half started similarly to the first with Villa floundering to keep control of Arsenal’s neat play style, however their passing looked crisper and on the hour Agbonlahor stripped the ball from the dwelling Cazorla, darted through the middle and was brought down by a desperate tackle from Koscielny. Sadly for Arsenal it seemed a good tackle, but the referee had a blocked view and Koscielny was punished with a yellow and a penalty. This time Benteke shaped for the top corner but swept the ball to the other side. 2-1 Villa.

From that moment Arsenal were stretched, their counter attacking game couldn’t work in the same manner and instead of soaking up pressure and breaking quickly they lost control of the midfield and needed to move up in clusters of passing. This suited Villa perfectly who with Agbonlahor’s desire to get back, and midfielders closing easy balls nullified the one touch passing.
Rosicky still looked dangerous and had a fantastic chance to level, he’d missed 2 easy chances before, but Guzan rushed out to make a great save; a few minutes later this was followed by another great save that saw Cazorla’s shot tipped onto the bar; this was the last Arsenal really tested the Villa defence.

Sadly for Arsenal things got worse as Koscielny’s yellow was doubled for a red and the Gunners high line allowed a great ball from Weimann to find Luna; one on one from the half way line the Spaniard entered the box, shaped for a return pass and slotted past a stranded Szczesny.
It was quite a celebration for the man nicknamed Tony Moon.

Sadly for Arsenal it felt like little had changed over the summer, dangerous play but nobody taking control at the right times, Wilshere played well and passed nicely but was moaning as much as the Arsenal fan’s instead of getting on with the game, Rosicky looked genuinely brilliant and was unfortunate to not score, but Walcott looked above his level again and Cazorla is clearly still in a pre-season mindset. Sagna got injured late on which has to be a real worry but Arsenal need a Suarez, or someone with his arrogance/ambition. It could be another season of ‘close but not cigar’ for the Gunners, though I’m sure not many teams would be disappointed finishing 4th.

Villa however might have a sneaky eye on Europe, two things could occur this season and for the Villains the manager is key; Delph looks a great midfield disruptor, Agbonlahor looks back to his hungriest, Lowton and Guzan continued their good form, Spurs will regret not buying Benteke, Weimann was the usual outlet and even Clark seemed ready for the long year ahead.

Where Lambert got it right today was the inclusion of El Ahmadi who sat back well, picked out good passes and made a nuisance of himself in defence without needing to look like a defensive player. His passing was clearly a threat and this allowed Villa’s counter attacking style to strangle Arsenal’s advances. With such a young squad, Westwood a Lambert favourite, and Sylla as an option tactical squad rotation in central midfield may prove the catalyst for Villa’s success, or their frustration.

3 points deserved for the Villains, Arsenal simply didn’t look hungry enough; though I am sure a certain Thunderbird will heap blame on a man in black.

Oh, a small mention for GDS (Goal Decision System) when Delph’s shot from distance rattled off the post and rebounded across the goal; for a tester it did indeed work and TV replays were quick to agree.

Aston Villa; manager, club or players? Some faults analysed.

The last three months have been a real roller-coaster at Villa park and the fans have shown an unfortunate amount of accuracy in judging their team and manager.

This accuracy would mostly concentrate on the lack of squad depth and poor use of tactics from our attacking manager.

With four days left in the transfer window the worries are really surfacing as a fragile Villa team has added nothing to their armoury.

Quality has been a real issue, and a lack of leaders is destroying confidence minute by minute; the return of Vlaar inspired a confident first half performance against West Brom but the slightest opposition attack has most Villa defenders sprawling.

The question of quality is problematic, a young team plays an awkward tactic and even though 352 could really suit their abilities pieces of the puzzle are missing.

An experienced left back leaving the club hopefully points to a plan of action relating to midfield, Delph and Bannan are a very poor partnership as both are mop up players but in different parts of the pitch; and neither have real physical presence. Delph has shown real maturity in recent weeks but he needs a partner to protect him, a true tackling midfielder who takes on a man with his physical presence rather than technical ability, the same could be said for Bannan.

The loss of Petrov really highlights this, while not the strongest player his on the ball positioning and calm attitude allowed the team time to assess their own tactical presence and though he played a slow game he took pressure off struggling players. A potential alternative could be Herd but a lack of defenders has pushed him into the back 3.

Injuries have devastated the team yet the reliance on poor performers is keeping confidence low, with Agbonlahor back, Dunne on his way and Nzogbia looking fit there must be something to get excited about; yet this excitement has nothing to do with Lambert efforts throughout the season where his young signings have really struggled to pay back unwavering managerial support.

This support hasn’t found its way to our own academy and far from setting a challenge it is simply decreasing the potential of them succeeding; for the many fans who were watching MacDonalds academy team thrive in previous seasons their absence seems to point to a manager doing it his way, rather than a manager who galvanizes, perhaps Weimann’s absence at the start of the season and instance of playing wide might point to this.

After Carruthers spirited performance in the last few minutes against Liverpool fans probably expected to see him getting some more game time yet in recent weeks the non playing ‘take on your man’ midfielder has been dropped from the squad entirely.

A rare glimpse of first team action for Daniel Johnson stopped as soon as it started, striker Jordan Bowery has been supporting from the wings in dying minutes and Derrick Williams was publicly told he wasn’t ready after 10 minutes of game time.

Enda Stevens has latterly found game time but has struggled with fitness, as has Lichaj; yet whenever called upon both have shown dedication to survival and added to the team’s unity.

Many fans would be questioning whether Bennett is ready? Whether Lowton really supports our defence? Why money was spent on Bowery when Delfourneso was sent on loan? And why El Ahmadi was bought when he offers no defensive quality? Poor performances from Bannan and Delph have seen them retain places, and Holman is a grafter rather than the link man the manager hopes for.

Player relations are imperative and there are examples of ex Villa players that left due to a lack of first team football, I’m sure many fans would be over the moon if the squad still included Crouch, Cahill and Gardner, and perhaps not too upset if it included Ridgewell, Lowry, Hogg and Whittingham.

Paul Pogba has proven that even the big teams can let useful players go; and I am reminded of a certain Samir Carruthers who came to Villa from Arsenal.

Player management aside tactics haven’t played to players strengths, a defensive crisis is compounded by Collins and Cuellars departure and the board seems to lack a director who understands the wider nature of success in football. Lambert is in a difficult position but he has been charged with this responsibility, he missed a huge chance to reduce first team pressure during the FA cup tie with Milwall yet a strong side exampled their fragility to Tuesdays opponents Newcastle.

Lambert needs to be strong; he was strong enough to buy young, part company with MacDonald, set strict team rules and gamble on a young Belgian but he hasn’t show enough strength to look at his own flaws and change his own managerial methods.

With enough games to save themselves extra numbers could really bolster the Villains campaign, but if not forthcoming the only way the club will stay amongst the elite is if their young talented manager changes his approach and plays to strengths and not beliefs.

Aston Villa 1 – 0 Reading (27/11/2012)

A deserved win for the Midlanders in an anxious match

Reading never looked like taking control but neither did the Claret and Blues; Aston Villa seemed comfortable in midfield but in the final third flooding Reading defenders made them look very ordinary, on the flip side Reading looked dangerous on the break and made their way into Villa’s final third with ease but lacked somebody who was willing to take control of the second phase.

