"Villa Park is an Exciting Place to be Again"

(www.gettyimages.com)

Over the years, Villa Park has become a stadium filled with frustrated, agitated fans, yet since Sherwood's arrival it's not just the team that has been rejuvenated. The fans have been too. In recent games, the atmosphere has returned and fans are enjoying having their Villa back once again.

As part of my fan interviews reviewing the 2014-15 season my second Q&A is with Daniel England, who you can find on Twitter @Dengland80.

1) What did you make of the sacking of Paul Lambert?
I was delighted. It should have happened after the Bradford City debacle. It really couldn't have got any worse.

2) Initially, what were your thoughts on Tim Sherwood's appointment?
Apprehensive. The mixed views from Spurs fans made it difficult to judge but I was hopeful we'd see some attacking football.

3) Has your opinion changed since?
I've been delighted with the impact. The improvement has been exponential, Villa Park is an exciting place to be again. He is more tactically aware than I thought he would be.

4) What do you think he's done to change things around?
The freedom given to the midfield is the most obvious, our midfielders are getting into the box and scoring. Benteke obviously, and the style of football has been great; one dimensional to a team that can change style in the blink of an eye.


Grealish, Delph and Benteke are a trio worth building the
team around.
(Kieran McManus)

5) Who has been your player of the season?
Delph has built on last year and been fantastic. Young player has to be Jack (Grealish), a brilliant impact.

6) What has impressed you about them?
Delph's energy, ability to keep the ball, drive, passion, pace and creativity. Jack's enthusiasm, ability to draw a foul, vision and attitude. Both clearly love the club and give their all. Too many over the years couldn't have cared a bit.

7) What are your thoughts on this season as a whole?
Disappointing. I spent a lot of time arguing Aston Villa were no where near as bad as our league position. It is really frustrating to see what could have been if we had a decent manager all season. Underachieved doesn't come close.

8) What are your hopes for next season?
Hold on to Benteke. If that happens there should be no reason why we can't challenge for a top 6 finish. On paper we should be as good as Southampton, Swansea or Liverpool.

9) If you could sign one player, let one player leave and extend one player's contract; who would they be?
Cleverley to sign, Weimann to go and extend Benteke.

10) Have you got tickets for the FA Cup final and what is your prediction?
Yes today! (Tuesday). Our record against Arsenal says they should win but with Sherwood you never know.

Thank you to Daniel.

If you would like to answer the ten questions, please direct message me on Twitter @m0llyfaith or email me at molly.jennens@outlook.com

"Sherwood Brought us Back into the Light"

(www.independent.co.uk)

As the 2014-15 season draws to a close, Aston Villa face Southampton and Burnley before the FA Cup final on May 30th. After a turbulent time under Paul Lambert, there is now renewed hope under Tim Sherwood, with a feel good factor flowing through fans and players alike. Who would have thought this time last year that Lambert would no longer be at the club and Villa would be at Wembley for the second time in six weeks? With that in mind I've been asking Villa fans via Twitter to do a quick Q&A reviewing this season.

My first interview was with Lewis Raybould who you can find on Twitter; @LewisRaybould.

1) What did you make of the sacking of Paul Lambert?
100% agreed. I thought he should have gone earlier than he did. We were so negative as a team and I felt that was because of him. He had to go.

2) Initially, what were your thoughts on Tim Sherwood's appointment?
I didn't think he was the right person, I thought there may have potentially been better options but I wasn't so opposed to it at the time.

3) Has your opinion changed since?
Yes, I love him. I'm amazed by what he's done to the same team.

4) What do you think he's done to change things around?
He has a positive approach and he's managed to rally the players and all the fans together and get behind him and the team. It's paying off massively.

Ciaran Clark's demanding displays at the
heart of the defence has turned him for zero
to hero during this season's campaign.
(www.zimbio.com)

5) Who has been your player of the season?
It would be between Clark and Hutton, but because of the way Clark has improved this year, I would give it to him.

6) What about young player of the season?
I think it's hard to overlook Jack (Grealish) for that one. Under Sherwood he's been brilliant and proved to be a first team player.

7) What are your thoughts on this season as a whole?
The start was great. Then it spiralled into hell before Sherwood brought us back into the light. But under Sherwood my thoughts are that we look like a team that can go into any match with a shot of winning and that's awesome.

8) What are your hopes for next season?
If we can get top 10 next season and then build upon that then that would be great.

9) If you could sign one player, let one player leave and extend one player's contract; who would they be?

During Milner's time at Villa he scored
22 goals, with many fans wishing for a
return to Villa Park
(PA Wire)

I'd love to see Milner back, Weimann can go and I'd extend Benteke's contract even further!

10) Have you got tickets for the FA Cup final and what is your prediction?
Despite working there for three years I don't have the chance to buy one. I say 4-3 Villa, Delph (2), Benteke and Westwood.

Thanks to Lewis for his time.

