Aston Villa 1-1 Swansea City match report Saturday 28th December 2013

Aston Villa’s barren spell finally came to an end after they picked up their first point in five matches against a Swansea City side which totally dominated the match.

Gabriel Agbonlahor’s seventh minute strike was cancelled out by Roland Lamah’s 36^th minute reply and despite having 73% possession, the Swans just could not find the final killer strike – a point reflected on afterwards by manager Michael Laudrup.

“We lost two points as we should have scored more goals with all the possession we had,” he said.

The home team netted first as striker Andreas Weimann burst through the centre of the park and slotted a pinpoint pass through the Swansea defence ball to strike partner Gabriel Agbonlahor 35 yards from goal. The Villa captain drove forward and tucked the ball through the legs of Swansea keeper Gerhard Tremmel to score Villa's first goal in front of the home fans since November 9th.

However as soon as that goal went in Swansea slowly began to claw their way back into the match  and completely dominated the rest of the first half, Ben Davies heading over when it looked easier to score from six yards out. Influential midfielder Jonjo Shelvey ran the show for the visitors and the former Liverpool midfielder was instrumental in the equaliser on 36 minutes when he swung a fine pass to the left hand side of the box. Returning wide man Pablo Hernandez beat Villa defender Matthew Lowton and floated a fine cross to the far post where Roland Lamah rose highest to nod in his first goal for the Swans.

From then on in it was the team from Wales who dominated the game with Shelvey and partner Jonathan De Guzman in control of the midfield area but despite all the possession they couldn't find a winner and both teams were both happy to settle for a point each as the clock ticked down.

Both managers rued the loss of important players and Swans boss Laudrup said he couldn’t rule out delving into the upcoming January transfer market with star striker Michu out for a long spell with injury and his team not scoring enough goals in recent matches.

Villa manager Paul Lambert remained optimistic as ever about his team’s performance and praised their work rate. He said his problems weren’t helped by the loss of the ‘spine’ of his team thanks to injuries to Christian Benteke, Ron Vlaar and Jores Okore.

When asked about the recent managerial sackings in the Premiership Lambert said he did not feel secure in his job despite having reassurances from owner Randy Lerner. “We are a million miles from where I want to be but I spoke to Randy last night and he supports what I am trying to do,” he said.

Aston Villa 0-1 Crystal Palace match report Thursday 26th December 2013

Dwight Gayle struck a superb curling effort in injury time to grab a vital three points which move Crystal Palace out of the bottom three but leave Aston Villa closer to the drop.

 The game looked to be heading for stalemate when Gayle was sent clear on the left by Palace full-back Dean Moxey. With only Villa midfielder Fabian Delph to beat, the 24-year-old second half substitute skipped inside on his right foot and curled a sumptuous effort into the top right corner leaving Villa ‘keeper Brad Guzan completely helpless.

 The 1 – 0 win means Palace move out of the relegation zone while for Aston Villa on a run of four straight defeats, the danger zone moves ever closer. The 37,000 home fans were quick to vent their anger at both the Villa team and manager Paul Lambert who left the pitch to a loud chorus of boos.

 The first half was poor with both teams struggling to create chances and both goalkeepers having little to do. The second half was a little more lively with former Villa player Barry Bannan forcing a fine save from Guzan and team-mate Jason Puncheon failing to capitalise on two very good opportunities.

 Palace boss Tony Pulis sent on Gayle and Moxey and the two substitutes combined for the winner which was a quick counterattack after Villa pushed men forward in a desperate attempt to try and secure the spoils.

 Villa have struggled to carve out openings in recent matches and two half chances from striker Andreas Weimann and a late header by substitute Jordan Bowery were the best they could muster.

 After the game Villa boss Paul Lambert said the fans had a right to vent their anger after his team’s current run of poor results which leave Villa just three points above the relegation zone. “The only way to bounce back is by winning," he said.

 “It’s a challenge I am not going to wilt under. I’ve never wilted. It’s a fight and I’m gonna fight it. I’m not going away from it.”

 Palace manager Tony Pulis praised his team who he said worked very hard to a man but with Manchester City next, he said it was too early to get carried away.

 

West Browich Albon 1-1 Hull City match report Saturday 21st December 2013

Managerless West Bromwich Albion scraped a much-needed point against Hull City with a late debut goal from on-loan striker Matej Vydra.

Steve Bruce’s Tigers side looked to have taken all three points until the 86^th minute when a slick move between Baggies players Shane Long and Zoltan Gera sent Vydra clear and the Czech player slotted home coolly from eight yards out.

