England's young side managed to see off Germany 2-1 in Berlin last night, with the highlight of my evening being Gabriel Agbonlahor's impressive display on his debut.
Gabby has received much praise in all of the morning papers and deservedly so. He was a constant threat to the Germany defence and whilst he didn't score, he did enough to convince fans that he is capable of partnering Wayne Rooney in next years World Cup Qualifiers.
Ashley Young did make it onto the pitch late in the second half but failed to really make an impact with not long left. I must say I question Capello's decision to pick Downing ahead of him. But Downing did do well and as any Villa fan will tell you; Young will get his chance.
Finally, a quote from the Times on Gareth Barry's performance. Something that makes me so pleased to read having watched him at Villa Park for a decade...
'The mark of a decent midfield player? You hardly notice them when they are present and you miss them grievously when they are not - a category that Gareth Barry fits comfortably into.'
England's international future is looking bright. And it makes me proud as a Villa fan to know that part of this reason is due to the young, home-grown talent provided by the claret and blue army.
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Sunday, 16 November 2008
Villa stars make Germany squad...
Fabio Capello has named his squad for Wednesday's friendly with Germany, with England regular Gareth Barry being joined by three of his Aston Villa team mates.
Curtis Davies, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbolahor have all been included in the squad after months of being overlooked.
Whilst I do worry that they may struggle to retain their places for competitive games, I can only congratulate them and hope they take advantage of this fantastic and thoroughly deserved opportunity.
Curtis Davies, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbolahor have all been included in the squad after months of being overlooked.
Whilst I do worry that they may struggle to retain their places for competitive games, I can only congratulate them and hope they take advantage of this fantastic and thoroughly deserved opportunity.
Arsenal 0 - 2 Aston Villa
What an afternoon at the Emirates!
Arsenal seem to be one of those teams that the Villa seem to never be able to beat. Manchester United are the same, but at least we always put up a fight against them regardless of the score. However in the years that I have watched the claret and blue army play against the gunners, I am yet to see a performance worthy of even a point. Until now.
I feared that it may be one of those afternons and as Ashley Young missed his penalty, the score remained at 0-0 with less that 45 minutes to. I will admit that even though we were the better team, ther was an ever-present feeling of pesimism.
This is why walking away with a 2-0 victory isn't just a historic win for the Villa but one that proves we are still in the running for a top four finish. The past couple of games have been dissapointing but what a way to bounce back. Arsenal's form of late has been up and down but in my opinion, this was more a case of us making it physically impossible for them to play their football.
So we look forward to next week and a huge game against Manchester Unites that gives us the oppurtunity to prove we are serious contenders to break the top four and live up to the expectations of fans, players and pundits alike.
Arsenal seem to be one of those teams that the Villa seem to never be able to beat. Manchester United are the same, but at least we always put up a fight against them regardless of the score. However in the years that I have watched the claret and blue army play against the gunners, I am yet to see a performance worthy of even a point. Until now.
I feared that it may be one of those afternons and as Ashley Young missed his penalty, the score remained at 0-0 with less that 45 minutes to. I will admit that even though we were the better team, ther was an ever-present feeling of pesimism.
This is why walking away with a 2-0 victory isn't just a historic win for the Villa but one that proves we are still in the running for a top four finish. The past couple of games have been dissapointing but what a way to bounce back. Arsenal's form of late has been up and down but in my opinion, this was more a case of us making it physically impossible for them to play their football.
So we look forward to next week and a huge game against Manchester Unites that gives us the oppurtunity to prove we are serious contenders to break the top four and live up to the expectations of fans, players and pundits alike.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Two defeats in two for the mighty Villa...
Something I haven't mentioned on this blog yet is that I am a very, very sore loser at the best of times. I am an even worse loser when there is so much potential that isn't being fulfilled. I am an even worse loser still when there are not one, but two opportunities to break the top four and Aston Villa manage to waste both of them.
Okay, we are doing well in the Uefa Cup. And we still sit fifth in the Premiership even with the two defeats. But we are still supposed to be the favourite club to get into that top four and how are we ever going to do that if we can't deliver consistently?