If you would like answer the ten questions, please direct message me on Twitter @m0llyfaith or email me at molly.jennens@outlook.com

14 Cup Finals Left To Play



"We have 13 cup finals left in the league and hopefully another one at Wembley." - Tim Sherwood

End of an era (Getty Images)

It's been a rollercoaster ride at Aston Villa and it was by no means willing to slow down with this week being no exception. Last Saturday saw the team score their first goal in six games, however, it was followed by a 2-0 loss against Hull City on Tuesday night. This saw the end of Paul Lambert's Aston Villa career, a reign that spanned one hundred and one games, which only saw twenty five wins; including the heavy defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal. We all believed that Villa were establishing themselves, yet struggling to see what the club were actually trying to achieve. What is their style of play? Who can be their stand out performer? Many said we were over-reliant on counter attacking football, others said long balls were our 'speciality', whereas Lambert tried to make us into a version of Bayern Munich. However, we were the team that couldn't score goals and played boring football. A team lacking in confidence, passing balls sideways and backwards; it's all well and good having 62% possession but if you're not creating chances and players aren't making runs, there's no point in having the ball. The club was now a joke. "Aston Nilla" cried the papers. Fans starting to become agitated, angry, disgruntled, "Lambert out" ringing around the stadium after another winless run of five. It almost became inevitable even for Randy Lerner and Tom Fox to ignore.

Let's be fair though, Paul Lambert did give us some things to cheer about. There was the 6-1 win against Sunderland, wins against Chelsea and Man City at home, and Arsenal and Liverpool away, and that 4-3 victory over West Bromich Albion last season. He brought in Ron Vlaar, Carles Gil and Christian Benteke and helped Fabian Delph progress into the player he is today. He worked within tight constraints and managed to keep us in the Premier League despite having to hang on by finger

nails. And, we are still in the Premier League. He has left us with at least a chance of retaining that.

But now, there is a new beginning.

New man Time Sherwood (Neville Williams)

Tim Sherwood returns to football after being given a three and a half year contract at Villa Park. After leading Tottenham Hotspur to a total of thirteen wins in twenty two games in his six month spell at White Hart Lane, Villa can look forward to a young manager with passion, confidence and honesty. I'm sure he won't hold his tongue.

His first challenge is to keep Villa in the Premier League. He has thirteen games left, "13 cup finals" as Lambert put it. But he has enough players capable of avoiding the drop into the Championship. Yet, these players are low on confidence, lacking in self belief, so you could argue his biggest challenge is to galvanise these players into playing for him and the claret and blue shirt. One of those players is Christian Benteke - the player that single handedly kept Villa safe from relegation in his first season at the club. With a total of just twelve goals scored this season, the Belgium only adding two, he is a fundamental part to the squad that needs to start firing.

Aston Villa have a team that can stay up. We have the potential that needs to be fulfilled.



Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester City

FA Cup 5th Round

Weimann, Delph and Cleverly celebrate with Bacuna (Getty Images)





Villa secured their place in the hat for the quarter finals of the FA Cup on Sunday, when they put two past Leicester City thanks to goals from Leandro Bacuna and Scott Sinclair. New boss Tim Sherwood watched from the stands as Scott Marshall took control in the dugout, however his input was needed as Villa finished the first half 0-0 and his words made an immediate impact. They got bodies in the box, passed the ball round quicker and were more direct.

Villa's midfield will need to start chipping in with goals and they did so yesterday. Ron Vlaar, returning to first team football after being out since New Year's Day, found Bacuna on the left hand side of the pitch. The Dutch man then drove forward, taking on Danny Simpson with intent before unleashing a shot that nestled in the far right side of the net. Villa could have been in front one nil, had Benteke's not been offside when he put the ball neatly into the back of the net in the first half. But the Belgium striker made up for his straying nature when he set up Sinclair in the 89th minute for his first Villa goal. His lofted ball found Sinclair, who hit his shot towards Schwarzer's net. The goalkeeper should have done better, but he fumbled the ball into the back of his own net.

Now Villa are just one win away from Wembley. Here's to a good sixth round draw, up the Villa.



Ditching the Journeymen One Step at a Time

Paul Lambert (source: guardian.co.uk)

 

Whilst all the attention's been poured over Christian Benteke, not many of us actually realise how important our manager, Paul Lambert, has been to Aston Villa since joining us last summer.

 

When he came to us there were so many comparisons made between himself and former manger Martin O'Neill. The dress sense and turn of phrase. We see Lambert hopping around the touchline in his tracksuit and rimless glasses, much reminiscent to that of Martin O'Neill four years ago.

 

Yet they are both completely different.

 

Martin O'Neill, the man who took us to a League Cup final and FA Cup semi final in the same year. Let's be honest, at the time we all enjoyed having O'Neill as the manager of our beloved team. He brought exciting times back to Villa Park, and most importantly; winning ways. There were highlights; European football, in the shape of the now known Europa League, pushes for fourth place and notable victories over the big names, most memorably Manchester United in their own back garden.

 

But its still hard to swallow his exit, leaving the club in dismay just five days before the start of the new season with no warning.

 

Martin O'Neill (source: telegraph.co.uk)

Before that day, he had spent more money than any other previous Villa manager. Under Martin

O'Neill we brought in James Milner, Ashley Young, Stewart Downing; looking good isn't it; Marlon Harewood, Nicky Shorey, Zat Knight, Luke Young; not so good now. We made a profit on the first three, yet many losses on the so called talent we brought in. Dare I mention Gary Cahill, a fine product of our academy, however thrown out by the Irishman to Bolton Wanderers who is now in a Chelsea squad who won the Champions League.

 

The fact that Martin O'Neill left us in a financial mess has been evident to see ever since. Despite his positives, he came with his negatives and when things weren't going his way and money started to dry up, he jumped ship.

 

So what's different?