Team balance was a problem for both teams, Roberts constantly pushed the Villa defence back but lacked a partner or midfielder to support him, while Villa’s Agbonlahor and Benteke found their best fortune going it alone.

Reading’s midfield were anonymous as a team, Robson-Kanu did pull the Villa defence around and Leigertwood closed down the dangerous plays with ease but their fragility was exposed while defending set pieces from a dangerous Bannan. Bannan showed glimpses of brilliance but offered a swagger of over confidence which was only quietened when Ireland stepped onto the pitch, fitting then that it was Westwood’s corner from which Benteke headed in the winner, the first right footed corner Villa had tried. This 80^th minute goal was deserved, but looked unlikely.

The link between midfield and attack had been Bannan but he wasted many opportunities to play through the defence and sought to play the more difficult ball when he could, the same could not be said for Reading who on the day lacked any real ball players and struggled to find space.

Reading looked stale in attack but their defence looked dedicated, aided in part by their midfield. They didn’t really look tested on the ground and did a good job at closing the middle or forcing players out wide, unfortunately deep midfielders allowed Villa full backs to push high and their defenders to come up for set pieces. Clarke perhaps had more action in attack than he did defending.

Villa had a paper thin defence for this game and the injury of Stevens was a real blow, fortunately injury prone Baker continued after his knock and Lichaj filled in for Stevens with admirable quality. Lowton was a particular performer on the day and this caused Reading to stick to defensive positions, thus slowing their support, but the lack of experience still showed and players such as Clark, Lowton, Lichaj and Baker will need to remain mentally strong in the next few months.

Reading had real issues connecting up phases of play and squad depth isn’t going to assist them, Pogrebnyak who remained seated would’ve caused Villa problems, though an excellent Guzan would probably disagree, but little more graces their bench. The exciting McLeary had a few minutes but was dealt with easily by the impressive Lowton and this must be a concern for the Royals. Reading need a bit of a miracle before Christmas, as well as Guthrie, but with very difficult games ahead it could be a January transfer window that makes or breaks their season.

The same can be said for Villa, play and players are gelling but points are difficult to come by and wins even rarer; they deserved the 3 points against Reading but only managed it thanks to a LeFondre gift of a miss; something needs to develop and a player capable of taking control of the game and ball needs to be added.

West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa - 18/08/2012 - Drab, but not bad.

West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa - (18/08/2012)

A match with spurts of quality (not from Villa) fizzled out into drabness with West Ham the happier.

The first 20 minutes gave no clue to the rest of the game, Aston Villa passed well, drew West Ham out and ignored the physical capability of West Ham's outfit.
Yet 4 minutes later West Ham clearly felt Villa's passing game would not take them into the final third and they pushed up accordingly.
Long balls to the effective Cole allowed Nolan to be a nuisance and Villa never worked out how to crack their shape. As soon as Diame found his feet the midfield was closed leaving Villa out of ideas.
Set pieces had West Ham invigorated and on the 40th minute a flick on ending up dropping to Nolan who wasn't wasting his opening day gift.

To be honest there wasn't much to toast from a Villa perspective; they looked stifled and lacked a plan B, they used the long ball a little more in the second half, and big hearts helped them get up the pitch but there was no real consistent working of a plan.
Ireland was involved and look lively, El Ahmadi was insightful but always on the back foot and N'Zogbia spent much of the game allowing West Ham to get back in defence. Changes to the line-up did little to stimulate the Villains, Gardner had a horrible 15 minutes, Bannan tried but had no runners and Weimann, like Bent in the first half had nothing to feed off.
The passing was fine, the attitude was excellent but without wingers, or players who take on their defenders the staleness were evident.
Albrighton and Agbonlahor were real misses, both create space and drag defenders and this should be a thought for the future, perhaps Carruthers future.

West Ham were well drilled, strong on the ball and played decent football, they closed the game and the fans were even treated to a goal line clearance from Nathan Baker when Maiga rounded Given.
Vaz Te was a constant thorn and constantly worked the Villa defence, even Demel felt his position as defender was safe and made the right wing his own.
Whether this ploy will work all season is a question for 37 games time but West Ham start with 3 points and a good blend of characters. Nolan, Noble and Diame certainly make up for any defensive concerns.

James Collins left with a smile on his face, with his opposite numbers pondering the next game; Clark looked nervous and Vlaar over exuberant.
Allardyce probably expected a tougher game, and was surprised to come out with a clean sheet and 3 points, I don't think Lambert will be too concerned, this was always a test and certain tactical changes will take time, perhaps with a signing or two.

A deserved 3 points for West Ham, but as a Villa fan it was great to see the team passing even if these first 5 games might be a hard watch.

We have our club back! McLeish is gone!

McLeish has gone, the droll tactics are over and the next man will get the full backing of a club desperate for football rather than trophies.
Rather than discussing his inadequacies I thought I would write about our squad rebuild, a squad that isn't as bad as uninformed journalists and inept managers report.
Next season is another of rebuild, we have had a few of them recently, but we have a good base that would allow the next manager a flexible attitude for improvement.

If I were a manager, or a chairman looking at what we have and which manager fits my ambitions this is how I would look at my current squad.
The following is the squad of 20 I would use next season (not including transfers), players in red are those younger players I would move closer to first team action.


Given
Marshall (for his coaching academy)
Siegrist

Lichaj
Dunne
Clark
Baker


Herd
Gardner
Albrighton
Delph
Ireland
Bannan
N'Zog
Caruthers
Johnson


Bent
Weimann
Delfouneso (with lots of ass kicking, reality checks and support)
Graham Burke

My ambitions would be to see whether Gardner is defensive or driving, I would bring on Johnson whenever I could but in training see who he plays the best one touch football with, he is very talented at this, then use him with those players.

N'Zogbia I would encourage to be more like a forward and try and work him with Ireland and Bent; I would make sure he realises that Albrighton is a great outlet for a chance switch of play.
Albrighton I would keep near the wing, unless he comes inside to link up play, but with the hope to take the second or third pass behind the fullback.
Ireland and Bannan are great at doing this and Albrighton loves a chance to cross so I would encourage him to always flash the ball across the box if he hasn't got time to be accurate. Early balls win games.
This I feel would make proper use of Bent and allow midfielders to make late runs into the box; the one thing that is true of Gardner is that he does like to make late runs into the box.

In defence I would go with Clarke and Dunne, Clarke should play in his natural position and has good feet for a centre back but not for a midfielder. Baker would be in the mix and I would drop/shift Dunne if the young kids built a brilliant relationship. (I would try them)

Lichaj on the right would complement a winger and not a forward but I would spend good money on a left back that would actually make things happen going forward while having the pace to get back and support his defenders.

Other big money signings might come in the form of a winger because I think Albrighton tires easily and it would be nice to have a lethal threat on the wing.
I would look at getting a young decent right back and see who was available for low fees and wages in the lower/other leagues, if economically they were sound I'd buy them anyway because young players depreciate very little, it works for Spurs.

Young players across the whole of defence, up front and on the wing would be imperative but I wouldn't turn down a chance to buy someone with real potential to sacrifice some of the older, or slower improving players.

Ability is important but mentality is key and I would look at getting players who are still battling to understand the game, their potential and their ability to work as part of a tactic. Managers can achieve this as is being demonstrated with Ben Arfa at Newcastle but they also need to know their limitations as Ferguson has shown with Ravel Morrison.

