John

Bournemouth score goals for fun (in the division below us against the likes of Small Heath). We keep it tight at the back (against the likes of Liverpool who knocked them out of the other cup at their ground). They have also never beaten us even when they had Ted MacDougall to open the scoring with a superb diving header in front of the Holte End in 1972 in front of 48,110 fans who will never forget that game we had Andy Lochhead to win it with a sweet volley from a free-kick from big George Curtis. They will no doubt rest players with an eye on promotion and I wish them luck with that. We will I trust put out as strong a team as we are able. We have Benteke to play the Andy Lochhead part but where is their Ted MacDougall? We could have had tougher as well as easier games than this one. But this is a game we can win and I say bring it on! The worst part of the draw is that it does not put the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs or the Manchester clubs together yet.

Thanks for your comment AntrimBlack. I hope we are both proved wrong regarding the cup but I doubt we will be.

Thanks for the comments above daggy_333 (The MOTM was a close call) & briny_ear. You are right on the 6 being average & 7 good blandy and Stevo985 has hit the nail on the head regarding my thinking on the scores given for those who got 7s. The defence did not have a lot to do but what they did I think they did well. I suspect a rare win and goal might have led me to be a tad more generous than usual with a couple of markings that were a close call blandy.

Thanks for adding your comments reykjavik. I think the manager was made aware of how fans were feeling last night.

Source: Player Match Ratings: A late, late winner spares our blushes!

There was too little to choose between two football teams who last lifted the FA Cup in the 1950s yesterday. Neither team really did enough to win it until Benteke did so with a moment of magic in the 88th minute that lit up what had been a very gloomy game up until then. A replay following another goalless draw at Villa Park had seemed increasingly inevitable with every minute that ticked by yesterday. Given that The Seasiders are adrift at the foot of the table below us it is only they and our defence which secured a third consecutive home clean sheet that emerged from this game with any significant credit. Yes we won the game, had the bulk of the possession and will be in the hat for the next round on Monday. But this was a third successive desperately dull home game in which entertainment was minimal at best and during which we posed few major concerns for our opponents defence. The win will provide some breathing space for a manager who would otherwise had been under significant pressure. But it seems to me that this victory may at best temporarily paper over the cracks at our football club. Third Round wins in the past have left Villa fans dreaming of Wembley and an eighth FA Cup win. This one has left most if not all of us wondering which team will knock us out rather than which team we might meet in the final. Our expectations have now sadly slipped that low. Some will suggest this is a trophy we can do without and that we should instead concentrate on survival alone once again. But three more wins would see us in a semi-final at Wembley and five would see the trophy in the clutches of a Villa captain’s hands for the first time since 1957. I do not accept that another three or five FA Cup games would necessarily lead to our relegation, it might instead provide confidence we could take into our future league games. But three wins or the five that would bring us back into Europe would do a lot to raise the profile of our club for any potential new owners as well as bring some pride back for our supporters. These three or five wins would provide us with a platform for progress. But it is hard to see us winning another cup game let alone three or five of them at the moment. For now we have to take some comfort from avoiding another shock cup defeat although it is debatable how much of a shock losing to lower league opponents is for us now we have made such a habit of it. This was a team that looked to be an attacking one on paper. But starting Westwood alongside two central defenders with no doubt the intention of allowing our two