I have personally be a season ticket holder at Villa Park for as long as I can remember and never have I felt the way I did yesterday as an Aston Villa supporter.

When I was growing up many rival supporters used to refer to my beloved football club as ‘boring Villa’ and I used to defend them just like any supporter would there own club. However, yesterday for the first time I watched the game and actually thought, we are quite possibly the most boring side in the Premiership at this moment in time – a tag I used to associate with Stoke City.

Yes, we did play Manchester City and the odds were always against us to beat the table toppers who have scored more and conceded less than any other side in the league. However, as an Aston Villa supporter, am I being harsh by demanding that those who wear the famous Claret and Blue colours give it a dam good go?

After all I would have been disappointed if we had lost 3 or 4-0, but I would have been able to walk away knowing full well that we gave it our all. Instead I walked away following a 1-0 home defeat against a City side who in my opinion also looked just as poor as us on the day – for whatever reason.

The away side scored the only goal of the game through former Everton defender Joleon Lescott after 63 minutes.

Former Villans James Milner and Gareth Barry linked up from a corner before the big defender scored from inside the six yard box.

I wont kid myself, and I will except Manchester City did deserve all three points after dominating the game from start to finish – but never really looked like scoring – if that makes sense?

Villa’s only chance worth talking about come in the final minute when Joe Hart proved just why I believe he is currently the best keeper on the planet with a fantastic one handed save from Darren Bent’s close range shot.

Not only is that the worst home run from Aston Villa in Premiership history, it increases the pressure on Alex McLeish, who was subject to a small protest before the game.

Villa now have a run of games they will need to be winning if they don’t want to be dragged into a relegation battle.

Injury Problems

Richard Dunne was today ruled out for up to 8 weeks following an aerial challenge late on in the game against his former club.

The Ireland international will have tests but the club fear the defender has dislocated his shoulder.

The club also confirmed today that Dunne’s international team mate Ciaran Clark will also be out of action for up to a month with a knee ligament damage he picked up during training.

The title is the words said by Aston Villa legend Alan McInally while commentating for Sky Sports pretty much sums up not only today’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle, but our season as a whole.

I have been stating for months now, that we are in fact our own worst nightmare and the sooner we cut out the stupid mistakes the better for everyone in a Claret and Blue shirt.

Some might say I am being a little harsh based on today’s performance but I am sick to death of reading, writing and watching the same old drivel.

Newcastle away is never easy and we don’t have the best record against them either, but never the less I felt we could go up there and take something from the game If we stick to what I have been saying for months.

Danny Guthrie and James Perch hardly scares you as an opposition midfield does it? And I felt Stiliyan Petrov and Ciaran Clark should have the best of them – of course I was wrong again.

But that takes me to another moan – consistently playing players out of position. Lets face facts, Ciaran Clark is a defender, not a midfielder, and Stephen Ireland is a centre midfielder, not a winger – not exactly ground breaking stuff is it?

The home side took the lead on the half hour mark when returning striker Demba Ba scored from close range after (wait for it, this will surprise you) the Villa back four failed to clear there lines.

Following injuries to Leon Best, Stephen Warnock and Ryan Taylor, six minutes was added on by the forth official in the first half and that’s when Villa pounced.

Former Geordie winger Charles N’Zogbia did well down the left before drilling the ball across goal which was converted by Robbie Keane – making it three in as many games for the on-loan striker.

In the second half, Newcastle always looked like the side who would score, and with 19 minutes remaining on the clock there new £10million striker did just that.

Papiss Cisse brought down a cross on his chest and smashed the ball into the top corner of the Villa goal, leaving Shay Given no chance.

The defeat sees Villa’s decent run on the road come to an end, while Newcastle move level on points with Chelsea as they continue to knock on the Champions League spot door.