I would sell Collins, Cuellar, Heskey, Warnock (unless he signed for much lower wages), Agbonlahor, (maybe n'Zog), Makoun, Hutton and Delph/Ireland if the money was good. (Ireland can be the key to our success but also a financial imbalance)

I think with some additions the squad is good enough to stay up again, and with the right players we could play with freedom and confidence in a successful manner. We have players coming through and now we have Holman he can take their place in the reserves or be used as a hard working substitute.
Depending on the size of the transfers paid I'd expect to get 45+ points and would be happy with that.

The Villa youth team is one of strong interest and unfortunately is blessed in attack more than defence, a little like the first team.
In defence Devine and Williams show promise but need to forge that promise with games. A double loan would be a good plan unless they were ready for first team activities or the first team played like the reserve team; but just as central midfield games at a decent/competitive level are imperative to development in this position.
Caira is still without a naturalness to his position and Ward is still developing his defensive attributes. I wouldn't feel comfortable moving anyone from defence into the first team.

In midfield Nelson-Addy is explosive but has a long way to go, Stieber is plodding along and Lampkin is finding it difficult to stay fit but shows ability. Courtney Cameron shows excellent promise and is ready for some first team mixing, perhaps with Jordan Graham not far behind. Jack Grealish is someone that any future manager should show interest in, young and lightweight he is a nightmare for defenders on the back foot and has shown flashes of brilliance but needs time and support in order to be a consistent threat.

In attack Connor Taylor is not considered a player of great potential but is supported by Michael Drennan a natural goalscorer and Graham Burke who have been progressing well.

The youth team needs a first team manager who supports their passing football and who would seek to develop Kevin MacDonald's initial philosophy. Having this approach would see a less tricky progression to the first team and youth players can be introduced as complements to the tactic rather than impact substitutes worrying about their individual attributes.

Wages need to be lower and tactics smarter, so use those who have already shown promise and loyalty and not those decreasing in ability at a weekly rate.

The future is very bright and the books are looking lighter, with a smart approach to using what we have, and what me might have, players can come in a act as the backbone to a team needing propping and not overhaul.

McLeish away! Are we similar to the Browns? Can Shurmur unlock the Scots potential?

Randy Lerner has sent Alex McLeish to the US to exchange ideas/learn from Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur. The exchange will see Big Eck monitor a coach with similar troubles and pressures.

The Browns have had an average to poor season, haven’t excited too much and concerns about tactics have always been in question.
Though both managers share similar sporting disappointments there is one clear difference to their style; Shurmur has the fortitude to share examples of his own failures and recognise his development potential.

Comments from Shurmur such as,

"We have to play smarter" and “We can't be our own worst enemy. That's an important thing to learn.” 

echo in the opinionated minds of Aston Villa fans; McLeish so rarely criticises his team and is yet to recognise his own mistakes with tangible actions.

The recent Man City defeat was an apt example of Aston Villa’s play this season and even post match questions to McLeish exampling his lack of attacking ambition did little to encourage the manager to recognise his errors.

“I thought the players executed the plan really well and the discipline was fantastic”.

“We were never going to go gung-ho against City because we just don’t have the players to do that.”

Dwight Yorke politely disagreed with McLeish in the post match analysis and his studio colleagues offered no disagreement to the Villa legend.

This has been a problem with McLeish, he has little faith in his own players and even less in his tactical aptitude.

But why send McLeish  to the US? Match reports suggest the managers shared similar problems and a critical article from the Bleacherreport compounds the fans opinions.

'The team was terrible, especially on offense where he was the man in charge. The play-calling—his play-calling—was confusing, boring, unimaginative, and ultimately unsuccessful. All in all he looked lost many times trying to run the team.'
(http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1001827-pat-shurmur-hot-seat-ranking-the-hcs-biggest-blunders-in-2011)

The similarities in on-field play are agonisingly close but structurally they probably end there, Shurmur had little off-season, no offensive coach and limited offensive talent whereas McLeish had a whole pre season, a selection of coaching staff, old and new, and two England International strikers, one with a tremendous league record. 

Presumably he also had scout report from his most recent Premiership adventure if he did want to add any potentials.

So what can such a fresh coach teach the wise Scot?

Shurmur has gone through fan turmoil but through honest appraisals and some experimentation he seems to have won supporters over in a way that mirrors McLeish’s much slower progression.

Shurmur is able to reflect on his own management technique, something McLeish has shown little of; on his coaching technique, play calling and staffing Shurmur is quoted as saying,

"More than anything, I think what it will do is allow me to just step back and look down on some things and some areas that I may to be able to contribute more"

McLeish on the other hand has had many years as a manager, he has at his disposal a much respected Kevin McDonald as coach and a less loved Peter Grant as assistant but is neither able to use them beneficially or take a step back to work out where he/they are not contributing enough, or contributing too much.

Shurmurs inexperience may be beneficial to the wise head of McLeish; and give him fresh perspective in changing old tactics/views and trying new ideas to improve team harmony. 

Something is awry at the club and rumours are Peter Grant is not a player favourite.

As well as coaching this is something that could apply to players; on 25 year old Colt McCoy Shurmur is supportive,

"I think he throws the ball well enough. There’s so much more that goes into playing quarterback than just pure arm strength. I think you’ve seen through the years examples of guys that No. 1 have had extremely strong arms and couldn’t succeed and guys who have been very efficient and had not very strong arms and have won a lot of games."

Like the Browns Aston Villa have their own talisman but unfortunately at 32 years old Petrov, who releases most play from midfield to attack, does not have the time to develop or the mentality to do so, and in his case it’s up to his manager to change the way he plays.

This is a problem that Shurmur faces when appointing an offensive coach; he needs to get the best for his team through McCoy and he realises his new starter needs support, games and the right tactic; most of which he has been given.

In soccer central midfield is much like the quarterback position and demands a real edge of team and enigmatic play, this season McCoy began his first Browns season as a starter (replacing Delhomme) and has found his plaudits and support. Senaca Wallace who has been a pro for 9 seasons is a steady replacement but when fit McCoy is much preferred.

Aston Villa also have their McCoy/Wallace combination in the way of Petrov/Gardner but they have only recently been a preferred partnership and Petrov is yet to be removed from the equation.

McCoy has spent the year learning his trade whereas Gardner has watched his elder youth colleagues get only odd minutes before crowd pressure forces the managers hand. 

In the case of Gardner it is difficult to see how fans didn't have an influence and they have been shown astute in their passion for him to get minutes. 'Barry for England' comes to mind.

As Aston Villa fans we will take any improvement we can get for our team whether it be a physical improvement for the players or a better ideas for team morale but what we really crave is a manager who recognises football and sport is evolving and so should he.

It seems both managers will be allowed to continue for another season and perhaps the cross in sports will develop their own managerial confidence. McLeish is now stepping to the edge of his technical box a little more which has been encouraging, and Shurmur is conscious that he may need someone to call some of his plays for him.

From my own perspective I hope McLeish looks at his own technique; he needs to fully assess the quality of his coaches, look at the type of decisions he makes/could make in game and see them as brave and not a gamble. He needs to work with his players to give them sustained chances, learn how to work with particular players to get the best of them in individual and team play and develop tactics that stifles teams instead of setting out a tactic to stifle them in the final third. 