wing backs to get forward more often did not work. We failed to put enough concerted pressure on Blackpool until very late in the game when they were tiring. Our players up until then seemed to lack urgency as well as the confidence to raise their head above the parapets by taking players on, getting crosses in or taking a punt at goal for fear of failure. This rare home goal and the equally rare home win that it produced was very welcome against a team that like the last two visitors to Villa Park were content to seek a draw by putting men behind the ball as we played the ball to each other in front of them. The big test of our newly developed possession game will come in our next two home league games in which we will face teams that will arrive expecting a win and to take the game to us. Or will we revert to defending deep with little possession and trying to hit them on the break? My player ratings from a game that has left us three admittedly unlikely cup wins from a Wembley semi-final are: Shay Given – 7 – MOTM - Made a top class and crucial save from Miller on 82 minutes touching his on target shot from outside of the box over the bar with one hand. He had earlier touched a 36th minute effort from Orlandi wide of his near post for a corner. His distribution from the penalty area was also a plus. Alan Hutton – 7 – Alan was solid when he needed to be at the back and kept trying to make things happen up front. Had a 44th minute shot blocked which bounced up for Lewis to gather comfortably having earlier had an appeal for a penalty turned down. Ciaran Clark – 7 – Solid when tested and Ciaran continues to look good alongside Jores. Jores Okore – 7 – Jores was at ease and steady at the back when he needed to be producing another very sound central defensive performance. Aly Cissokho – 6 – A solid enough game but he was unable to take full advantage when he did get into more forward positions. Ashley Westwood – 6 – A surprise return to the first team as captain and an even bigger one to see him playing so deep in a sweeper role against yesterday’s opponents. Hit some decent passes particularly on the occasions he was able to get forward which thankfully became more frequent as the game wore on. Joe Cole - 6 – A very welcome return. Joe hit some decent passes and he keeps thinking positively. Tom Cleverley – 5 – Kept busy but he can show more and make a more telling impression on games than he was able to do for 63 minutes yesterday. Carlos Sánchez – 7 – Started a little hesitantly but soon shook that off producing another good midfield display and found Benteke well for our face saving late winner. Carlos also hit a 62nd minute shot from outside the box which was gathered easily enough by Lewis. Jack Grealish – 5 – Hit a good ball across the goal in the 3rd minute that just needed a tap in as it flew past Benteke. But Jack was handled surprisingly easily by defenders who kept tight on him when the ball eventually got to him. He did not get to run at defenders as often and with as much threat as he usually does and was unable to provide his usual width. He will be unhappy to have not shown more in this belated and well merited start. Christian Benteke – 6 – Scored the vital goal that took us into the next round without the need for a replay on 88 minutes when he chested down a nicely chipped ball to him from Sánchez on the edge of the box before drilling the ball past Lewis to deflate the plucky Tangerines. He had earlier hit a shot into the side netting on 45 minutes and ran onto a long ball played through to him from Hutton on 64 minutes that he hit first time as it bounced just inside the area forcing a good save by Lewis who pushed it wide of the post. Much better in the second half than he was in the first but he still needs to make more runs and go looking for the ball rather than waiting for it to come to him exactly where he wants it. Substitutes: Charles N’Zogbia – 5 - Replaced Cleverley on 63 minutes to provide us with more forward movement on that flank and made a limited impression on the game in the time he had to do so. Andreas Weimann – Replaced Jack on 75 minutes but did not do quite enough to earn a rating in the limited time he had available. Leandro Bacuna – Replaced Cole on 91 minutes. Not on long enough to gather any rating. Up the Villa! John Lewis

