Pre Season: Sv Rödinghausen 1 Aston Villa 1

Aston Villa kicked off their pre-season and tour of Germany with a 1-1 draw with lower league Sv Rödinghausen.

It was never going to be a game about the result or the performance, in fact the whole tour will probably be more about the players regaining their fitness.

However, we all know you cant tell some fans this – for some its about the results from the off and worry about the fitness later but this isn’t the way to do things.

Paul Lambert picked two different teams for each half with both Aleksandar Tonev and Leandro Bacuna making debuts. The starting eleven was: Guzan, Vlaar, Baker, Bacuna, Albrighton, Delph, Sylla, Bowery, Tonev, Bennett, Herd.

It was a fairly even half with Marc Albrighton coming closest for Villa mid-way in the half when Joe Bennett swung over a cross from the left only for Albrighton’s shot to be stopped by keeper Jan Schonwalder.

Rödinghausen did come close courtesy of Marius Krause but he was denied by Brad Guzan who signed a new four year deal last week.

The second half sore debut’s for Villa’s other four new recruits with the line up looking like: Steer, Lowton, Okore, Clark, El Ahmadi, Helenius, Agbonlahor, Luna, Westwood, Weimann, Gardner.

Just eight minutes into the second half Matthew Lowton swung over a beauty of a cross for new signing Nicklas Helenius who headed home to give Paul Lamberts men the lead.

The boys in Claret and Blue continue to build pressure with the home side looking to break on the counter attack wherever possible.

With just over 10 minutes remaining the home side was awarded a free kick from 25 yards out. Soren Siek’s shot flew just beyond Jed Steer in the Villa goal to make it 1-1.

One real concern was when Jores Okore walked off the pitch injured – lets just hope it was precaution and nothing to serious.

Up next for the Villans is SC Paderborn at the Benteler Arena on Friday with a 5pm (UK) kick off.