Apart from Hutton he has done an good job in the transfer window, and even Hutton is beginning to look like he is a footballer; I firmly believe with reflection and support McLeish can do a great job for Aston Villa and like Shurmur he needs time and patience.

Aston Villa 0 - 1 Manchester City (12/02/2012)

With both managers feeling the pressure but only one in fear of backlash the score line may have been a positive for both managers; Aston Villa however failed to deliver any sort of competition for a swaggering Man City who coasted to victory to reclaim top spot in the Premiership.

Manchester City lined up with a decent team littered with players struggling for form or starts and Aston Villa lined up with Heskey on the right wing, Cuellar on the left and 10 men behind the ball, the end result was one of drab defensive football and a midfield battle Aston Villa never participated in.

From the first minute the two game plans were obvious, Aston Villa sat back lumping the ball to Heskey and Bent while Man City calmly plugged away in their defensive exercise.

Until the 88^th minute the match was barely a contest, but at least it became a game in the 76^th with the introduction of Stephen Ireland. Aston Villa were drab, predicable and defensive with no intent on pushing forward as a unit and taking a chance on matching Man City. Man City were fairly drab too but never really looked concerned by the Aston Villa tactics.

Aguero looked lively and shifted the Villa back line every time Man City moved into the final third; his shooting lacked the same class and Johnson who hit the post in the first 10minutes also followed that trend. In truth the game was about a controlled Man City backline including Kolarov and Zabaleta and smart midfield including Barry and Milner who made Petrov look inept and Gardner inexperienced. The Aston Villa midfield were not aided by awful tactics but Barry looked excellent and moved the ball to his teammates with ease in all parts of the pitch. 

When Villa did move forward Barry closed them down well and held a solid shape with De Jong.

Man City had a vast majority of the ball but it was a corner in the 62^nd minute that finally gave their away form the boost it needed. Man City always looked dangerous from corners and while Silva lacked through balls in open play his set piece delivery was stunning. Constantly under pressure Villa finally cracked from a back post inswinging corner from Milner, Barry met the ball and headed it across the box to a karate kicking Lescott who put the ball away cleanly.

Lescott in truth has a good game especially in attack where the childhood Villa fan had the Villains scrambling at every corner. For the goal he was helped by a confused Cuellar who instead of watching the ball ran across the box to where he thought it was going to land and Collins who wandered from his position to also close down the curing ball. Lescott was happy to accept his freedom in the box.

Freedom was something that Man City had on their left side; Albrighton was the pushing highline but also played as a wingback, he was left to chase many balls and was not aided in any way by a bungling Hutton who looked involved in the final third but lacking any defensive ability.

For Aston Villa the game came alive in the 88^th minute when McLeish encouraged his players to come forward but the late substitute N’Zogbia had little support from midfield and Albrighton had already been withdrawn. Late on Aston Villa had a couple of chances that did trouble Hart; especially a volley from Bent but it was too late and they had wasted their home advantage and Man City’s lack of away form.

Mancini would no doubt leave happier that his out of form players picked up a win but a post match interview McLeish showed he too was satisfied with his teams’ efforts.

Those Aston Villa efforts were directed to defence and three centre backs showed their intent; Albrighton played more like a returning defensive midfielder than a winger, Heskey who was great in defence offered no attacking ability and a dropping midfield left Keane frustrated in his last game and Bent completely isolated. Bent perhaps could have won many more headers with his back to goal but this was the Aston Villa ploy, hold the ball if possible and stifle the Man City possession. 

They did neither.

Aston Villa fans were no doubt expecting to concede a few more but like at Arsenal a few weeks ago Man City were there to be tested; unfortunately like the Villa team that came out in the second half of that clash at the Emirates they lacked managerial backing and any belief to win the game which ultimately made them look second rate.

The 100 odd Villa fans protesting McLeish may have been in the minority but after 88 minutes of uninspiring football and a self assured McLeish interview perhaps their numbers will swell.

Update - Dunne who was injured late on has a fractured clavicle and will be out for 2 months.

Manchester United 2 – 1 Liverpool (11/02/2012)

Two strong teams lined up in a game neither could afford to lose and it was Sir Alex who came out on top with his blend of youth, intelligence, experience and hard work.

In a game that started under an Evra/Suarez black fog and a lacking an ‘all clear’ handshake there was little animosity on the pitch and a sense of purpose from both teams.

Liverpool started the brightest and immediately pushed forward with Suarez and Kuyt running the channels well; unfortunately they were met by a staunch United defence and excellent tracking back from United’s attacking players who as soon as the game settled made both Liverpool strikers took fairly anonymous.

Wayne Rooney’s two goals in 3 minutes exemplified United’s killed instinct but the work of two of his teammates allowed move after move to find its way into the Liverpool half and Sky’s Man of the Match 

Rooney to play the game at his tempo.

Paul Scholes played a neat passing game that allowed a hardworking attacking outfit in front of him time and more importantly space to get onto the ball; a lesson for any central midfielder Scholes used his teammates to great effect and rarely misplaced a pass, or relied on the killer balls to get a move going. His body shape and control on the ball was only matched by Rooney who was devastating in all parts of the pitch and had Liverpool players scrambling.

The quality on show from both players only materialised because of their target man, channel running lone forward Welbeck who played magnificently and worked tirelessly to get himself all over the park, especially in the first half. In their own half Welbeck put Liverpool under huge amounts of pressure and allowed Giggs and Valencia to take their defensive duties seriously and time to get into attack.

This all amounted to a fairly average and stagnant performance from Liverpool who defended in numbers and failed to push United back until they changed to 442. Suarez looked full of purpose but he found it difficult to get any extra time on the ball and wasn’t helped by a slow passing midfield and dropping Gerrard.

Wayne Rooney who should have had a hat trick continually tested Liverpool in midfield and attack and looked comfortable with Scholes behind him and Valencia racing up in support. His first goal on 47mins typified his ability and Liverpool’s frailty, as a corner missed by everyone dropped to his right boot and allowed him to volley the ball past Reina with Johnson left stranded by Rooney's movement..

In the 50^th minute Rooney struck again as he was found by a fantastic Valencia who deftly played a ball into Rooney’s path allowing him to slide the ball in-between Reina’s legs. It typified United today who won many 50/50 balls and pressurised Liverpool in every part of the pitch.

On 80 minutes a Charlie Adam ball into the box and a mistake from Ferdinand, who was caught out by the flight of the ball, dropped to Suarez who duly tucked the ball past de Gea. Adam who came on with 15minutes to go allowed Liverpool a little more room and a better shape to force United back but ultimately the goal came out of nowhere and Liverpool did little to trouble United after that.

A well deserved victory for United that puts them top overnight and leaves Liverpool tittering on the edge of mediocrity.

Though United deserved the victory the game will be overshadowed by two tunnel incidences, a lack of handshake from Suarez (though Evra enjoyed the pantomime of it all), Ferdinand sticking up for this left back with the same gesture to Suarez, a foolish celebration and two passionate interviews from the opposing managers.

On the pitch the match was without incident and at the end of the day that was what mattered.

Alex McLeish - Thoughts and analysis

   As the season has developed McLeish has looked more assured and more comfortable rotating his team, he is however struggling to gel a few of his stars into the defensive force his pedigree illustrates.

An International centre back in his footballing career the anguish is obvious when teams attack his fragile Villa defence and he can only look on in disbelief as Villa defenders stray from their position and ready up the boo boys.