I have thought we would win it too often in the past when we had stronger teams to think we will win it this time Mike. But I doubt Wigan thought their name would be on the cup at the same stage a couple of years back so there is a slight hope to hang onto I guess and a 4th Round draw at home to Cambridge would increase it.

If he would prefer a move to us rather than to one of the London clubs he has been linked with that would suggest he is looking at what the move might do for his football rather than for his night life (unless he really found somewhere he liked spending time when he was at WBA) or his bank balance or that he has yet to speak to Ms Flanagan about the move.

I hope €2m is some way off Napoli making Randy an offer he can't refuse.

"Despite the fact that we are comparatively better, with the above comparison of last season to prove it, you still don't see an overall improvement?" - Sorry lexicon but I do not. As briny_ear & DCJonah have said above the end of year stats will be the time that any improvement can be best measured and I agree 100% with blandy's breakdown of the areas that we need to improve on. We need more points and a higher league position than we have managed of late along with the odd goal or three and to be entertained in our remaining games. If we get that I think we will all agree there has been a marked improvement. As things stand the best I see as being likely is that we will be able to tread water for another season. Time will tell.

Thanks for adding your comments meregreen, briny_ear, StefanAVFC & PaulC.

Thanks for those stats lexicon I had wondered how our results of last season matched up with those to date this season. I hope our remaining games do see us improve on what was too low a points total for comfort last season and see us safe before we were last year which would represent progress. I have no issue with our defence which is more solid than it has been for some years although that improvement has to be balanced against our lack of goals this season compared to last. So in general I have not noticed an overall improvement in what we have seen at Villa Park or real signs of a bright future. Let us hope that in 18 games time we can both agree that things have improved.