After the game Bruce said he was disappointed his Hull team did not hold out for all three points after on-loan midfielder Jake Livermore had given the visitors the lead in the 28^th minute following excellent work by team-mate Danny Graham.

All of the pre-match gossip around The Hawthorns was speculation on who would take over the manager’s job following the shock departure of Steve Clarke. In the meantime, the task of lifting the Baggies up the table after a run of four straight defeats fell on caretaker boss Keith Downing.

Like his predecessor, Downing named a defensive line-up with Ben Foster back in goal after a four month lay-off and James Morrison replacing Claudio Yacob. However, just as in their previous home game against Norwich City, Albion found themselves a goal behind after 28 minutes. When a claim for a foul on Albion midfielder Morrison was turned down by referee Jon Moss on the leftt edge of the Hull box, the Baggies players were still protesting when the ball was pumped downfield to Graham who held things up until Livermore ran past him on the right hand side of the penalty box and slotted his slick pass under the advancing Foster.

West Brom offered little in the first half and Downing decided to start the second period by introducing England under-21 sensation Saido Berahino for the ineffectual Scott Sinclair. Hull sat back and invited the home team to attack and Berahino forced a fine save from Hull ‘keeper Allan McGregor who was happy to deflect away a powerful left foot shot from the striker.

At the other end England goalkeeper Foster kept his team in the game after a fantastic double save from first Tom Huddlestone and then Ahmed Elmohamady.

The Hull defence supported by the excellent Huddlestone in defensive midfield looked impenetrable until the 82^nd minute when the fortress was finally breached. A killer ball down the right by Baggies midfielder Youssouff Mulumbu was collected by striker Shane Long – the target of a £5 million pound bid by Hull on transfer deadline day – and the Irishman laid the ball back to substitute Zoltan Gera on the right of the box. The midfielder flicked a perfect pass into the path of substitute Matej Vydra on the left of the penalty spot and the striker slotted the ball into left side of the goal much to the relief of the thousands who had forsaken the Christmas shopping to see their Albion team.

After the game caretaker boss Downing said he had no intention of going for the manager’s job full-time even though he admitted he had enjoyed his 90 minutes in the hot seat. “In the second period the players responded well and showed some heart. It was a well-worked goal and I'm pleased for Matej Vydra," he said.

Aston Villa 0-3 Manchester United match report Sunday 15th December 2013

Manchester United’s recent dip in form came to an end in a comfortable 3-0 win over Aston Villa thanks to a double by Danny Welbeck and a rare goal by Tom Cleverly.

Manager David Moyes said his team’s performance was ‘much more like it’ as they cruised past a Villa team that offered little in what proved to be an easy afternoon for United goalkeeper David De Gea.

Welbeck’s first goal on 15 minutes came from a throw-in tight against the right hand touchline. Rafael De Silva threw the ball to Antonio Valencia who flicked the ball towards the right hand corner and from the tightest of angles, Rafael crossed the ball which was met by the unmarked Adnan Januzaj. His powerful header hit the left hand post and was turned in by Welbeck from six yards out.

Januzaj thought his chance had come three minutes later when the ball was whipped in from the right by Valencia. But just as the young Belgian winger was about to pounce, Welbeck nipped in front to poke the ball home again for his second poacher’s finish.

The game was over seven minutes into the second half when Villa once again gave the ball away from their own throw-in on the United right. A one-two between Yacuba Sylla and Antonio Luna was miscued which allowed Wayne Rooney to intercept. The England striker powered into the box and slid the ball to the right were Cleverly tucked the ball inside Brad Guzan's left hand post for his first goal in a year.

The second half saw the long awaited return of United midfielder Darren Fletcher who received a thunderous welcome from both his own fans and some of the Villa supporters after being out for a long spell with a chronic bowel problem. Every pass from the Scot was met with a loud cheer and it was clear Fletcher was delighted to be playing again.

United boss Moyes said Fletcher was an inspiration to others who have suffered career threatening problems. "To people who do have illnesses, it says to keep going and believing, and Darren has done that. I thought when he came on it looked like he had never been away.”

Aston Villa’s topsy turvy winter period continued with little for the 42,000 plus crowd to cheer about. Despite a bright start they seemed to run out of ideas very quickly and were left to chase the game without really threatening the United goal.

Striker Christian Benteke had another off day and was replaced by Libor Kozak but Villa manager Paul Lambert was quick to defend the Belgian saying he would get over his fallow period which stretches back to September.