Big Eck as he is known has inherited an ageing stagnant defence that has little competition and a league position that cannot be experimented with. On paper the defence should offer a lot, two hugely experienced centre backs, a highly capped Scottish right back and a left back with strong Premiership experience, but in reality there seems to be a real struggle keeping out the opposition attackers and a lack of concentration that does little to help the sprawling defensive midfield.

He has options but they are in the way of youngsters with injury problems and little Premiership experience. Lichaj (right back) has returned from a long injury, Enda Stevens (left back) has only just arrived at the club, Baker (centre back) is untested and Clark (centre back) is filling in for the injured Herd as a defensive midfielder.

Carlos Cuellar has recently come in for Collins but looks every bit as fragile as his counterpart and just as frustrating a partner for Dunne; whose agitation on the pitch is evident as he plays at least 10minutes of the game covering his wandering colleagues.

   Big Eck has little to work with at the back and making drastic changes could create a downward league spiral that could remind him of his Birmingham City relegation days. Many Villa fans have been calling for Collins to be dropped for Cuellar, which didn’t work out spectacularly, or Clark to return to his favourite position and play alongside his Irish counterpart Dunne but for now the fragility of the whole team is clearly stopping McLeish from risking his younger potentials.

This issue probably arises from the fact McLeish is a centre back; he understands the importance of a consistent tight unit and is searching for just that (trust put in Hutton perhaps), but this ability to understand a defence may be hindering him to create a balance of players who play well together in the modern game and are not simply committed to getting players behind the ball.

  This could however be symptomatic of problems elsewhere especially in central midfield where there is little or no balance. In the last few games Petrov and Clark have played admirably with Petrov managing to sustain his fitness past 60minutes but they have offered little outlet in attack and found themselves almost sitting on their defence or playing within 10 yards of them. This defensive mentality helps get men behind the ball but it also allows attacking players time to commit two opposition players and create holes in an already confused Aston Villa backline.

The success and failure of Aston Villa probably relies on the dropping of their most consistent player; Petrov who has been magnificent for a few years does little wrong, he is however as ineffective as he is consistent and although he has incredible ability to keep the ball he also facilitates a slow game that usually ends up with him playing the safe, slow ball backward. Alongside him Clark has been covering for Herd but both have defensive midfield attitudes and lack the passing ability Petrov holds.

This is where McLeish is letting the team down, he has recently brought in Gardner but has been playing this central midfielder on the wing and not taking a gamble on a predictable Petrov.

   There has been little in the way of central midfield experiments and it has been detrimental to the defenders; especially those who are already making mistakes. Central midfield is rarely available to win 50/50 clearances, they stand on their defenders pushing them back or forcing them to commit and infrequently become high line supporting players on the counter.

Unfortunately this problem has to be with management, either the tactic is wrong or they are failing to identify problems the current central midfield is having. A mix is available with Bannan, Gardner and Delph all able to play midfield but none of them really show the defensive duty that Herd showed in his brief spell; and even then his partner Petrov only played a few yards ahead of him.

This issue in midfield is certainly causing the defence extra problems and is affecting the mentality of a usually calm Dunne who has been caught out of position a lot this season; usually because he covers his straying defenders.

This central midfield problem can be highlighted in every game since Robbie Keane arrived; the intelligent player is dropping into positions that usually win him the ball but spends a lot of time dropping into the places central midfield should be. What seems baffling is how often he comes back only to see the ball fly over his head and into a 4 defenders vs Darren Bent scenario. His remonstrating arms do little to change the momentum and central midfield seems vacant and lonely for the striker as he gestures furiously at the tea party still happening in the Villa half.

   In the last three games it seems McLeish has noted this and Villa have been playing with a much higher line, players are pressing and the defence is looking a little more comfortable. Newcastle who last week were lucky to steal all 3 points would most certainly agree, and most Villa fans, though disappointed, could see marked improvements in the way their team played as a unit.

Defensive issues still remain, Hutton needs a retreating winger, Warnock needs a midfielder to reduce the space attackers have in his defensive zone and Collins/Cuellar regularly need a dropping midfielder to play alongside Dunne.

The problem is either with the players or with the tactic, but adjustments are needed and consideration is needed for players to play their natural game.

Attack on the other hand has been hugely improved since the signing of Keane, and even before then Ireland was looking more dangerous and combined well with the likes of Bent and Albrighton. Agbonlahor has looked off form but close touch football and incisive passing on the opposite wing has created team chances in the final third.

Since losing Young and Downing the wings have been a problem for Aston Villa and Agbonlahor plays his best football up top; Albrighton has played sporadically and is now suffering a niggle, Bannan has not been thrust into a forward position with Heskey preferred on the flank and in the hole.

  There seems to be little attempt to truly test defences and McLeish has often reverted to a strong man back to goal model with onrushing supporting players.; unfortunately he doesn’t play the right supporting players to get the best of this, which is why Darren Bent has been playing just outside the centre circle in Heskey’s absence to allow Ireland and Keane on the ball. This lack of tenacity and determination makes the team predictable, as Martinez will testify with Moses sometimes it is good to play a player whose first thought is to go forward and wants to make and score goals. As exampled with N’Zogbia it seems McLeish does little to encourage him to beat the man and usually has him taken off for losing the ball too often or looking out of touch with his team mates.

Aston Villa must be wondering how to get the best from their stars but using Herd and Ireland as examples probably gives us a clue as to how he should manage his ‘underperforming’ stars.

Very different players they have benefitted from belief when the chips were down and a sustained amount of football in a supportive tactic. Herd was allowed to defend and Ireland has been allowed to play a free role for more than the usual two games that McLeish allows his less known players.

Albrighton has come in and looked good but is rarely allowed to grow into games and is left isolated or retreating a fair amount of time. A good link up player and one happy to take on the opposition he is given very little in the way of one touch play and has grown into games a lot earlier since playing close to Ireland and even Keane, McLeish rarely plays to his strengths and he is expected to formulate and create attacks while covering Hutton or Warnock, depending on which wing he is switched to.

N’Zogbia suffers this problem too; though a very different player with great footwork and strong upper body strength he rarely has an overlapping player to complement his want to draw in a defender and rarely crosses early; something that must be picked up by management. N’Zogbia has looked isolated too but usually of his own making, though he has lost the ball a lot this year he still wants it and is happy to cover to make up for his mistake. Instead of finding a supporting tactic, playing him wider (or as a forward) or continuing to show belief for a sustained period of time McLeish has dropped him or taken him off early.

He has tweeted he is unhappy and it isn’t really much a surprise for this enigmatic player.

   Over this season Big Eck has made many comments about his team that spoke truth, such as berating them for not being good enough at Spurs, but McLeish has made two comments that should concern most Villa fans, “I'm disappointed we didn't hold on” while 1 – 0 up at home to an injury plagued Everton, and against Newcastle on substituting Ireland "it was clear at half-time that he didn't have the capacity to get close to people. He had an ankle problem."

Everton are a difficult unit to break down but playing is your won half is no way to beat them and on Ireland, Petrov rarely has the ability to close down a player especially in the 70th minute but has been a consistent thorn in Aston Villa advancing forward.

Ireland on the other hand has really shown real commitment and defensively has been a different player; yes it was disappointing that he didn’t close down a cross that lead to a goal but Hutton makes this mistake at least 5 times a game and is punished fairly regularly, Warnock too misses tackles and leaves Dunne hugely exposed.