"I can't believe you spent so long on this dour piece". I did lexicon and than you for taking the time to reply to it. I do consider our defence has improved as is shown in the ratings given to them above and in previous games this season. Sadly we are not scoring goals and not looking like scoring any. Possesion in itself will not get us wins and I also do not consider we are easy on the eye. The football we are playing is dull and the attendance figures show that I am not alone in that opinion. But it is a matter of opinion and you are entitled to your own. This may be a lot different to the one that I hold but that would not lead me to conclude that what you have suggested is nonesensical, that it lacks objectivity or that it does not represent a proper analysis.

Source: Player Match Ratings: A New Year but the same Villa!

We dropped two home points again yesterday. This was not a point won it was two lost as was the case in our previous home game against Sunderland. To have drawn one of these games would have been bad enough but to have drawn both, without scoring or really looking like scoring let alone winning is unacceptable. These are the sort of home games we need to win and we can take little comfort from the two draws that we managed. A six point return from these games would have widened the gap between the teams that currently occupy the relegation places and ourselves to nine points rather than the five points that now separate us. It would have provided us with some significant breathing space with games against the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea on the way that could bring us back into the pack near the foot of the table. But we were nowhere near good enough to get a home win and football is about winning games which is something that we have rarely done at Villa Park for way too long now. Both Villa goals and entertainment are at a premium at Villa Park. This was another dull game that will do little to see the missing thousands return to Villa Park and it offered scant reward to those who did turn up to see what was a poor game that had a scoreless draw written all over it from early in the game. We may have had the lion’s share of the possession but what use is that if there is no end product. Our opponents were content to see us play the ball around in our own half because that offered no threat to them. We had little by way of ideas or forward movement when the ball did approach their box and this was way too comfortable an afternoon for a team that were always going to be happy with a point but came nearest of the two sides to taking all three. There is no sign of improvement or of any bright future and given how poor both teams were yesterday our manager was no doubt relieved that only one potential new manager was watching this game from the stands. Games are not won by defending alone and it will take another 16 draws to keep us up! My player ratings from a game that did little to promise a happier New Year for us and during which Bolasie hit the bar with a very passable Ronny Rosenthal impression on 16 minutes are: Brad Guzan – 6 – Had a quiet afternoon but did produce a fine save on 12 minutes to keep it all square. Alan Hutton – 7 – Solid at the back and did what he could to try to get us moving forward. Alan forced a good save from Speroni on 14 minutes following some very good work by Cissokho. Ron Vlaar – Replaced by Clark on 15 minutes due to injury. Not on long enough to gather a rating and as he made for the dressing room I guess I was not alone in questioning whether that would be the last time he did so wearing our shirt. Jores Okore – 8 – MOTM – A solid, confident and commanding defensive performance. Aly Cissokho – 7 – A good defensive performance as demonstrated when he took the ball from McArthur’s feet on 63 minutes as he was about to pull the trigger. Leandro Bacuna - 6 – Leo hit some misplaced passes but he was not alone in that. He also hit a free kick from the edge of the box just over on 27 minutes and had another one pushed away by Speroni on 87 minutes. Tom Cleverley – 5 – Started well enough but he did not maintain the level of performance we are still waiting for him to provide consistently for us. Had a shot from the edge of the box blocked on 53 minutes. Carlos Sánchez – 7 – Another good solid performance particularly given what was happening or was not happening around him. Gabby Agbonlahor – 4 – This game like far too many previous ones passed Gabby by without him making any sort of discernable impression upon it. He really should have had the legs to do more in this one as he for one has not had a busy festive period. Andreas Weimann – 4 – Works hard but that is not always enough and he produced no threat whatsoever up front yesterday. Christian Benteke – 5 – He is growing increasingly frustrated by his continued lack of service and it is becoming more obvious with each game. He needs to try to make things happen himself almost as much as we need to feed the one player who can win games week in and week out for us if he is given something approaching the sort of service he needs to be able to do this. Weimann pulled the ball back to him in the second minute and his first time shot was kept out at his near post by Speroni. That was as good as it got for both us and Christian. On 71 minutes he spurned a clear chance to win it for us after Sánchez had done well to pick him out but his shot flew well over the bar. Substitutes: Ciaran Clark – 7 - Replaced Ron on 15 minutes and gave another solid performance alongside Jores . Jack Grealish – 5 - Replaced Cleverley on 64 minutes. It is expecting a lot of Jack to come on and try to rescue games from the bench with an hour or more already gone. He was unable to make the sort of impression he does more often than not when he came on yesterday. Joe Cole – Replaced Andi on 83 minutes. A welcome return to the first team action and he along with Jack needs to start our next game. Joe did not get enough time to make a difference or gather a rating on this occasion. Up the Villa and a Happier New Year to all readers! John Lewis

