Author: AnneMc

Tim Sherwood began life as Aston Villa manager with a frustrating last-gasp loss to Stoke City in February. Having recovered from that setback to keep the Villans in the Premier League and to lead them out at Wembley for the FA Cup final, his team’s early form in 2015-16, which has brought one point from six games after beating the Cherries on the opening day, and an emerging pattern of losing by one-goal margins suggest it could well be another season of struggle for the boys from B6, despite the boss promising fans otherwise. Today’s opponents are the Potters, who…

The Villans will be in search of a much needed victory when they welcome the Potters to Villa Park tomorrow afternoon. I spoke to Sam from Four Two Three One Stoke ahead of tomorrow’s game. 1) What are your thoughts on your club’s summer transfer activity? We’ve done fairly well this summer, especially given the inflated money being thrown around. We lost two key players in Begovic and N’Zonzi. Begovic we were lucky to have a ready-made replacement for in Butland; N’Zonzi we’re struggling a little more without as we’ve gone down the developmental route that turned him into…

A problem with the pre-match music meant that ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ started on a bum note. Fortunately for the beleaguered Brendan Rodgers, his team did not, with stand-in skipper Milner ensuring a pitch-perfect start, scoring the Premier League’s fastest goal this season after sixty-six seconds. With Sánchez and Gueye missing in action, Coutinho was able to thread a squared pass to the former Villan, who controlled his low drive from eighteen yards out to beat Guzan with his first goal for Liverpool. Gestede sliced wide from an Amavi cross but Sherwood’s negative first half approach was stifling. The Villans…

The Villans head to Anfield this afternoon, where Brendan Rodgers is a man under siege. Unbeaten in their last four visits to Anfield, the boys from B6 will be hoping to kick-start their season and pile more pressure on the Reds, knowing that none of the last eight Premier League meetings between these two sides have resulted in home wins. After starting the season with successive wins, the Reds’ form has faltered and expectant fans, disgusted that it took a narrow win on penalties to beat Carlisle United of League Two earlier this week, have long forgotten the drama of…

The Villans will make their first trip of the 2015-16 season to Merseyside on Saturday to face the beleagured Brendan Rodger’s Liverpool at Anfield. I spoke to Liverpool fan David Erskine ahead of Saturday’s game. 1) The last time Aston Villa met Liverpool was in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Were you surprised by the result? I was very disappointed by our performance but can’t say I was surprised by the result. Anything can happen in the FA Cup – and that’s why we love it. It was clear that Tim Sherwood had rallied his troops, who were undeterred…

Liverpool FC and Anfield: Liverpool Football Club was founded in March 1892 by John Houlding. The Anfield Road stadium, which had opened in 1884, was home to Everton Football Club until 1892 when negotiations to buy the land led to a disagreement between the Everton committee and Houlding. Everton Football Club moved across Stanley Park to its new home – Goodison Park. Left with an empty stadium, Houlding soon formed Liverpool Football Club to occupy it, appointing John McKenna as manager of the new club. Liverpool’s first Football League game at Anfield was played on September 9th 1893 against Lincoln…

With Hutton starting in place of Bacuna, the Villans took to the pitch for the West Midlands derby. The Baggies’ eyes were fixed on the returning Berahino, who had prematurely vowed never to play for the club again. However, it was Rondon, his strike partner, who had the first chance on goal within seventy seconds of kick-off, forcing a superb save from Guzan when he met Brunt’s whipped cross with a powerful header. Five minutes later, Evans headed over the ball following a Berahino corner and the hosts found themselves weathering an early storm created by the visitors. Forced to…

The first West Midlands derby of the season takes place at Villa Park this afternoon, with Aston Villa playing host to West Bromwich Albion. Last weekend, the wheels came off in the last twenty minutes at the King Power Stadium as the Villans squandered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 while today’s opponents were guilty of some less than perfect passing in a much less exciting goalless draw against Sunderland. Tim Sherwood’s side will take to the pitch one point and one place below their rivals, with both sides only winning once in their opening five matches and with the…

The high-flying hosts were, as expected, in confident form as the game got under way, pinning the visitors back in their own third and penning them in their own half. After only three minutes, the sight of a scrambling Guzan encouraged Drinkwater to chance his arm with a daring effort that landed on the roof of the net. With the Villans settling, Gil scuffed his shot and dragged it wide after seven minutes. A minute later, when Huth failed to clear the ball, Sinclair, under constant pressure from Schlupp, could only manage to find the side netting from a tight…

The Foxes have started the season strongly, picking up where they left off at the end of the 2014-15 season and their new manager, Claudio Ranieri, has chosen not to tinker too much with a side that could aim for a top ten finish. The Foxes’ form suggests that this afternoon could be a tricky one for Tim Sherwood, who is faced with some fitness issues as he attempts to get his new-look squad to gel. Although the Villans won two of their three matches against the Foxes last season, it is clear that Sherwood’s side will have to improve…