Ireland made life very difficult for Newcastle’s defence and his calmness on the ball was only matched by Keane who dropped out of the game after half time leaving Aston Villa looking fairly impotent. Bannan did a good job at linking up play but he has a long way to go and needs minutes to settle his desire to impress. McLeish has dealt with Bannan’s troubles well but the question of when he will get real minutes has been circulating for a while.

   Substitutions have been an issue for many Villa fans and McLeish has been making changes to some of his policies, such as using his youngsters earlier, but he still remains steadfast in his last 10minute sub tactic usually wasted with the likes of Heskey and not Weimann.

Recently we have seen McLeish happy to remove a lacklustre Agbonlahor and try some youngsters but much of this feels like crowd pressure and not shrewd decisions, a little like the eventual dropping of Heskey. Gardner has energy and determination to burn and is finally getting some sort of chance, even if on the right wing, Delph was smartly dropped and sent out on loan to regain his confidence but players such as the hard working Weimann were overlooked by an infrequently used Delfouneso, who has looked assuredly arrogant of his abilities even at Leicester. Burke and Williams have made the bench but it is baffling that a very assured looking and in-form Daniel Johnson continues to gain his experience watching more establish youngsters warm the bench and not with playing a few minutes here and there.

   McLeish and Grant clearly work well together and McLeish has been getting off the bench a little more instead of simply using Grant as his collaborator; but he needs to take more control. The board seem happy with the appointment and in truth Villa haven’t been any worse than under Houllier but as the season starts to conclude it has to be a concern to most Villa fans that new players will come in, the gelling period will continue and a season to test the younger stars will have vanished.

The answer is not easy but a radical approach to the way players get their chance needs to be established, younger players and those considered out of form need a real chance, tactics need to play to players strengths and the last 30 minutes of games should not be used to close out games, or improve how the tactic works they should change the tenacity of attack when down, or the way players are released from midfield when his team is in the lead. Gambles are needed, especially when so many of the squad have played together at youth and reserve level. Herd, Albrighton, Clark, Gardner, Johnson, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker and Delfouneso all know each other’s games but they rarely get a match to test their abilities, or 20minutes to chase a game.

   Aston Villa have showed quality in spurts; McLeish has helped some players develop and does deserve a proper transfer window to replace the less cohesive players but many recent seasons have been wasted, attendances are down and hopefully McLeish realises these next 6 months he can continue developing own his management technique as well as the experience of the next generation of Villa stars.

Aston Villa - Analysis

My short analysis on the main Aston Villa players and their general contribution to the team.

Players Analysis

Shay Given – Excellent goal keeper and stunning shot stopper but needs some protection from swinging crosses and the team benefits from a central midfield that pushes up to pick up rebounds from short clearances or 50/50 headers. Fairly quiet communicator.

Brad Guzan – Stronger communicator, good shot stopper, decent with crosses but lacks match practice. Solid and determined.

Alan Hutton – Quick and strong tackler who likes to get forward and overlap. Poor timing in the challenge, average in the air and poor positioning when anticipating defensive and attacking play; benefits from a covering winger. Links up well with wingers but does lack the confidence to play incisive pass and move football and put in accurate crosses.

Stephen Warnock – Decent passing ability with a strong slide tackle and decent positioning. Does throw in rash tackles which means he is out of position but has the desire to get back and make up for his mistakes. Follows wingers and offers an outlet but prefers to cross from deep and pass back when he is near the opposition corner flag. Looking slow as the years progress in both physical attributes and in making right decisions but allows attacking team mates players a lot of space.

Carlos Cuellar – Quick, strong, good in the air but can seem a little slow reading and making decisions of the play developing around him. Decent footwork and is happy to have the ball at his feet but hasn’t had a run of games in any set position. Is sometimes prone to wandering from central defence but overall sticks close enough to his partner. Goes to ground for tackles as much as Collins but perhaps lacks the same timing.

James Collins – Strong in the air and likes to clear the ball when pressure is high. Comes out of defence a lot to pressure attacking players, in many cases creating huge holes in his backline  Collins has an excellent ability to block strikes and generally has good timing in his tackle, this cannot be said for his anticipation and he is easily caught out by quick interplay. Has a decent cross field pass but perhaps uses this poorly with the long straight ball which floats and gives the opposition time to reset.  Rarely disheartened but needs quick defenders around him to cover for his mistakes.

Richard Dunne – Despite losing some pace he has excellent awareness on the ball with decent first touch and ball control. Strong in the air, strong in the tackle and excellent at anticipating even the quickest strikers to keep himself goal side or in control of the play. Decent coming out with the ball and although he rarely uses it can be an incisive long passer. Sometimes scores own goals but this underlines his determination to defend and clear the ball at any cost. Benefits from a quick agile partner who can take orders well and cover his lack of pace.

Ciaran Clark – An intelligent centre back with midfield qualities, but not a midfielder; has benefited from playing with Petrov and shields the ball well. Strong enough in the tackle, decent feet and takes direction well but does need to improve his ability in the air as he sometimes anticipates the header poorly. Happy to drive forward with the ball, be part of passing play and be a nuisance in the box, either late in play or on set pieces. Sometimes his poor acceleration can cause him difficulties in midfield and his anticipation is developing but he shows signs of becoming a good Premiership player.

Chris Herd – Not enough seen really, he has good anticipation and a well timed tackle but can get stuck on the ball. Likes to push on and support attackers and isn’t afraid to play the ball forward and start a counter. Needs games to develop but he is determined in the defensive half and effective on the attack. In defence he appears decent in the air but in attack seems very motivated to win the ball from set pieces.

Stiliyan Petrov – Improved fitness but lost a lot of pace. Excellent passer of the ball but fragile in defence and a poor tackler. Well versed in winning free kicks, rarely loses the ball due to brilliant body shape and has an excellent anticipation of opposition player’s movements, however at times his fitness makes it difficult for him to keep up. Less inclined to pass forward and although his footwork is good he uses it to move backward rather than forward. An interesting clever player who adds little box to box tenacity to a midfield but a lot of experience; neither a defensive or attacking player. Consistently shows these attributes.

Stephen Ireland – Excellent passer, great interplay, happy to run with the ball and take players on but prefers to create rather than finish and will pass rather than shoot. A confidence player which explains his desire to pass and not shoot but someone who can be really effective if he has movement around him and players to play off.  When confident he admirably covers the pitch and will try his hardest to be play box to box. Not really a physical presence but has good feet and ability so is difficult to get the ball from. Fairly ineffective if players around him are static or has nobody to play sharp interplay with.

Barry Bannan – Lightweight but determined, good ball skills with a swagger of arrogance but a desire to work hard. Excellent passer on the floor, in the air and spotting killer balls. When he has space he relies on the killer ball a little bit too much but is very happy to drop deep or move forward in order to receive the ball. Always wants to be part of play and has a sweet left foot when he is on the edge of the box. Good free kick and corner taker but in play would benefit from someone alongside him that plays one touch football and another player running off him. Lacks the physical presence to defend but not the heart.