That is the thing that Villa have always lacked. Consistency. And whilst I am going to remain optimistic, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come from Martin O'Neill's men. It's the Newcatles and the Middlesbroughs that we really need to be beating if we want the games against teams like Arsenal and Manchester United (our next two fixtures) to count for something.
Okay, we are doing well in the Uefa Cup. And we still sit fifth in the Premiership even with the two defeats. But we are still supposed to be the favourite club to get into that top four and how are we ever going to do that if we can't deliver consistently?
That is the thing that Villa have always lacked. Consistency. And whilst I am going to remain optimistic, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come from Martin O'Neill's men. It's the Newcatles and the Middlesbroughs that we really need to be beating if we want the games against teams like Arsenal and Manchester United (our next two fixtures) to count for something.
Friday, 7 November 2008
Aston Villa v FC Hafnarfjordu slideshow
As you may know, this blog is part of my university course. We have been asked to create a slide show which I have done on this game.
Apologies that the game was a while back, but I found some pretty good photos. And as it was our first European game in seven years, this can be seen as a celebration of that...
Apologies that the game was a while back, but I found some pretty good photos. And as it was our first European game in seven years, this can be seen as a celebration of that...
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Newcastle 2 - 0 Villa. Oh dear!
Given my last post was a very long rant about Newcastle United and the way the club is run, I do believe that I am now going to have to order myself a huge slice of humble pie.
I cannot believe that I have made myself look so foolish on my own blog, however can only praise Newcastle for their performance, say 'well done' and that they deserved it.
The first-half was Villa's. We bossed it and should have taken the lead through either Martin Laursen or Gabby Agbonlahor. Unfortunately both failed to break the deadlock but don't worry; there is always the second half...
Dominated by Newcastle, the Villa looked not even a shadow of the side that has started this season so brightly. The opportunity to go third was there and we blew it. This taking nothing away from Newcastle who made it hard to tell whether the Villa's game had dropped or their game had suddenly picked up. But they capitalised on every poor aspect of our game in order to take all three points courtesy of a brace from Obafemi Martins.
Perhaps I was being ignorant yesterday. Caught up in Newcastle's results but ignoring their performances. Perhaps I was being arrogant and got carried away with Villa's excellent start. Or perhaps once I had written a blog so devastating, it was always going to come back and haunt me.
I'm still unconvinced by Joe Kinnear because with a team like Newcastle's, the potential has always been there. And I would like to point out Joey Barton's needless touching up of Agbonlahor's face followed by a pretty awful tackle. However for the rest of the team that fought so hard and proved they're not down just yet, I congratulate you.
I cannot believe that I have made myself look so foolish on my own blog, however can only praise Newcastle for their performance, say 'well done' and that they deserved it.
The first-half was Villa's. We bossed it and should have taken the lead through either Martin Laursen or Gabby Agbonlahor. Unfortunately both failed to break the deadlock but don't worry; there is always the second half...
Dominated by Newcastle, the Villa looked not even a shadow of the side that has started this season so brightly. The opportunity to go third was there and we blew it. This taking nothing away from Newcastle who made it hard to tell whether the Villa's game had dropped or their game had suddenly picked up. But they capitalised on every poor aspect of our game in order to take all three points courtesy of a brace from Obafemi Martins.
Perhaps I was being ignorant yesterday. Caught up in Newcastle's results but ignoring their performances. Perhaps I was being arrogant and got carried away with Villa's excellent start. Or perhaps once I had written a blog so devastating, it was always going to come back and haunt me.
I'm still unconvinced by Joe Kinnear because with a team like Newcastle's, the potential has always been there. And I would like to point out Joey Barton's needless touching up of Agbonlahor's face followed by a pretty awful tackle. However for the rest of the team that fought so hard and proved they're not down just yet, I congratulate you.
Monday, 3 November 2008
Aston Villa's trip to the Toon...
Aston Villa travel to St. James' Park tonight to take on a Newcastle team that suddenly seems to be being praised more than anything following their dismal start to the season.