Source: Player Match Ratings: Yet another Christmas card!

Our third red card of the festive season put us on the back foot once again yesterday. Match officials do currently seem to see us as the Estudiantes of the late 60s and our players as a cross between Norman “bites yer legs” Hunter and Ron “chopper” Harris of the same era. But we have grown accustomed to finishing a game with ten men now and this was a game that in all honesty we did not really look like winning even when we had a full team on the field. This was a game that few if any of us would have settled for a point from had we been offered one before kick-off. It was as is our next game one we needed to take three points from to extend the gap between us and the bottom dwellers. But at the end of the game it was one we were relieved to have held onto a point from after another battling performance. Neither team were good enough to win this one. Sunderland arrived at Villa Park unbeaten in their last four away games and left happy enough to have extended that run. We did not really go for the win until near the end of the game and seemed content for too long to hold onto possession in areas where our opponents were content for us to do so. This game provided little festive entertainment for both sets of supporters. The onus was on us to win it and we have for too long struggled to secure victories against opponents who are prepared to defend in numbers and to sit back inviting us to try to break them down. There was little to choose between these two teams yesterday who both find scoring goals a daunting proposition and see safety as their ambition each season. This was the sort of game that is not going to see fans rushing through the turnstiles and it had the look of a stalemate about it throughout. It was a soporific and languid game. Our build up play was slow and had no end product because we lack the guile, creativity and finish that teams who play like this have which makes it work. My player ratings from a game that brought a hard earned point without the hoped for festive cheer or a goal to add to our paltry total of 11 at the halfway stage of this season are: Brad Guzan – 7 – Did everything we needed him to do well. Brad was well protected by the defence in front of him but did well early on to reach a Gomez cross that was on its way to Fletcher. Got a very important touch on an 89th minute Gomez shot that helped it onto the post. Alan Hutton – 7 – Looked good when moving forward and solid at the back. Another top drawer performance and his consistency levels have been remarkable since he returned to our first team line up. Ron Vlaar – 7 – A solid performance at the back and tried to move us forward on occasion. He made a good run to try to get a head to our first corner of the game on 75 minutes which flew towards goal off Brown’s shoulder and was kept out by Pantilimon at his near post. He also had earlier made a crucial challenge on Wickham as he was about to pull the trigger on 59 minutes. Ciaran Clark – 7 – Another very good and assured performance. Aly Cissokho – 6 – A solid enough hard-working performance. Charles N’Zogbia - 4 – Spurned another opportunity to prove he merits a regular start yesterday and surely Grealish has done enough to begin our next couple of home games now? Tom Cleverley – 6 – Worked hard without adding a bit of glitter to go with that before he made way for Jack. Carlos Sánchez – 8 – MOTM – Did not put a foot wrong throughout. Looked comfortable on the ball, made solid challenges and passed well. Outstanding! Fabian Delph – 6 – Was having a decent game until his rash challenge gave the referee a decision to make and made the wrong one giving our man a straight red rather than a yellow card for Christmas. We now face a run of games without him in much the same way as we did with Benteke shortly after he returned from injury. Andreas Weimann – 5 – Worked hard particularly when we were down to ten men but he failed to produce the cutting edge we needed when he was in our opponent’s half. Sánchez played a sweet ball to Hutton on 11 minutes who then played a one-two with Delph before finding Andi in the box who wanted too much time to get a shot in and was dispossessed by O’Shea. Andi was also found on the edge of the box on 49 minutes this time by Sánchez but he screwed his shot wide of the far post. Christian Benteke – 6 – Lacked both service and support. He failed to make enough of an impression on this game having been surprisingly easily marshalled by O’Shea and Brown throughout. Should have made a run to try to get on the end of a great Grealish cross on 75 minutes rather than linger on the edge of the box. Might have claimed a stoppage time winner had he not possibly understandably have taken his eye off the ball and failed to make connect with it as Pantilimon made a reckless rush towards him rather the ball and connected with him waist high with a raised leg. Substitutes: Leandro Bacuna – 6 - Replaced N’Zogbia on 56 minutes and made a decent impact on the game. He started the move that could have given us an 89th minute winner with a ball out of defence for Benteke to run onto. Having brushed aside a defender’s challenge Christian found Weimann whose shot bounced off a defender to Sánchez who found Leo inside the box but his shot was kept out by Pantilimon at his near post. He has surely done enough to earn a start particularly given our lack of alternative options. Jores Okore – 6 - Replaced Clark on 61 minutes and again looked solid in the centre of our defence. Would have been exceedingly unlucky to have found himself relegated to the bench after just one game in which his performance level was less convincing than it has consistently been since his return to the side from injury. But I trust he was “rested” with a view to our crowded festive fixture list rather than dropped and his display yesterday demonstrated that he has earned the right to start games in the heart of our defence this season. Got a good block in on an on-target Fletcher shot on 64 minutes. Jack Grealish – 7 – Made a big impact on the game following his introduction for Cleverley on 68 minutes. Jack helped us press forward towards the end and was prepared to run at defenders. Curled a shot a yard or so wide of the far post on 74 minutes and produced some good crosses. Up the Villa and a Happy New Year to all readers! John Lewis