Marc Albrighton – Quick enough, good ability to turn players and move the ball away from defenders, has a dangerous early cross. When he has space he sometimes needs to grow into games and he does benefit from having someone supporting him that can release him or play quick football with. Good first touch and ability to bring the ball down but prefers to take the ball on the run, or use his first touch to get moving. Easily disposed of when marking close due to his size but he always wants the ball and always wants to take the defender on which in some games can make him unplayable. Needs management belief rather than personal confidence as he does have the quality to deliver an excellent ball from all angles. Top notch work rate and a willingness to cover and run for as long as he is on the pitch.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – Very quick, very strong and good body shape. Does have quick feet but perhaps poor decision making and poor anticipation of defending players. Rarely makes incisive movements up front but is happy to be part of team play. A decent crosser on both feet but not a natural, a good first time finisher but can be predictable when he has time. He can seem very despondent and look lazy on the pitch though this is probably down to poor reading/anticipation of the play around him. Rarely drops to get the ball deep and drive at defenders but will take on anybody down the wing or if he has space. Defensively he works as hard as anyone can but sometimes this causes him to be stuck in the defensive half and not realise he can be released to form a counter attack. While his crossing has developed over the years his positioning hasn’t particularly flourished and when on the wing looks less motivated than when up front.

Charles N’Zogbia – Skilful, clever and creative but sometimes likes to play with the ball rather than play with his team. Likes to take the ball forward with his first touch and brilliant at drawing a player in but sometimes look despondent when he fails to beat his defender. Enigmatic player who would benefit from learning to play with certain players in order to find space but he likes to have a ball as much as possible and show his skills. Excellent technique and when he fancies it is unplayable. Gets back and has strong upper body strength; happy to give away a free kick in midfield and drive at defenders on the counter but isn’t the quickest at top speed perhaps because he draws defenders in before beating them.

Darren Bent – Quick enough, decent feet and works hard to get back. Okay in the air from long balls but excellent in the box. A finisher who consistently hits the target but couldn’t really be considered consistently clinical and isn’t the strongest shooting from outside the box. Can look very isolated up front if he has no support but has improved hugely at returning deep to support the midfield. While not the quickest he is extremely sharp at getting in front of defenders or anticipating where the ball will go, or what the opposition may do. Makes life very difficult for defenders and his anticipation needs to be used through early and many crosses. Drags defenders away extremely well but sometimes needs to check around him to keep himself onside; through balls may aid him as he is always looking to turn and break forward. A goal scorer and not really a forward.

Aston Villa

Currently there isn’t really any fluidity in the way they play, Robbie Keane has helped bring Ireland into games and allowed the younger players to play alongside him with quick passing play. Younger players such as Albrighton and Bannan would benefit from playing more regularly and in the future Gardner could be an excellent central midfield prospect.

In attack central midfield is a problem that Aston Villa have, Petrov is an excellent player but he does slow the play which makes other attacking players turn back when they move too far from the player with the ball. Petrov is neither defensive or offensive but allows the most forward players time to get forward even if they are released a little slowly. A better midfielder partner, or pairing would help massively as players such as N’Zogbia, Agbonlahor or Albrighton break quickly. Albrighton especially likes to get play moving and involve supporting midfielder's.

Making use of crosses would definitely help Bent to score more regularly, the team often gets stuck in central midfield and although passing can be neat players are infrequently released early and the opposition is rarely on their heels.

In defence Dunne seems to have trouble coping with Collins charging from his position and isn’t helped by Hutton who can fail to anticipate his defensive responsibilities. Warnock closes players down well but this also causes Dunne problems on his side when he does miss a tackle. Though adept Warnock is still struggling to show his form from a few years ago but his passing has improved hugely; Hutton however is having real difficulty gelling. In the final third Hutton gives great support but he still looks lost in defence and in midfield.

The team rarely play attacking incisive football for long periods of time but when they do they look dangerous and mobile; on too many occasions their play is spoiled and they go into their shell to hold their position instead of playing through teams, this causes the defence to play long balls which is evidenced by the addition of Keane who drops between defence and midfield but regularly watches the ball fly over his head.

The recent addition of Keane has helped the attack use the space they find but the defence struggles to push up or remain solid which has them tracking back.

The biggest problem this season will be Keane leaving as he is a class above most players at getting into space, better play may come from the youth teams experience together or Keane’s experience but with Aston Villa teetering above the relegation vacuum they need to continue believing and playing football instead of going into their shell and holding their lead.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 – 3 Aston Villa (21/01/2012)

Sighs from both sides showed the fans know best as a cautious Aston Villa team came out with all three points thanks to the player that had Wolves fans fearing the worst.

Starting brightly Villa looked offensive and full of purpose; some loose passes from either side allowed some younger players to settle and the opening goal from a penalty on ten minutes delivered a black country present to the claret and blues.

Darren Bent did well to win the penalty and score the first goal, but it was a gift that he literally stole from the foot of Berra who went to kick the ball but instead connecting with Bents foot as he nipped in the steal the last touch.

Full of confidence some managers may have continued to push with a high midfield and linking Irishman but Aston Villa showed nerves and panic as they protected their lead and spent the next 35minutes pinging balls over Keane’s head. Clearly nobody had bothered to do their homework as an insightful Wolves went about slicing the Aston Villa defence apart and pulling their players from their positions thus allowing space past midfield and on the wings.

Clark at left back found Kightly impossible to track and was given no support by a disappointing Agbonlahor; Kightly made the most of his space and showed why the Wolves fans have been holding out so much hope for the injury prone winger. The warnings were not heeded and Kightly spent 45 minutes skipping past defenders, delivering quality crosses and corners and finding the back of the net. His lovely equalising goal for Wolves had a Villa backline stationary and full backs scrambling, Given couldn’t get down quickly enough and Kightly duly drove across the defence and found the corner of the net with a low curling shot.

The warning signs kept coming for the Villa as an excellent Kightly caused them problems in open play and serious issues from set pieces; ultimately Albrighton’s clearance off the line fomr a Wolves corner was an omen as Edwards headed the ball into the net from a Roger Johnson corner flick on. Wolves could have been 4 – 1 up at half time but they would have to settle for 2 – 1 as a beleaguered Aston Villa traipsed off the pitch with no doubt a managerial tirade coming their way.

Wolves came out unchanged but McLeish made a brave move by taking off Agbonlahor and putting on Warnock to quell the danger of Kightly. Clark goes to midfield, Albrighton to the left and Gardner moves to right wing. The second half starts the same with Aston Villa giving the ball away and Wolves teasing them with possession play.

In truth the second half didn’t really start for the Villa until Keane took control and Frimpong came off after Petrov kicked him in the eye; diving headers are for the brave. Keanes stunning on the turn shot curled past Hennesey and the Irishman bowed his head to the supporters as a gesture of respect. It was a great goal only surpassed by his stunning second and winner in the 84^th minute. Once again he showed great respect to the fans even after controlling the ball beautifully and lashing the winner into the net from 25yards.

Throughout the game Wolves played well but the problems at Aston Villa were evident; their fortune today came in the shape of two excellent solo strikes, the injury of Frimpong and the 76^th minute sending off of Henry for a stamp on Marc Albrighton.

Petrov played slow backward football, Gabby was ill (for the last 5 games perhaps) and Collins and Hutton made every attempt to give Wolves all the space and time they needed.

McCarthy was no doubt gutted that he took nothing; clearly today luck was against him and very much for the Villa. 