Lambert said he was more disappointed by the way his team gave the ball away. “The first goal was poor as we should have stopped the cross and the second and third goals, we were in possession before they scored,” he said.

West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Norwich City match report Saturday 7th December

Norwich ended their dismal run of results with a convincing 2 – 0 victory which plunged Steve Clarke’s West Bromwich Albion side closer to the relegation zone.

Leroy Fer and Gary Hooper grabbed the goals in a perfect away day win which saw The Canaries climb above The Baggies for the first time this season.

West Brom dominated the game but simply couldn’t fine the net while Norwich made the most of their limited openings, scoring twice out of three chances.

For thirteen minutes, the home team were on top and looked odds-on to take the lead but Norwich broke the deadlock with a classic counter attack. Leroy Fer broke up an attack in the middle of the park before slipping a pinpoint pass through the West Brom back four to Gary Hooper on the right hand side of the box. The former Celtic striker powered the ball into the left hand corner of the net across goalkeeper Boaz Myhill much to the delight of the travelling Norwich fans and co-owner Delia Smith.

The home team responded with wave after wave of attack but they all faded out in and around the six-yard box. The best chance fell to midfield dynamo Stephane Sessignon early in the second half but the Benin player pushed the ball wide of the left hand post when it looked easier to score.

Norwich weathered the storm and hit West Brom once again with a killer counter in the 89^th minute. Nathan Redmond collected the ball in midfield and played a quick ball to the left where Fer easily turned Baggies defender Diego Lugano to wrong foot Myhill inside his right hand post.

The full time whistle was greeted with a chorus of boos from the angry home fans clearly frustrated at the decision to play two defensive midfield players and one striker against a team who have conceded 22 goals in their last five games. After the match Baggies boss Steve Clarke said he was disappointed to lose his second home game on the trot.

“We created enough chances but could not get the goal that would change the game in our favour,” he said.

Canaries boss Chris Hughton said his team played well and praised performances from his goal scorers Fer and Hooper and the hard work of Nathan Redmond. After a turn-around in form for both teams, Norwich now sit two points above West Brom who now linger two points above the relegation zone in 15^th position.

West Bromwich Albion 2-3 Manchester City match report 4th November 2013

Manchester city kept their title hopes alive with a comfortable 3-2 victory over a West Bromwich Albion team who put up a brave fight in the latter stages of the game.

The mancunians took control of the game from the off and despite a few half chances from the home team, they struck first after nine minutes. The sheer speed of the passing by the home team was too much and a long ball from the returning captain Vincent Kompany fell into the path of Yaya Toure on the edge of the box who played a perfectly weighted ball to the full back Pablo Zabaleta on the by-line. The Argentinian cut the ball back to his fellow countryman Sergio Aguero and he fired the ball past keeper Boaz Myhill who was left helpless in goal.

The away team doubled their lead on 24 minutes as another long ball from central defender Martin Demichelis was controlled by Toure. He played another perfectly weighted ball but this time to the left hand touchline where full back Aleksander Kolarov played a cutting ball across the box and the big Ivory Coast man Toure was there again and cleverly opened up his body to guide the ball past  keeper Myhill to state City's dominance of the game.

And to kill the game off they added a third with just 18 minutes of the game left. A bursting and powerful run into the left hand side of the box by Koloarov resulted in a mistimed challenge by Baggies defender Steven Reid. Referee Chris Foy pointed straight to the spot much to the disgust of the home fans. Toure stepped up and converted cooly into the bottom left of the goal and ensured that the away fans were heading back up the M6 with all three points.

Despite this seemingly insurmountable score line the home team, who were without treasured midfielder Youssuf Mulumbu who was absent due to suspension, mounted a comeback with six minutes of the 90 remaining. Some creative work on the edge of the box by substitute Matej Vydra released Liam Ridgewell on the left corner of the 18 yard box. His dangerous cross along the floor was too much for the city defence and substitute Victor Anichebe poked the ball against six feet eight goalkeeper Costel Pantillimon who was in the wrong place at the wrong time after sprawling for the original cross and the ball rebounded off him for a consolation goal for the Baggies.

The comeback looked to be gathering steam on 90 minutes. After receiving a pass on the edge of the box, Anichebe spun off his marker Demichelis and thumped the ball into the bottom right corner past Pantillimon to ignite some hope for a West Bromwich Albion team who looked beaten until that stage of the game.

However the referee blew his whistle a few seconds later to record a second win in seven on the road for title chasing city. The Baggies seem to have hit a blank spot in recent times without a win in four games