124 years to the day since the two midlands sides first met, Villa were on top from the off.
Benteke picked up the ball with his back to goal 25 yards out, cleverly turned Yacob then struck an unstoppable rising shot into the far corner with 12 minutes played to open the scoring in fine fashion.
The Baggies’ frustrations were added to by N’Zogbia, who was in superb form. Just after the half hour mark, Zoggy ripped down the right and released Agbonlahor, who wrong-footed Foster to calmly slot the ball into the corner of the net.
The Villa defence, fortified by the return of Vlaar, stood firm and forced the home side to resort to speculative long range efforts.
After the break, the Baggies came out firing on all cylinders and, four minutes in, Thomas crossed to Lukaku in the area who then laid the ball off to the onrushing Brunt. Brunt’s finish was clinical and claret and blue hearts sank.
The tempo increased: Odemwingie nicked past Guzan but shot over the bar, Foster had to deny Gabby his second then Dorrans shot wide from 20 yards at the other end.
Bannan did well to clear McAuley’s header off the line as Albion looked set to equalise.
Villa looked the more likely to score again, until the inevitable happened… With seven minutes left on the clock, Villa failed to clear Brunt’s corner, leaving Odemwingie to hook the ball home and earn the home team a share of the spoils.
Although the point moves Villa out of the relegation zone, Lambert’s frustration with his side’s failure to hold on to the lead was clear when he was seen kicking a water cooler during injury time. Like many fans, he seemed to view the result as two points lost rather than one gained.
13 Comments
We should have won however it was a positive performance. Good to see gabby on the scoresheet & nzogbia playing well for a change. We desperately need a holding midfielder & a centre back. If we get any injuries we are doomed. We need 3 4 players in to stand a chance of staying up.
in my opinion we gave away two goals villa players watched brunt and not one villa player closed him down it was as good as free kick the players plus the coaching should been aware of brunts shooting albility ,why did guzan spin around on the floor as he did which ended him kicking the ball out which from the resultant corner albion scored .subs bannan rubbish holman wasteful in front of goal, villa cannot defend but on first half performance could attack and where good for the two lead hence the old saying the best form of defence his attack ,once villa let albion pushed us to defend deep the writing was on wall
Don’t know why N’Zogbia was subbed unless he had a knock but what’s with the Bannan bashing? He made a super clearance & got a few great balls in. Why’s he always 1st to be slagged off?
Reports today suggesting PL will have 3 million max to spend would be worrying in the extreme if they are true. Wouldn’t be surprised since Henke cleared off & we haven’t been active.
Some positives yes but points matter more when we are scrabbling round the bottom end of the table. So disappointing.
Why try to be defensive when we cant defend ? Lambert is a joke another 2 points thrown away. We need a new manager and more importantly a new owner.
Without PL the club, and more importantly at this time, the team would fall apart. Foolish to even consider this. We all know where the problems lie – the boardroom – and they have for 3 years. Lerner has run his term for me, its time he moved on.
The Albion game only proved what we have all have been trying to tell the board for months now. No experience in the heart of the defence, lacking the ability to close a game out, however boring this appears to be from the terraces.
If the rumours are correct – £3 million to spend – you wont buy a pair of boots for that, let alone a half decent player to fill them. Proof if ever we needed it, that Lerner/Faulkner are living on planet idiot. They both have to go – but who is going to want to buy us at the moment.
LERNER/FAULKNER OUT.
A draw with Albion would have been ok but for being 2 up but isn’t this typical of villa this season.
I hate to say it but if MacLeish had been manager we probably would have won he can organise a defece better than lambert
Looks like no new players when we really need them, its clear RandyLener doesn’t care for the club any more .
Why doesn’t he sell villa as he’s become a major part of the problem which won’t be resolved unless he goes
Lerner must go before its too late
£3 to spend? Ha! What a joke! I agree, lernernisnt interested in our great club anymore and should sell. How in the hell can we make our voices heard? What abt the supporters who’s heart and soul is in this club. Who speaks for us ? That’s just it, we r not heard. Pity. UTV ! Villan til I die! Signing off , a yank villan.
Every week I say the same things!! Three years of neglect what do we expect!! Never thought we would hold onto this lead, all villa fans want is a team to be proud of!! Lerner you are worse than Doug Ellis and that says something, you have no clue how to run a top English team and you will take us down, for the Bradford game all the lads I know will make our thoughts known, Lerner out!!
Lambert for me is the man for Villa but he just needs more time. Although it was 2 points lost in my opinion, Villa fans who are constantly moaning need to take a step back and realise what is happening. Learner does love the club but he is not going to throw money at the new manager after seeing what o neil did. Lambert shares the same vision as Learner and if you look at the difference having Vlaar back made and Zoggy on form then the future is bright. Dunne’s return will add more experience to the pack and one good signing will see us through for a new season and more additions. I predict that we will finish 15th or 16th and win the capital one cup. UTV xxx
Come off it, don’t want to be rude but what a load of rubbish!! If any villa fan thinks this lot is good enough then god help me, I have watched some great villa teams but this team is not good enough!! Any fan that defends Lerner hasn’t got a clue, I love the villa and I and a lot if villa fans want lerner to go !! Villa till I die!!!
Sorry Luke, if you truly believe that Lerner loves this club, think again.We are no more than an accountants entry on a balance sheet to him now. MON nearly got us there until Lerner and Faulkner stuck their stupid noses in. Martin didn`t walk away from Villa Park, its not his style, something went on behind the scenes, so much so, he received yet another golden handshake.
In the last three years Villa have paid out £15 million in compensation to clubs and ex managers, simply because our boardroom lacks the knowledge of just how things are correctly done in British football. Think about it, £15 million, what could we do with that amount now. Not only were Villa proven to be at fault in their dealings (hence the £15million) our great club were constantly dragged into disrepute with the F.A., we have rapidly become a “selling” club, the laughing stock and black sheep of the PL, and we, the supporters the butt of jokes of our local rivals. Oh yes, Lerner really loves us.
Big Ron and myself are not related I promise you, never met the guy, we are just two of many seasoned Villa supporters who have a little capability to see through the Lerner/Faulkner smokescreen. They have destroyed in three years something that took a hundred years to put together. We were once a well respected club, no side looked forward to coming to Villa Park, just look at us now. Lerner/Faulkner and the rest of the hangers on have to go and if that means playing a season or two in the championship, so be it. We just insure as loyal supporters that no idiot is allowed to take the “p..s” again.
LERNER / FAULKNER OUT.
Larry you are dead right PL could do something serious with 15 million right now get some quality players in and save our season,clearly the issue we have is Lerner and Faulkner,i don’t understand the logic of knocking MON stating he got us in the mess we are in right now due to paying over the top wages, when MON was manager he had to work to financial guidelines set by Faulkner and Lerner and like any business he would not be allowed to go outside of these limits, unless sanctioned by the GRUESOME TWOSOME again like any business with the purchase of a player the deal must go before the top people who agree the deal contract clauses etc and WAGES so i don’t believe it was MON it was the incompetent idiots who run our club who have now got us in the situation that presently find ourselves in LERNER DO US ALL A FAVOR SELL AND GO NOW AND TAKE ALL YOUR IDIOT CRONIES WITH YOU, we want an owner who has the club at heart who will communicate with us something you or that bloodsucking idiot Faulkner have never done,
S O S
SAVE OUR SEASON
the villain
remember the scarf we were given ? PROUD HISTORY BRIGHT FUTURE what a joke proud history yes certainly, bright future i don’t think so,whats bright about getting relegated ? feeling like giving my scarf back to Lerner and telling him to shove it !!