Player Ratings

Shay Given (6) – Didn’t really have a chance with either goal.
Stephen Warnock (5) – Consistently making mistakes.
Alan Hutton (6) – Tried.
Richard Dunne (6) – Gave the ball away cheap at times and should of done better on the second goal.
Carlos Cuellar (6) – Confident on the ball, but shaky defending.
Ciaran Clark (5) – Simply not a midfielder.
Stiliyan Petrov (6) – Not at his best.
Charles N’Zogbia (6) – Good cross for the goal, but that’s was it!
Stephen Ireland (5) – If you can’t play him in the centre of the park, he shouldn’t play at all.
Robbie Keane (7) – Everything Villa did went through the Irish man.
Darren Bent (5) – Gave the ball away cheaply, and wasted chances.

Subs: Barry Bannan (6), Emile Heskey (5), Gary Gardner (5).

Verdict

I have stuck up for Villa a lot this season, but today I got very annoyed due to watching the same old rubbish. Hoofing a football has never been any good for any football team, especially Villa. We have proved that we we get the ball down and play we can play decent stuff.

The defence continues to be a liability and something must be done otherwise we could find ourselves with a unwanted relegation battle at the end of the season.

And finally playing players out of position doesn’t benefit the players in question, or the football team so just don’t do it!

With temperatures as low as -4 in Birmingham last night, it was always going to be hard to motivate and get the home supporters on side last night.

Some were still disappointed in the manor we threw away a 2-0 lead at the Emirates on Sunday and there was even a few stay away ‘Season Ticket holders’.

Two French Internationals made the temperatures inside Villa Park last night increase as they both made there own headlines.

QPR’s new signing Djibril Cisse needed just 12 minutes to make an impact, and made it three goals on three debut’s for English clubs after scoring in his first games for both Liverpool and Sunderland as well.

Luck was definitely on Rangers side with Villa being denied more than one penalty shout over the course of the 90 minutes, but when Shaun Wright-Phillips scuffed his shot and it just happened to fall at the feet of Cisse, the striker drilled a low shot across Shay Given to give them the lead.

Villa tried to get things going but there was no tempo in there efforts, and was taking to long to get anything going and soon the visitors had a two-goal advantage.

When Taye Taiwo delivered a deep cross, there didn’t appear to be any danger what so ever but Stephen Warnock headed the ball back across goal and beat Given.

It was Warnocks second mistake in three home games, as his season went from bad to worse.

The home side then picked up the tempo and began to take the game to Mark Hughes side.

On-loan star Robbie Keane was unlucky when his shot deflected off Stiliyan Petrov and struck the wood work with Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny well beaten.

And then home sides efforts finally paid off when Keane played in Alan Hutton and in typical Darren Bent style he converted the low cross from close range.

That was Darren Bents 100th Premier League goal, and his 10th goal of the season.

Villa continued there offensive efforts in the second half and with 11 minutes remaining on the clock they finally brought the game back to level terms.

Petrov supplied a fantastic cross to the left wing were the on-running Charles N’Zogbia volleyed into the bottom right hand corner for his first goal since his £9million switch from Wigan in the summer.

Mark Hughes stated at the end of the game that his side were a little unlucky to come away with a point but never the less he would take it.

I would have to agree with that, but the same mistakes keep haunting the Claret and Blue army and with Newcastle and Manchester City coming up – it won’t be so easy to come back from two goals down.

Boo’s

Just thought I would mention all those who were booing Stephen Warnock after his own goal are an absolute disgrace to Aston Villa Football Club.

You never EVER boo one of your own, especially when they need you at the most. There is no excuse for it what so ever!

All football fans should know that you should never take anything for granted, Aston Villa fans in particular. What unfolded at the Emirates Stadium yesterday probably taught a lot of youngsters a very valuable lesson.

The Claret and Blue faithful travelled in there numbers to the capital, all caught up in the magic that is the FA Cup. Could we beat Arsenal on the own turf on our current form? Probably not, but what the hell did we have to lose?