 

Paul Lambert shares his similarities with Martin O'Neill but the difference is clear to see. In Martin O'Neill's first season at Aston Villa he brought in six new signings in both the summer and January transfer windows, spending £17.25 million on Stiliyan Petrov, Didier Agathe, Chris Sutton, John Carew, Ashley Young and Shaun Maloney. The following season two of those left. Paul Lambert on the other hand brought in nine new names over the course of the season for around £12 million.

 

Out of the six signings Martin O'Neill made, only one player remained out the club. Three were influential in the following seasons with the others leaving shortly after.

 

Martin O'Neill couldn't keep hold on his star man in the form of Ashley Young, yet Paul Lambert has managed to tie Benteke down for at least another season. Aston Villa are a club that's been known to be a 'steeping stone' for players yet I believe with a manager like Lambert and the policy we now have in place we can avoid this tag.

 

O'Neill brought in players at big price tags, and then let them ago a few seasons later for cut prices, whereas Lambert is buying sensibly and affordable players from lower leagues and unearthing unknown gems. Yes, this could come at its own risk. Just like Benteke thought, one good season in the Premier League and your ready for a big name team. But, if we can make strides as a club again, into the higher positions in the table, then maybe we can stop that.

 

Where O'Neill was signing players and not going unnoticed, Lambert's choices have done just that. If you ask most other football fans if Villa have signed anyone this summer, they might know about one but many won't know about any at all.

 

This has been the beauty of Paul Lambert, he's stuck to his guns and what he knows best and so far, despite the rocky road, its worked.

 

We're going in the right direction. (source: guardian.co.uk)

This is Lambert’s vision – ditch the journeymen and build a fitter, hungrier squad that will grow together as a group. Yet as we know it’s a strategy fraught with danger. Young players will produce both nerveless performances and naïve mistakes, sometimes in the same game.

 

Patience is key. Something that Martin O’Neill didn’t have it. Lambert has it in spades.

 

However, patience is a virtue not often valued in football. Promising youngsters sometimes aren’t risked in the heat of battle for fear of making mistakes that could cost managers their jobs. But Lambert has continued to believe in their talent. He deserves praise for trusting his youngsters and forgiving the inevitable errors, while endlessly talking about collective responsibility.

Martin O'Neill built Aston Villa for a season, Lambert's building Aston Villa for a very exciting future.

 

Looking Forward

"We are excited. We are looking forward." Ron Vlaar

Aston Villa's season ended with a 2-2 draw against relegated side Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. Skipper Ron Vlaar with the touch and shot of a lethal centre forward sealed the final point of the campaign for the claret and blues. Eight weeks later, we're now looking forward to the new season just thirty days away. After a week in Germany, we've had the chance to see the six new players in action and some of the youths getting a run out.

In between this time there has been a lot happening behind the scenes. With Westwood, Guzan, Weimann and Baker all tied up with new deals, we were just waiting on one; Christian Benteke. Yet that wasn't and isn't to be the case, with the Belgium handing in his transfer request, pushing for a move to Tottenham Hostspur. But, let's just leave that to discuss later, let's focus on the positives to have come from the closed season.

Ashley Westwood; a star of the 2012-13 season signed a new contract to stay with Aston Villa until 2017. We all know contracts mean nothing nowadays but it always gives me a sense of relief when a player is willing to sign another contract in order to stay with us. Especially as Westwood provided us with a stability in midfield last season. After Stiliyan Petrov had to sadly step down from football to focus on beating his illness, we needed a midfielder to step up to the mark to try to fill the gap left in the middle of the park. With his maturity, composure and strength on the ball and in tackles, Ashley Westwood was one of the signings of the summer. Making the step up from League One, many supporters had doubts on his ability to perform on the main stage of English football, yet he proved his critics wrong with ease. He has continued to impress throughout the season and the stats go all in his favour.

Ashley Westwood (v Norwich City) (source: avfc.co.uk)

Andreas Weimann; one of my personal favourites, not just for his looks. The Austrian crept into the limelight with his match winning goal against Fulham under the management of Alex McLeish, but since then he has re-payed every penny of the faith both McLeish and Paul Lambert have given him. He performed consistently last season, scoring twelve goals in all competitions. His natural goal scoring ability has made him a hero in some fans eyes, yet he doesn't just score goals, he can also do the assisting. He not only produces the goods on the pitch, he produces loyalty of the pitch with him also signing a new contract just a few weeks ago.

Andi Weimann

Brad Guzan; the best goalkeeper last season hands down. Despite what everyone else says Brad Guzan failed to disappoint with him impressing in every game he played. After playing understudy for who knows how long, he finally received his chance after Lambert resigned him; and what a signing he turned out to be. Save after save, Guzan just continued to shine.

After the first three games of preseason we have seen the six new players in action in a competitive situation, and after the mischief caused by Benteke we were all hoping that one man would shine. And Helenius did just that.

Scoring two goals in three games, the giant from Denmark, showed us what he's made of. It's not everyday that you can potentially lose a player and have a ready made replacement already scoring goals left, right and centre. At twenty two years of age, he fits in the with direction of football Lambert is developing. Young, hungry and ambitious. Not only can he score with his head, his ability with his feet looks effortless. Teeing up teammates as well as scoring is also another attribute of the Dane. If he can settle into the Premier League like he has with the team, I don't have any reason to think that he won't be a big hit at Aston Villa.