"Imagine the team with any 3 of those listed players". Or without Benteke electronicmaji? I would rather imagine us with 3 of those players & Benteke for now.

Bosnich for me a pity he killed his career by going back to Manchester United. I hoped he had learned his lesson from his first time with them but clearly he had not and paid a heavy price for that decision.

How about we keep him and build a team around him with an owner who is willing to put decent money into the playing side with a view to us aiming for the top 6 rather than the bottom 6? - Well it is Christmas and that is high on my list....

Source: Player Match Ratings: Where’s your winning run gone?

This headline might not have quite the same bite as when we sang “Where’s your treble gone” at Wembley in 1994 to the same opponents. But their six game winning run came to an end at Villa Park yesterday and that represents a significant blow to their slender chances of winning the league this season. Our last home win against Manchester United came in 1995 and we have now gone 19 games since they last tasted defeat in a league game at Villa Park. That is embarrassingly the longest unbeaten away run in top-flight games. But Villa reduced to 10 men for a second successive game following an outrageous referring decision bravely held on to claim a well deserved point. There was to be no win having gone a goal down this time for Manchester United even against a team that had a number of players missing through injury or suspension and were then reduced to 10 men. Gabby’s sending off looked likely to be decisive but we were made of sterner stuff yesterday. His innocuous challenge and the over reaction of Young to it completed his transition from Holte End hero to zero yesterday. Our opponents had more than their share of the possession yesterday but that is commonplace for us and they did not produce the goals that this possession might have been expected to lead to. We dropped far too deep during the period between the two goals and we invited pressure on ourselves with up to 4 players being on the edge of their own box waiting to receive the ball from Guzan on several occasions. But it would be churlish to focus on that rather than upon a whole hearted display by a Villa side that created chances yesterday, adapted well to a different formation and were solid in defence when under considerable pressure. My player ratings from a game in which the confidence and complacency of our opponents and their supporters who have grown accustomed to having the best of us at Villa Park was on this occasion misplaced are: Brad Guzan – 8 – Claimed high balls played into the box with assurance throughout the game. Got down to save a van Persie volley at his near post on 17 minutes and got a hand to a cross come shot from Young on 33 minutes that was drifting towards the far post. Made another near post save from van Persie who was under pressure as he hit it from Okore on 50 minutes. Brad made a good low save from Mata on 52 minutes which he held onto at the second attempt. He then came off his line well to claim a ball that had been intended for Wilson on 87 minutes and held a curling shot by the same player 3 minutes later. Matt Lowton – 5 – Given a torrid time by Young who beat him too easily and too often as was the case for the cross that produced their equalizer. Jores Okore – 9 – MOTM – So solid yesterday and even made a couple of dazzling runs forward. He has looked so steady and strong since his return and this was a terrific display of defending at its best. Ron Vlaar – 8 – Demonstrated the same composure at the back yesterday that he did in the World Cup and showed why we simply cannot afford to let him go for peanuts during this window with our relegation fight still not yet won. Ciaran Clark – 8 – Another encouraging performance and his resurgence continues. Kept Young quiet when he faced him towards the end of the game after the winger had switched sides. Aly Cissokho – 7 – Another sound hard working display. Fabian Delph - 8 – Would not look out of place in their team or in others but he is a perfect fit for us and should think long and hard before choosing to leave a club where he is guaranteed a start and has become an England player. Fab gave an outstanding hard working midfield display yesterday. He had a shot deflected out for a corner off Jones after Benteke had hit the ball across the box to him on 48 minutes. Hit a shot from outside the box on 63 minutes that took a bounce in front of de Gea who gathered the ball after it had struck him on the chest. Carlos Sánchez – 8 – He really is getting better with every game. Carlos is adapting to the pace of our game now and is looking like some player. He hit some crisp passes, won some strong challenges, conceded no rash free kicks and his passes found their intended target. This was a tough test given he was one of the two regular midfield players we had available yesterday but it was one he passed with flying colours. Andreas Weimann – 6 – Played in a deeper role than usual and worked hard in attempting to close down Rooney when he had the ball at his feet. Andi was inches away from getting on the end of a lovely ball played into the box from Benteke on 16 minutes. Hit a powerful shot from the edge of the box on 70 minutes which was deflected just wide after the ball had come to him from a blocked effort from Clark following a nice Delph free-kick. Gabriel Agbonlahor – 6 – Caught Young when they both made a determined challenge for the ball on 65 minutes who made a meal of it and the referee could not get his red card out of his pocket quick enough. This could have been a game changer but no thanks to the officials was not. The decision has to be challenged and rescinded. Christian Benteke – 8 – Scored a terrific goal and offered a clear and constant threat to our opponents defence. Opened the scoring on 18 minutes when he chested down a Delph free-kick and made space for himself before curling the ball into the top corner of the net past the flat footed de Gea. Forced a fine one handed save from de Gea with a powerful header from our first corner of the game on 48 minutes. Good link up play throughout and he makes such a difference to us. Substitutes: Leandro Bacuna – 7 - Replaced Cissokho on 80 minutes and made a good impact on the game. Hit a very nice shot on 88 minutes after Delph had found him on the edge of the box which was only a foot or so over the bar. Sánchez then played a lovely ball to him towards the end of stoppage time that just eluded N’Zogbia and Benteke who had been free but unseen on the edge of the box when the cross was hit. Charles N’Zogbia – Replaced Weimann on 80 minutes. Charles did not see quite enough of the ball to earn a rating yesterday. Up the Villa and a Happy Christmas to all readers! John Lewis

A tough question this one but it gets easier to answer with every game. So it is a yes for me. I think Benteke might still start by the way and stay a Villa player which would be nice. Now where do we find that billionaire?

19 more points should do it and 21 would do it beyond any reasonable doubt. So five 1-0 wins and four to six 0-0 draws will do it. Five more goals should not be beyond us....

I think other teams kicked towards the Holte in the second half in the past because they knew it was what we would go for had we won the toss and it gave them an advantage because when we were pressing them (as once we did quite often in the 2nd half) we would not be doing so in front of the stand that contained most of our fans. We now have fans behind both goals (although still in bigger numbers in The Holte) but I think the crucial issue is that we spend the second half mostly in our own half and seldom press teams in the second half as once we did during most of our home games. Given that and the lack of home wins of late I doubt away teams worry about us kicking towards the Holte any more and choose to kick towards their own fans in the 2nd half as we have lost the fear factor we once had over teams at Villa Park. I think some local teams might still choose to kick to the Holte in the 2nd half to annoy us more than anything else but most of those teams do not play at Villa Park these days and those that do might not be using a two headed coin.