Wigan Athletic 0 - 1 Manchester City (16/01/2012)

A typically confident Martinez stood proudly as his Wigan team stepped onto the pitch to battle a strong Manchester City team; with Man City needing a win to pull clear again Wigan faced an uphill battle in a top vs. bottom clash..

As the game began Wigan seemed off the pace and in the 4th minute saw a glimpse of things to come when Dzeko, who was strong in the air all night headed just past the post. The away team only needed to wait until  the 22nd minute for him to make up for that miss when an excellently placed glancing header flashed past Al-Habsi and found its way into the corner of the net. 

Martinez will no doubt be furious as a smart Dzeko was allowed to wander about ignored and come back from an offside position just before the set piece from Silva was struck. 

This ultimately gave him the edge over the Wigan defenders who were mostly looking forward unable to see where Dzeko was going to spring from; a great ball made things even simpler but a brilliant headed nonetheless.

After that Wigan used the ball well but some good covering play meant they were relying on individual skill and not team support. Moses caused the Man City back line the most trouble and regularly used his pace and strength to manoeuvre past opposition players, Rodallega however seemed frustrated at the lack of quick return balls but added very little when he did get the ball at his feet.

The game became very open in the second half and this was almost Wigan's undoing; an annoyed Aguero danced through the Wigan defence before Dzeko stole his shot and tested Al-Habsi with a limp effort; Mancini also had a part to play when Figueroa misjudged a header on the half way line and proceeded to stop the ball with his hand. Mancini threw his arm in the air suggesting the ref should have given a red; he might have been right but it really wasn't his place to say.

Al-Habsi made a string of saves throughout the match and showed why a few clubs were after him at when the season began; he definitely wasn't helped by Caldwell who gave the ball away on a number of occasions.

Wigan tested Man City throughout the second half with a battling display or pressing football and brilliant determination but the link that allowed them to play past the high line; or dropping attackers didn't really pay in the final third and crosses either hit the first defender or were hit low. 

Stam could have changed the game for the home team but blew his opportunities to put the ball in early or kept hitting the first defender. 

The introduction of Watson and Di Santo pushed Man City back further with the latter looking cumbersome and poor in the air; Watson controlled the midfield well and was at the heart of many late quality Wigan moves; McManaman came on late and also showed he had some ability with simple passing and good drive with the ball.

Ultimately this was Man City's day; Wigan played well but need someone to help the ball into the box if they are going to stay in the Premier League, Man City of course showed everyone that in any given moment they can turn defence into attack, especially with Aguero on the pitch but the loss of Toure is one Man City are struggling to come to terms with; this weekends game against Tottenham should be fascinating but for now Mancini will be happy he left the DW with all 3 points.

Newcastle United 1 - 0 QPR (15/01/2012)

Mark Hughes was the centre of attention but two less popular sorts in Best and Guthrie made his first game in charge a little harder than he'd have liked.

QPR started brightly but lacked midfield support and found themselves with early chances but nothing to show from them. They hit the woodwork twice in the first half and pushed on well; unfortunately a lot of their attacks came from a quick Shaun Wright Phillips carrying the ball, or some excellent but lofty passes by Buzsaky; this allowed Newcastle to get back into position and while they were threatened never looked too concerned after the early flurry, especially with an excellent Krul behind them.

Shaun Derry's slow witted tackle on Cabaye saw the midfielder injured and this was the future of Derry's game. He looked off the pace throughout and this created time for the Newcastle players to eventually take control of the game. 

Jamie Mackie looked in excellent form and continued to make strong runs through the centre of midfield, unfortunately at times the rest of his team acted like onlookers rather than supporting players and by this time Guthrie came into his own and silently closed and broke down many QPR attacks.

In the 37th minute a solid Taylor dug the ball out with a nice pass and Leon Bests well taken goal sent Paddy Kenny the wrong way. 

QPR had better use of the ball in the first half but once again the fortress that was St James Park stayed firm. The second half saw QPR continue to play attacking football but Ameobi managed to slow the game up front and allowed the Newcastle midfielders to push QPR back.

Ben Arfa who had come on for Cabaye continued to test the QPR defensive players with excellent footwork and passing ability but showed he is lacking match fitness in the last 15 minutes as he laboured about the park a little.

QPR's Mackie took more responsibility with the ball was but ultimately left alone as Newcastle broke up attacks and  used the ball well. Apart from the first 25mins when QPR had new manager syndrome and Bothroyd, Buzsaky and Wright Phillips made space with individual skill Newcastle took the points in the way a solid team does.

The Championship Manager (now Football Manager) story that Pardew is living continues and his shrewd purchases continue to come good. Hughes must be gutted as QPR deserved something from the match but then again going to the now Sports Direct Arena has never been an easy task for anyone.

Aston Villa 1 - 1 Everton (14/01/2012)

As the teams lined up there was a silence amongst the fans that gave us no clue the match was about to begin. The 27,000 Aston Villa fans were clearly expecting the worst and in the main the team didn't disappoint.

In the first half drab football from the home team and a high line by the away team just made things worse and as the second half whistle blew friends were still chatting to each other.

The first half saw Everton pushing on and playing the ball through midfield with good confidence. An intelligent Petrov and defensive Clark stayed back and found it difficult to come forward with the ball, or receive it in the opposition half.

Fellaini however was enjoying the defensive Villa midfield and played balls straight between, or across them. Everton used the wingers well and the insightful running of Landon Donovan dragged defending players out of position giving his team mates a lot of room. Good defensive support from Drenthe neutralised Albrighton as a threat, Gibson looked out of practice and Cahill isn't a striker but yet Everton still made things very difficult for the Villa back line.

At the other end Bent was dragging defenders very well but his passing was woeful as Aston Villa spurred many counter attacks and rarely troubled Everton. The first half also saw a poor Alan Hutton getting away with a penalty; it was a good job Saha made contact with the ball; Hutton might not have been so lucky if Saha had missed it all together.

Slow passing from Villa, no desire to play one touch football and a quiet Agbonlahor summed up the first half, one which Everton easily won but couldn't put the ball into the back of the net. (despite Warnock trying the most ridiculous back pass ever)

The second half saw a shift of momentum, but only until the 56 minute when Bent scored a great tap in. I say great because Aston Villa showed no signs of effort until that is Albrighton got his wish to play sharp, one touch football. Not blessed with amazing physical attributes he worked well with Ireland to move the ball around quickly and create space against backward running defenders. This proved the reason for the goal as an Albrighton cross caused trouble in the box and Ireland was able to take advantage of a loose ball and cross for Bent to tap in.

At this point perhaps Aston Villa would have been better to try and seal the game rather than protect the lead but they returned to the slow, safe football that ultimately cost them.

Landon Donovan who had played excellently continued to stand out from his team mates; a now yellow carded Fellaini looked quiet but his simple passing was allowing play to move forward; unlike the backward passing Petrov. Donovan ghosted past players with ease and an excellent pass through the middle of Dunne and Warnock (Collins had typically charged forward to make a tackle) found Anichebe who slotted the ball away nicely. Albrighton was sure he had kept Anichebe offside but that is why he is a right winger and not a left back.

The rest of the game saw Aston Villa push forward always looking vulnerable to the Everton counter; they stopped using their wide men and the very late introduction of Keane continued to show their ineptness as a slow Keane found space but had nobody to support him.

A fair result and a good one for Everton who played with midfielders in every part of the pitch but still managed to look the team with the better understanding of their game.