Leandro Bacuna (Getty Images)

So who do I look forward to seeing next season?

Leandro Bacuna; pacey, quick and a crosser of the ball, he looks the part of an up and coming winger that we have been lacking at the club since Ashley Young departed to Old Trafford. I'm not saying he is going to be like Young, far from it, but he will add an extra dimension to the way we could paly under Lambert this term. Alongside Tonev and Albrighton who seems to be willing, we have enough options to try and exploit the wide areas next year and threaten some shaky left and right backs.

Matthew Lowton, Ashley Westwood and Andi Weimann are all ones to watch this season. Are they going to be able to continue their outstanding form from last season into this one?

Also, just look out for Sylla, he might surprise you.

There are plenty of players that are now buying into Lambert's philosophy which have the potential to become unique players, with an intelligent style. However, we're not to know until the 17th August.

On a slightly damper tone, Christian Benteke. Benteke was always destined for great things and you would never want to deprive him of that. But to attempt to force a move away from Villa Park just over 10 months into a four-year contract is hugely disheartening for all involve at the club. Despite the speculation, many thought that he would still be here in September. The only way he would leave is if he demanded a move away, like he did at Genk. Surely that wouldn't happen, we all thought. Not after everything the club has done for him, the confidence Paul Lambert has shown in him and the emotion the fans have given to him. One more season with the club is all we hoped for, as a show of gratitude if anything else. In the system we played, he was always going to be the focal point. As a lone striker given the task of scoring goals, he was never not going to be the hero. He was always going to be the player we were "dependent" on, as the stats showed. Aston Villa is here now and it's here to stay, which is more than can be said for Benteke. Aston Villa is still standing and will strive to further itself under Lambert's bright leadership. No player is bigger than the club after all and naturally, as one door closes, another opens; be it for Nicklas Helenius, Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann or whoever else may be brought it. So whilst thanking him for the memories and goals last season and wishing him the best of luck at his new club, whoever they may be, it is done with both eyes firmly on the future. His transfer request to leave the club might indeed be sad, although not because we're losing such an influential cog in the wheel. No player is irreplaceable.

Loyalty in football is fiction, yet the club will forever live on.

2012; A Year Of Mixed Emotions

After Stan Collymore tweeted earlier asking fans for their moments of the year, I decided that this would be my next post for all you to have a look at.

Captain Fantasic; Stan Petrov scoring in the 3-1 victory
over Chelsea on New Year's Eve

The year 2012 was set up nicely after a 3-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Stephen Ireland, Darren Bent and Stiliyan Petrov scoring the goals on a night which saw Alex McLeish record just his fourth win in charge of Aston Villa.

Despite this result we then went on to lose 2-0 at home to Brendan Rogers' Swansea side.

This year has seen the loss of our captain to illness, the sacking of Alex McLeish and the employment of former Norwich City manager Paul Lambert, the summer signing of Christian Benteke and the mixed bag of results.

This year hasn't been one for the faint-hearted, that's for sure.

Goal of the Year:

Andi Weimann celebrating his goal against
Liverpool on Saturday. (Getty Images)

This was a hard one as there has been quite a few stand out goals. Andi Weimann's scored a few crackers, his one against Stoke last season and first against Manchester United this season have both stuck in my head. However, I'm going to have to go with Andi's goal from Saturday. Just the build up play is worth the plaudits. It might not have been the most outstanding bicycle kick that everyone will remember for years to come; but the way the Austrian and Benteke found each other with so much ease is something that you don't see on a daily basis. For that reason, my goal of the year award goes to Andreas Weimann's goal against Liverpool. However, half of that can go to the Belgium beast for his back heel from heaven.

Game of the Year:
There was an option of about three games that contested for this title. Wolves away in January was a game that I won't forget for a long time coming. Not only was it because of the comeback we produced with the help of an Irishman, it was the support from the Villa fans that made it a memorable afternoon. The second game that springs to mind from this year is the Manchester City away game in the Capital One Cup. I didn't travel to the game, but I remember it well, not only because of the score. It was my school's open evening and I was helping out in the science department. My science teacher, who is a Blues fan let me point out, wasn't too keen on the idea when I asked if I could listen to the game on the radio, but he reluctantly decided that I could. So, there was me in my lab coat, cup of tea in one hand, biscuit in the other listening to the game; whilst in between showing the kids my 'magic trick.' Although the score was contender for game of the year, the story behind it pushed it towards that award. However, I went with the Norwich game from midweek. What a game that was.

Support:
For me, our away support beats our home support every time. I love away days and its because of the support that makes me love them so much. My trip to Old Trafford, despite the result was one of the best. We were right at the top and you could hardly see anything but the roof, yet we still managed to out sing the boring home support. The chants of "we support our local team" put the icing on the cake.