I have always liked Newcastle, despite my second team being Sunderland courtesy of my father, but in recent years there can be no denying that the club has become a bit of a farce.
Such a proud area, with tremendous fans, an impressive stadium and legends connected with the club such as Sir Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer and.. Warren Barton. Yet they seem to be doing their best to ruin all that.
I am writing this blog after reading all of the praise that Martin O'Neill has been giving Joe Kinnear and Joey Barton. I am very sorry to any Newcastle United or football fan who may not like this, but I simply disagree with it all.
Sure, Newcastle have improved of late. Slightly. They have earned a couple of better results and are starting to play with a bit more confidence however correct me if I am wrong, do they not still sit bottom of the Premier League?
Joe Kinnear is an old school manager who apparently did well at Wimbledon. I remember Wimbledon from when I was younger and despite what state they were in when he took over, I never remember them being anything but a relegation-battling side year-in-year-out. Football has advanced so much over the past decade and in my opinion Joe Kinnear is guilty of not moving with the times. He proved this with that ridiculous press conference. It wasn't only his language that leads me to believe he has no idea what he is doing, but the fact that most of what he said was utter rubbish. He hadn't even read the stories about him properly and even if he had that was no way to go about responding to them.
Now on to Joey Barton.
Barton is a fantastically talented footballer. Since going professional he will have had it all handed on a plate to him; money, respect and admiration. But unfortunately Joey Barton is also an idiotic thug and nothing more. I am all for players earning second chances, but it just seems like no matter how many goals he scores or how well he plays at Newcastle, in my opinion he has had one 'fresh start' too many. Court case after court case, one contraversy after another and a disciplinary record that in my opinion loses him the right to an easy life as a professional footballer.
By writing this I am perhaps tempting fate. Barton will probably go and bury the Villa tonight; bag himself a hat-trick then get replaced by Joe Kinnear who rounds off the win with an emphatic finish, before revealing a celebratory shirt that reads 'F*ck you Shaun Staff'.
But I very much doubt it.
I have always liked Newcastle, despite my second team being Sunderland courtesy of my father, but in recent years there can be no denying that the club has become a bit of a farce.
Such a proud area, with tremendous fans, an impressive stadium and legends connected with the club such as Sir Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer and.. Warren Barton. Yet they seem to be doing their best to ruin all that.
I am writing this blog after reading all of the praise that Martin O'Neill has been giving Joe Kinnear and Joey Barton. I am very sorry to any Newcastle United or football fan who may not like this, but I simply disagree with it all.
Sure, Newcastle have improved of late. Slightly. They have earned a couple of better results and are starting to play with a bit more confidence however correct me if I am wrong, do they not still sit bottom of the Premier League?
Joe Kinnear is an old school manager who apparently did well at Wimbledon. I remember Wimbledon from when I was younger and despite what state they were in when he took over, I never remember them being anything but a relegation-battling side year-in-year-out. Football has advanced so much over the past decade and in my opinion Joe Kinnear is guilty of not moving with the times. He proved this with that ridiculous press conference. It wasn't only his language that leads me to believe he has no idea what he is doing, but the fact that most of what he said was utter rubbish. He hadn't even read the stories about him properly and even if he had that was no way to go about responding to them.
Now on to Joey Barton.
Barton is a fantastically talented footballer. Since going professional he will have had it all handed on a plate to him; money, respect and admiration. But unfortunately Joey Barton is also an idiotic thug and nothing more. I am all for players earning second chances, but it just seems like no matter how many goals he scores or how well he plays at Newcastle, in my opinion he has had one 'fresh start' too many. Court case after court case, one contraversy after another and a disciplinary record that in my opinion loses him the right to an easy life as a professional footballer.
By writing this I am perhaps tempting fate. Barton will probably go and bury the Villa tonight; bag himself a hat-trick then get replaced by Joe Kinnear who rounds off the win with an emphatic finish, before revealing a celebratory shirt that reads 'F*ck you Shaun Staff'.
But I very much doubt it.
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