Manchester City Archive

Preview: Tottenham v Aston Villa

By
Stuart
Published: February 6, 2010Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Preview: Tottenham v Aston Villa

Villa head down to North London today to take on Spurs in the 5.30pm kick off at White Hart Lane. For all those who don’t already know, the game is live on ESPN.

The race for the top four is really starting to hot up now with four teams all chasing the forth spot, and in Spurs and Villa, two of them take on eachother today.

The two sides met earlier on in the season and it ended up as a 2-2 draw at Villa Park.

Spurs boast a impressive home form this season which includes clean sheets in each of there last six home fixtures while Villa have won three of there last four games on the road.

Tottenham have Eidur Gudjohnson, Younes Kaboul and Kyle Walker all in the squad and could play some part in the fixture. David Bentley will continue in the starting line up at the expense of injured Aarron Lennon, while Luka Modric is looking for force is way back into the starting eleven.

Villa will welcome back John Carew who has missed the last four games with a knee injury, and he should start on the bench. Stiliyan Petrov is also likely to start despite a Achilles injury.

Stephen Warnock is the only real doubt as he is still struggling with a shin injury. Wilfred Bouma played 90 minutes in mid-week, but still doesn’t find himself on the bench as Martin O’Neill doesnt want him to rush back.

Going to be a good game with two sides who are very good at the back of late and also enjoy attacking football. This is a game that Villa must win if they want to really push for a top four spot and could climb above Spurs with a win this evening.

SKYBET Odds: Tottenham 11/10, Aston Villa 5/2, Draw 12/5

Avillafan.com Prediction: Draw.

Full Time: Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal

By
Jake
Published: January 27, 2010Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Full Time: Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal

It seems Villa used up all their goals in recent weeks, as they failed to find the net, holding Arsenal to a goaless draw.

A win would have meant the Gunners going top of the league but both teams’ inability to find the net made this a frustrating encounter.

Both teams, however, came close to scoring but were denied by the woodwork.

A fine run by Arshavin resulted in Tomas Rosicky rattling the cross bar, and Stewart Downing should have scored with a header but he too, hit the post.

Both managers will be slightly down-hearted after the result but we won’t have to play an Arsenal team that goes to ground at every single opportunity again this season.

Tonight also saw who our opposition would be in the Carling Cup final, Manchester United beating Manchester City 3-1 (4-3 on aggregate).

Villa get Wolves in FA Cup

By
Stuart
Published: January 24, 2010Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Villa get Wolves in FA Cup

We are already on the way to Wembley in the League Cup, wouldnt it be nice to be going twice in one season? Well why not? Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool all out, so why can’t we win the domestic double?

Home wins over Blackburn and Brighton see us sitting pretty, and surely one of the favourites but we have to remember Chelsea, Man City and Spurs won’t be easy. And then theres Stoke and Birmingham City who are on good runs at the moment.

Here is the draw in full:

Wolves/Crystal Palace v ASTON VILLA
Man City v Stoke City
Derby v Birmingham City
Bolton v Tottenham/ Leeds
Chelsea v Cardiff City
Fulham v Notts COunty
Reading v WBA
Southampton v Portsmouth

Full Time: Villa 0 West Ham 0

By
Stuart
Published: January 17, 2010Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Full Time: Villa 0 West Ham 0

Villa could only manage a goaless draw at Villa Park today against West Ham in a game that we really should be taking all three points.

Its no secret that other clubs have sat up and took notice of whats been happening at Villa Park, as Fulham last season celebrated as if they had won the game when they drawed with us 0-0. This year it was West Hams turn to frustrate and then celebrate.

There used to be a time that the Eastend side would expect to give Villa a game, and although they did have a few chances today it was clear by Gianfranco Zolas tactics that they were here just to avoid defeat.

Villa also blew the chance to close the gap on Manchester City and Tottenham and now instead sit two points behind them after playing the same number of games.

It wasnt the most entertaining of games when there was only one chance really in the first half. Stewart Downing crossed the ball and a wonderful piece of skill sin Gabriel Agbonlahor with a spinning snap-shot only to be denied by England goalkeeper Robert Green.

In the second half Villa did get the ball in the hammers net, but John Carew was judged to of been offside.

And then Agbonlahor could of won all three points in the final minutes when Stewart Downing found him in acres of space and he broke free only to be denied once again by the West Ham goalkeeper.

Villa showed they struggle to break down a side who set out not to concede today and this route one football down the wings was once again found out. If we are to ever break the top 4 we must have more than just a plan A as its becoming obvious how Villa will attack each and every time now.

Craig Gardner, Carlos Cuellar and O’Neill on spending..

By
Stuart
Published: January 17, 2010Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Craig Gardner, Carlos Cuellar and O’Neill on spending..

The Sunday morning papers are running in overdrive this morning when it comes to Aston Villa and thats not purely because they are taking on West Ham at Villa Park today.

Martin O’Neill has stated in the Daily Star that he would be in fact willing to splash the cash in order to improve on Villa’s season even though its not in Randy Lerners 5-year plan. Randy Lerner is set to return to England this week after a lenghy period in the States and O’Neill has stated he wants to sit down with the chairman.

This is Martin O’Neill talking here remember though, he has a tendancy to say what the fans want to hear, we just need to remember that actions always speaker louder than words.

The Birmingham Mail are going with more talk from Martin O’Neill, this time about our strong versatile defender Carlos Cuellar. The Spanish star has been linked with moves to Barcelona, Real Madrid and Seville this month but O’Neill has stated that Carlos Cuellar is going nowhere.

I dont think you would find a player whos playing in the best league in the world, playing week in week out and trying to break into his countries world cup squad would risk it by moving clubs and possible wrecking his chances wanting to leave really can you?

Another story from the Mail, is about Craig Gardners move to local rivals Birmingham City. Is it on or off? Would he move across the City or not? Apparently they are on the verge of making a new £3.5million offer for the former England under 21 star after already having a lower bid rejected.

Gardner is a good player in my opinion and he does owe it to himself to move clubs and get regular first team football, but would he really move to Birmingham City? Hes always said hes Villa through and through, but this is football and as Liam Ridgewell proved it could work in his favour.

I think this is a interesting one and i will be watching on very closely.

Meanwhile, as i already stated we entertain West Ham today in the battle of the ‘Claret & Blue’. There are still tickets available from £18 – £40 so be sure to get down to Villa Park and get behind the lads. After-all a win will take us joing forth, with Tottenham and Manchester City.

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