Player:
It's difficult to pick just one player.
Christian Benteke is fas tbecoming the most talked about striker this season. His power is immense.
Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger are rated as one of the best central defensive double acts in the Barclays Premier League but from early in the game on Saturday, it was apparent Benteke’s hulking presence and work-rate was unsettling. Of the pair, Skrtel had the most trouble. The Slovakian usually gives as good as he gets when it comes to a physical battle but, on this occasion, he had no answer. His day was summed up by Villa’s third goal, when he didn’t have the strength to halt Benteke’s charge to the area and was tied up in knots. His potency is a different level. Before heading to Anfield, Benteke had only scored four times in the league following his £7million switch from Genk but moved his tally on impressively with two differing strikes. After going close with a sixth-minute header, Benteke had the air of a striker who knew he would score. His potential is frightening. It was, without doubt, his best display on these shores and doing it at stadium as fabled as Anfield will have attracted plenty of attention. Listening to Lambert, though, any admirers considering scouting him would be wasting their time. "Christian can be anything he wants," said Lambert. "He might not hit his peak until he is about 28, you never know. But he has been incredible for us, absolutely fantastic. He is playing in a fantastic Belgian side which is bringing him on as well.
You can never stop people looking but if you want to buy these players, you’ll have to have a few quid. There is absolutely no chance we would be looking to sell. We are trying to build something here and progress."
Then there's Matthew Lowton, Ashley Westwood, Brett Holman.
But I've got it down to one man; Bradley Guzan. There's not much else you can say about this man. Coming in for the dropped Shay Given he has impressed week in, week out with his solid performances between the sticks.

Biggest Flop:
I don't like to say it but Marc Albrighton has got to be the biggest flop of 2012 for Villa this year. He shone in his season under Gerard Houllier, but suffered major second season syndrome. He hasn't performed at his best this year, yet he has a lot of potential, which I'm hoping he can recapture during 2013.

"Wow"
I'd like to once again mentioned Christian Benteke's back heel at the weekend. I can't tell you how many times I've reminded that moment. But for me the "wow" of the year is every time we get up on the 19th minute for Stan Petrov. After being struck down by leukaemia we have applauded our captain on the 19th minute of each game since. Every time it takes my breath away and sends shivers down my spine. It's one special moment, emotional to the point were it leaves me with a tear in my eye.

Rookie:
As I said in my last post, it has to be Ashley Westwood. Coming from a League Two team into the Premier League and making the step over with such composure is something. A big hand has to go to Paul Lambert and his backroom staff for spotting this beauty.

Manager:
It's out of two men, Alex McLeish and Paul Lambert and I know who I'd pick every day of the week. The man from Norwich is a guy that's taking Aston Villa in the right direction; forward. He has a long term plan that he's put in place. He's a tactical genius and I believe that he is the right man for the job and I hope he continues to prove the doubters wrong.

Quote:
"It's a long project. It's never going to happen overnight. I thought today we were well worth something. They are a young side but they are growing every time they play." Paul Lambert

It's All About The Name On The Front Of The Shirt, Not The Back; Part 2

Aston Villa fielded the youngest ever Premier League team yesterday at Anfield, with an average age of just 23 years and 308 days.

 

Brad Guzan, Chris Herd, Nathan Baker, Ciaran Clark, Eric Lichaj, Matthew Lowton, Ashley Westwood, Barry Bannan, Brett Holman, Christian Benteke, Andreas Weimann; names that just six months ago wouldn't have been recognised by football fans produced a stunning 3-1 win over Liverpool.

 

Paul Lambert has brought together a group of young players to play the football that Villa Park has been missing for a long time.

Paul Lambert at the end of the thrashing of former club
Norwich City (Kevin Quigley)

At the start of the season, some of the Villa faithful asked for people to stop using the excuse of the club being in transition for a third consecutive season. However for the first ten or so games this season, we have been in a period of transition. The team that played yesterday had never played together before the start of the 2012-13 season. They needed the first half of the season to knit together, to see how each other play and to start playing the football that Lambert was asking of them.

 

In his interview last night, the Villa manager said of how he's been criticised by some over his team selection, of how they're so young. But he followed this comment by saying that he's seen them day in, day out.

 

To stick with what you believe is the right thing to do, dropping Darren Bent and Stephen Ireland, is a brave thing to do. So I'm taking this opportunity to commend Paul Lambert on this.

 

Finding themselves on the bench; Darren Bent and
Stephen Ireland

He brought in the unheard, like Ashley Westwood and Christian Benteke, and my word have they paid off.



Christian Benteke has firmly placed himself in Villa folklore with his brace against Liverpool and abilities in front of goal, but it is Ashley Westwood who is our unsung hero.



Ashley Westwood, the former Crewe midfielder, has made the step up from League Two into the Premier League with such ease that you wouldn't have thought he's only played 10 games in the top tier of English football.  It is no surprise, in my opinion, that our upward turn in form has coincided with Ashley Westwood getting into the first team. Brought from Crewe for a snip at £2 million, a price luckily that Swansea baulked at, he can often go unnoticed in a game, but he is vital to the team because he keeps play ticking over. Our midfield has never performed since Petrov was taken seriously ill, he very rarely gave the ball away and did not treat it like a hand grenade. But Westwood has got our midfield working again – he, like Petrov, always wants the ball and does the simple things well.

 

He is what football should be about, top tier clubs taking chances on lower league players instead of buying from abroad. I reckon Westwood will be a mainstay of our team for years to come; he’s only 22 but plays like a 30-year-old. The last great midfielder we bought from Crewe was David Platt, I just hope Westwood has the same impact but stays around a bit longer.

 

After a season of pulling our hair out watching Warnock and Hutton hack around on the pitch it is a joy to see Lowton bedding into the defence, he has played every game so far this season in the league, and is settling in nicely after playing in the Championship, hopefully Bennett will have the same impact too.

