aston villa 1 v manchester city 2 - yours is no disgrace

 

The night is cold, but outside the stadium the temperature begins to rise for the return of Jack Grealish to Villa Park. As the queues lengthen for carbohydrate-rich fast-food the entertainment is provided by an enthusiastic brass band and a Peter Crouch look-alike juggling a set of Indian clubs.

 

The teams are announced and Jack is named on the Manchester City bench. His arrival is greeted by a mixture of boos and polite applause from the home crowd. Not quite the home-coming of a super-hero. 

 

And so to the football. City dominate the opening exchanges, seemingly picking apart the Villa defence at will. It comes as little surprise when Ruben Diaz rifles in a long-range shot for the opening goal. Villa remain on the back-foot. There are a few tentative forays forward but once again the defence is shredded when a lightening quick counter-attack sees Bernando Silva volley into the back of the net.

 

The second half is much, much better. Villa are on the score-board early when Ollie Watkins, back to his old form, meets a Douglas Luiz corner with a crisp shot which rifles into the corner of the goal. Two-one and the game is on. Villa continue to press. Towards the end they even have the chance to equalise, but a fine save from Ederson denies Carney Chukwuemeka.

 

Given the Abu Dhabi owners of City have spent in excess of £30bn (and in doing so incurred the wrath of both UEFA and the Premier League in relation to Financial Fair Play rules ) it seems difficult to compete. But Villa tried valiantly - another promising sign for life under Steven Gerrard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

aston villa 2 v 1 leicester

Wow, is this really happening?!!!

It's a cold, damp Tuesday evening at Villa Park.  What better way to celebrate my birthday than to watch the plucky boys in claret and blue succumb to yet another kicking at the feet of Leicester City.  Just few weeks ago they tore us to shreds in the Premier League and now we face them again in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.

Coming into the match, honours are even. A creditable one-all draw at the King Power Stadium sees the tie finely balanced.

Leicester are off to a flying start, yet second-string keeper, Orjan Nyland, pulls off a string of astounding saves to keep us in the game. Cue Captain Jack Grealish, who gets on the end of a pass from Douglas Luiz and casually flicks the ball to a marauding Matt Targett. He makes no mistake and it's one nil to Villa.

Villa resist mounting pressure for the rest of the first-half and the start of the second until Harvey Barnes bursts past Frédéric Guilbert on the left-hand side of the box. He sends the ball across the face of goal and Kelechi Iheanacho arrives at the back post to flick it into the net. It's one all and everything to play for.

As the game-clock ticks down the prospect of a shoot-out penalty competition beckons, but Villa aren't done yet.  Our two Egyptian players, Ahmed Elmohamady and Trezeguet, link up for a fine second goal which leaves the Leicester City defence in tatters and their supporters in tears.

It's ASTON VILLA ... and onward to the final!!!

aston villa 1 v 0 norwich

It wasn't pretty, but we won.  A sublime move and pass by Jack Grealish followed by a lovely clean cut shot from Conor Hourihane.  It was enough ... just!