aston villa 2 v brighton and hove albion 0 - steven gerrard takes the reins ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the lion roars tonight

 

 

The 'Toon Army' are back in town for Villa's first home fixture of the 2021/2022 season. Neither side impressed on opening day - we lost to Watford, Newcastle to West Ham. So the stakes are high.

 

The first half drifts by with precious little excitement until the dying moments. A Matty Cash long throw, a flick-on header from Tyrone Mings and now it's Danny Ings bicycling the ball into the back of the net. What a stunner!! Villa go in one up.

 

Our lead doubles in the second half. Newcastle's captain reaches out an arm to block a goal-bound Mings header. After a lengthy VAR review the penalty's awarded and up steps Anwar El Ghazi who slots the kick away coolly.

 

In truth, Villa's performance leaves much to be desired but tonight there are three points in the bag to savour. And the smell of greasy fast-food. And the joy of seeing friends missed for so long. And the roar of the lions as we rise to our feet in unison to greet our team and the first few tender shoots of a more normal world.

 

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!!!