 

I'm also impressed by Brett Holman. An acquisition of Alex McLeish's. Despite that fact, the Scot unearthed a gem in the Australian. I like Holman and for me he optimises the direction in which Aston Villa are taking. He plays, just as the title of the post suggests; for the name on the front of the shirt, not the back. He never stops running and as said previously, he'll need a third lung at the end of the season, never mind at the end of the game. He's also a role model. Yesterday we saw him closing down players, right, left and centre. Yet we also saw Andi Weimann follow in his footsteps. Holman led by example and rightly so.

 

Let's not forget about the partnership between Benteke and Weimann. With six goal between them in two games, this is fast becoming a blossoming relationship. Andi's pass to find Benteke's movement into the box, and his returning back heel which led to the goal was almost Barcelona like as they found each other with perfect accuracy. It's hard to believe they're both only in their early twenties.

From the first game of the season away to West Ham United we lacked creativity and that trend has continued for the most part of the season; until things started to click. That was most certainly evident against Norwich City in the Capital One Cup. How things have changed is incredible, but I'm sure if we'd have seen things from the inside we wouldn't have been saying that there'd been a change.

 

All in all Lambert is doing what we all wanted him to do, transforming the squad and the way we play. Safety is pretty much a cert, and after a decent cup run with Wembley in sight, the future's bright.

Don't Cha Wish Your Striker Was Benteke (or Weimann)

Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann celebrating during Tuesday's
4-1 over Norwich City in the Capital One Cup

Let's rewind back to the 10th of November where we faced Manchester United at Villa Park; the Premier League leaders finding themselves 2-0 down after 50 minutes, with Andreas Weimann scoring either side of the half time whilstle.

Aston Villa 2-3 Manchester United
"We gave it absolutely everything, we were brilliant. I can't fault the team. We've got lots of young lads in the team and they were great. I can't ask for any more from them." Paul Lambert

Villa were two goals to the good by the time United woke from their slumber. Weimann scored both to shake United to their core.

First he found Benteke with a perfectly measured ball down the left and, when his strike partner pulled back a low cross, thumped a fizzing drive past David De Gea from 16 yards out.

The interval did little to steady United as Villa began where they had left off and doubled their lead within four minutes. Ireland swept the ball left for Agbonlahor and the Villa forward's low ball skidded across the six-yard line where Weimann escaped Rio Ferdinand's attention to sidefoot in.

Villa Park was rocking and yet somehow United turned the match on its head. Ferguson's decision to replace Ashley Young with Hernandez at half-time changed the game in seven second-half minutes as United struck twice to level the match from nowhere.

For the third, Van Persie curled a free-kick towards the far post where Hernandez headed the ball into the bottom-right corner with unerring accuracy. Ferguson's clenched fist at the final whistle said it all, United had done it again despite the efforts of Villa.

Manchester City 5-0 Aston Villa

Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez both scored twice as Manchester City thumped Aston Villa to move top of the Premier League for the first time this season.

Villa frustrated City until David Silva broke the deadlock before half-time. But the hosts took charge when Andreas Weimann was adjudged to have handled and Sergio Aguero scored from the spot.

Carlos Tevez added another penalty after Barry Bannan's handball, Aguero made it 4-0 with a deflected shot and Tevez tapped in Samir Nasri's cross.

In the end, this win for the champions was every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggests but Villa boss Paul Lambert will argue his side were in the game until the 54th minute, when City scored their second goal from a debatable decision.

Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
"It's a long project. It's never going to happen overnight. I thought today we were well worth something. They are a young side but they are growing every time they play." Paul Lambert

Aston Villa 1-0 Reading
The Belgian striker, Christian Benteke headed in the winner from a corner late on to leave the Royals one place off the bottom.

Villa, who left striker Darren Bent out of the team for the second match in succession, also went close through Andreas Weimann and Ciaran Clark.

QPR 1-1 Aston Villa
Brett Holman fired Villa into an early lead from 20 yards - but Jamie Mackie headed QPR level before the interval and they created the better opportunities to finally secure three points.

Aston Villa 0-0 Stoke City
Most of us thought it would be tight and probably goalless - and that's how it proved. All Villa's chances fell to Christian Benteke but great blocks by Stoke's defence kept him out. Darren Bent came on for the last 20 minutes but hardly had a sniff. As for Stoke, 90 minutes and not a single shot to test Brad Guzan. This is one best forgotten.

Norwich City 1-4 Aston Villa

Aston Villa reached their second League Cup semi-final in four years by beating Norwich City and in turn handed boss Paul Lambert victory on his first visit back to his former club.

Steve Morison gave Norwich the lead by clipping over Shay Given before Brett Holman's drive levelled matters. Both sides had a number of chances to take the lead in a frenetic tie. But substitute Andreas Weimann's late double and a tidy Christian Benteke strike saw Villa through.

Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa

"I think the whole performance was fabulous, the goals were excellent as was the way we defended." Paul Lambert 

 

Liverpool were left stunned after their hopes of challenging for a top-four spot were hit by a loss to Aston Villa.

The home side went behind against the run of play when Christian Benteke arrowed a shot in off the post. Benteke's backheel set up Andreas Weimann for Villa's second, before the Reds were denied a penalty when Ciaran Clark pulled Daniel Agger's shirt. Benteke then made it three from close range for a resurgent Villa before Steven Gerrard netted a late consolation goal.

Anyone Wanna Jump Aboard The Aston Villa Rollercoaster?

The admission cost for the new attraction at Aston Villa Football Club is slight anxiety, short fingernails and possibly a few panic attacks. If your 'prepared' to take the long awaited ride, step to your right if not maybe your left.

When Paul Lambert walked through the door at Villa Park our fan base went into a state of hysteria. Perhaps because we'd just got rid of Alex McLeish or because of the new manager's arrival. But after ten games of the 2012/13 campaign there seems to be an air of questioning.

With just two wins under our belts and seventeenth in the table we are not in the positions we found ourselves hoping to be in.

For one minute forget the chairman, the CEO, the manager, the referees, linesmen and forth officials and focus on the players. We have top quality footballers at our club; yet we have to ask ourselves, are these players performing? You can't knock the effort, commitment, pride and passion of some of our players. But those big wage earning players, need to start pulling their socks up and making themselves count. No names mentioned, but just because they don't like the squad rotation doesn't mean you have to continue to be lazy on the pitch and complain when they're sat on the bench. We can stand around arguing about Darren Bent all day long but he needs to prove the doubters and the haters wrong and perhaps win round Paul Lambert.

Winning becomes a habit in football, a habit that we have forgotten in the year of 2012. With Villa failing to win in their last ten Premier League games last campaign, and winning only one of their first nine this season, losing was the only trick Villa had been practising.

Villa fans may now start to believe that this bad run is finally coming to an end. A last minute victory in the cup against Swindon, with a Christian Benteke brace, was followed by a battling display away to Martin O'Neill's Sunderland side, grabbing a deserved 1-0 victory through Gabby Agbonlahor's first goal in the league for almost a year. The back to back victories earned this week in all competitions were the first Villa had achieved since August 23rd 2011, when they beat Hereford in the cup 2-0 after having beaten Blackburn 3-1 in the league a few days previous.

After achieving these two results, you would imagine Villa fans to be full of optimism coming into their next fixture this Saturday. Unfortunately, the fixture list has dealt a cruel blow to Villa's optimism, as they face in form Manchester United this weekend followed by a trip to the Etihad to face Champions Manchester City. They then take on Arsenal at Villa Park on the 24th of November, three fixtures that will strike fear into the hearts of the Villa faithful. Are we right to be pessimistic, as last season Villa failed to gain a point from these three fixtures they face in the upcoming weeks?

Football has always been a story of underdogs, as Celtic heroically proved with their victory over Spanish giants Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored two goals in Villa's recent victories, and he believes Villa have what it takes to cause an upset in the upcoming weeks.

Villa's Shining Light, quite literally in that shirt.
Getty Images

Paul Lambert will share Agbonahor's view, as he must install the rest of his young team with that same belief if they are to get anything from these next three fixtures. It has been a very slow start for Lambert as manager of Villa, as even with the credible victory earned at the Stadium of Light last Saturday, his team still sit just one place above the relegation zone. A victory in any of his next three games may just be the catalyst he needs to kick start his, and Villa's Premier League campaign.

"It’s Going to be a Really Positive Season for us at This Club"

Sat anxiously up in the Doug Ellis Stand one day watching Aston Villa under the management of Alex McLeish, Randy Lerner came to a stark realisation that enough was enough. He needed to try to reverse, and hopefully erase the last two seasons of steep decline.

McLeish simply could not carry on as manager after the club flirted with relegation.

Villa survived yet luckily McLeish did not.

Paul Lambert's appointment breathed a new lease of life into the club, which just three months ago had escaped the daunting depths of the Championship. Aston Villa have been crying out for a new hero, a feel-good factor, and Lambert should surely produce that after his pretty seamless start to his Villa career.

After a nightmare eleven months, Villa fans would surely settle for mid-table this season now our nerves have reached a calmer level, heartbeat has regained a steady beat and fingernails have returned to normal length. However, could we believe in bigger, better things? All that Lambert is asked for at this moment in time is to simply build on the positivity surrounding his arrival and pre season.

Looking ahead to the new season which is just under twenty-one hours away we have a lot to look forward to. The only way can be up for us.

Darren Bent has two goals under his belt from pre season, and has appeared galvanised by Lambert's arrival and will be a man on a mission after being left out of the England squad for Euro 2012. "Everyone on the planet knows he can score and hopefully if he is playing, everything goes well for him." It was a frustrating season for the big man up top, yet he will face a lot of weight on his shoulders with many of the media labelling him Villa's key man. But as Paul Lambert rightly pointed out today in his pre match press conference, we cannot just rely on him. We are a team full of exciting prospects and good players.

Gabby Agbonlahor will also have a point to prove after his career hit the pause button under the last two managers, yet this season will also get off to a slow start for him after the Birmingham born striker suffered an injury setback. Also Charles N'Zogbia must justify why McLeish paid £9.5 million for him last summer. With a decent performance against Nottingham Forest from the winger I expect to see a few more dazzling displays.

The comparisons between Martin O'Neill and Lambert are endless, from the rolled up tracksuit sleeves to the glasses and the wariness of the press. Hopefully if he can achieve just a slight bit of what O'Neill did at Villa Park it will feel like the last two years never happened.

My Key Man;
Stephen Ireland is a talented player, plain and simple. He can pick a pass, read the game, score a goal, make a tackle. You can ask him to play all over the park and he'll still produce a dynamite display. The past two seasons have been tough for Ireland and ones to forget. Neither Houllier or McLeish could get the best out of a player who was named Manchester City's Player of the Year in 2009 for his blistering performances week in, week out.

Ireland should fulfil every ounce of his potential this season, yet this depends on whether or not he is used in his best position. By trade the Irishman is an attacking midfielder, however I feel he can be utilised in any position in midfield. In my opinion, you'll get the best out of Stephen Ireland when he's just playing off the striker as he did against Chelsea on New Year's Eve.

For me, Ireland needs a team to be built around him. Yet as I've already pointed out, Aston Villa are a team not a one man club.

Bye Bye Defence of 2011-12;
A noticeable weakness in the Villa side is our defence. James Collins has already departed to our claret and blue counterparts, yet still Stephen Warnock and Alan Hutton remain.

An overrated player for years, Warnock is poor defensively. It's baffling that a better left back hasn't been drafted in, or at least Warnock hasn't been shifted down the pecking order behind Ciaran Clark. Even Big 'Eck could have done this. Lambert's more than likely already looking for a new left back however there could be one waiting in the wings.

Eric Lichaj, even though a right back, spent most of last season playing at left back, impressing in that very position. Also, Enda Stevens has crept into contention after a string of pre season games. He's still possibly not up to Premier League standards just yet so perhaps a new left back with experience in the league could help Stevens with his progression into the first team squad.

Oh and then there's Alan Hutton. I'll drive him anywhere in the world myself, personally, with a forced smile just to see the back of him.

Nonetheless, Stephen Warnock and Hutton are pieces of deadwood that the squad do not need. As the Lambert era begins, they are the type of remnants of previous regimes that Villa just don’t need.

Players to Watch;
Brett Holman, despite being one of McLeish's signings the Australian has gotten of to a hot heeled start at Villa. Expect him to be celebrating a few more goals this season and his locks flying about as flawlessly as the Villa Park pitch.

Karim El Ahmadi, also another addition this summer, the Moroccan can pick out any pass perfectly. Give the ball to him in any position and he'll weave you out of trouble. A smart buy, Lambert has pulled off a decent signing for the claret and blue's who will hopefully impress the faithful over the coming season.

Realistic Ambitions;
After some horrible finishes in the last couple of seasons, it would be rather optimistic of fans to expect Lambert’s Lions to burst back into the top six so quickly, especially given the greater levels of competition at that end of the table. Mid table should be the big aspiration this season, along with a good cup run or two, with this season being more about laying foundations for a European attempt the following year and beyond.

Unleashed; A New Beginning

I have to apologise for my absense on here for the past few months. Yet, I'm back and ready, raring and excited for the new season. You may notice the new look to my blog and hopfully you'll all like it. Up the Villa!

"There were a few difficulties, but I don't think the Villa fans totally accepted me being in the job." | Alex McLeish

Getty Images

"Everybody Likes To Be Loved"

But you really weren't.

The 14th of May will be a day to remember; the sacking of Alex McLeish brought tears of joy, literally, and one major party. It didn't matter to us about McLeish's Birmingham City past; it was just irrelevant - for most - but his playing style and results did. It meant you lost a lot, drew a few and won a handful. At Aston Villa we didn't want that.

The official statement was later released and Lerner, however much hate we have had for him, summed up the sombre mood surrounding the eleven tedious moths endured under Alex McLeish. The last eleven months were a mistake. They should never have happened. Little wonder why he was now on the look out for manager that could reinvorgate the club. We needed a fresh new face that would be welcomed by the fans, the players and the board.


The sacking was inevitable after a season of misery, yet the situation should have never arose.

Quite frankly, at the time I'm sure if Hercules, the mascot, had come skipping in claiming to be McLeish's successor he would have been given a hero's welcome. Thankfully he didn't and a more welcomed surprise was just around the corner.

A two and a half week search for a new manager came to a sudden halt shortly after a spiral of events, rumours gathering pace and the near resignation of one man in particular.

'The Board of Aston Villa are delighted to confirm that Paul Lambert has been appointed as Villa manager.'

Those were the words Villa fans cherished. If they thought getting rid off McLeish was a blessing, the appointment of former Norwich City boss Paul Lambert was a God sent from heaven.

******

Proud History, Bright Future.

Ignite the passion, ignite the fire, ignite the lion that lies inside. This is the start of a new beginning, a new era. A breathe of fresh air and renewed faith. The future finally looks bright again, the future is claret and blue. Are we prepared for this?

At times in football, things are never expected. They’re always unexpected, surprises and shocks. Do we ever regret them? Do we ever question why things plan out this way?

Under the guidenance of Paul Lambert, we won't be regretting just yet and we won't be questioning why we had to go through last season for sure. The claret and blue troops will be marching to the Scotsman's orders and will go into the new Premier League season prepared for battle. With the additions of Karim El Ahmadi, Brett Holman, Matt Lowton, Ron Vlaar and possibly a few more; Aston Villa look set to be back to their best. But, will they? After an inconsistent, bumpy road for the club last season, hopefully with a new outlook, philosophy and team, we can get that huge boost we need. This season will hopefully and most certainly be a more stable season for Aston Villa fans to bare.

******

"Everybody wants to see a winning team, if you can do it with style, absolutely great. But if you can't, and you win, then I'm pretty sure people will still be happy." | Paul Lambert

After a season of McLeish's negative 'let's hold onto a one nil lead and totally fail' tactics it will be nice to see some of the old Villa. A team which will go out an attack any team fearlessly and play with a bit of fire in their belly.