Despite all the noise coming from the away support, it was the home side who was on top from early on. As you would expect from Arsenal, they had a lot of the ball, and at times probably over passed it.

However, it was the away side who took the lead against the run of play.

Just past the half hour mark, 33 minutes to be presist a very well worked corner saw Stiliyan Petrov release Robbie Keane who floated a beautiful ball across the Arsenal six yard box where Keanes Irish international team mate Richard Dunne headed past Lukasz Fabianski.

Arsenal then piled on the pressure and we have to thank Shay Given for denying both Tomas Rosicky and Alex Chamberlein, until Villa hit the home side on the counter attack just before half time.

Stephen Ireland released Darren Bent and his angled drive was denied by Fabianski, but the former Sunderland striker was first to react to make it 2-0.

Villa fans celebrated as if we had booked our place into the Cup Final already at half time down on the concourse, but what we didn’t know we was about to be taught a lesson – don’t take anything for granted.

In seven second half minutes Arsene Wengers team turned the game on the head, and Villa gave away there two goal advantage quicker than you could eat that half time refreshment

Not only had they regrouped but they turned up the pressure and it wasn’t long before they were awarded a penalty. Aaron Ramsay latched onto Alex Songs through ball only to be upended by Dunne.

Robin Van Persie stepped up and sent Given to the right as he slotted the ball to the left.

Two minutes later Arsenal were level. Theo Walcott darted into the Villa area from the right and hit the ball across the goal-line, where Alan Hutton smashed his clearance of the winger and it ricocheted into the net.

And to complete the comeback, just four minutes later the home side were awarded another penalty when Darren Bent brought down Laurent Koscielny. Of course Van Persie stepped up and made no mistake about smashing it into the back of the net.

Despite all this the 5,000 strong Villa faithful continued to outsing a very poor home support both in the ground and after the game outside.

It was a game of mixed feelings, as our boys deserved credit for the effort, but the way we gave away the 2-0 lead was shocking, and one you wouldn’t expect a League 2 side to do in such a short amount of time.

The same problems continue to be Villa’s Achilles heel and no matter how much Alex McLeish tries to brush them away, they wont go away until they are dealt with.
Oh well, I suppose we always have next years FA Cup?

Robbie Keane wrote all his own headlines yesterday in a thrilling Midlands derby at Molineux with ended in a 3-2 victory for Aston Villa.

Many questioned the reported £500k Villa had faulked out for the Republic of Ireland striker, but he answered many of his critics with two stunning goals in front of the team that gave him his professional debut more than 14 years ago.

It was the perfect birthday present for manager Alex McLeish who turned 53 as it eased some of the growing pressure from the Claret and Blue faithful.

Villa took the lead after just 11 minutes when Darren Bent scored from the penalty spot. The former Sunderland and Tottenham striker was brought down in the area following a very silly challenge by Wolves defender Christophe Bera.

However, it was the home side who picked them selves of and set about taking the game to Villa and 10 minutes later they were back on level terms.

Michael Kightly gave Ciaran Clark the run around before curling his left-foot shot into the far corner past Shay Given.

This only spurred on the home supporters and it wasn’t long before they were in the lead.

Kightly’s corner from the right was header towards goal from former Birmingham defender Roger Johnson and David Edwards was able to the the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

At half time Gabby Agbonlahor was replaced by Stephen Warnock, as McLeish moved Clark into midfield and debutant Gary Gardner out onto the right.

Six minutes after the break Villa got back onto level terms in this see-saw encounter when Ciaran Clark headed the ball on for Robbie Keane who stroke the ball on the turn and past Wayne Hennessey.

With 15 minutes remaining Karl Henry saw red when he kicked out needlessly at Marc Albrighton and having watching replays this morning I will agree that Albrighton made a big deal of it, but never the less it was a red card.

And in game witch had just about everything, I wouldn’t be right if we didn’t have a winner. On-loan Robbie Keane bagged his 125th Premier League goal with an absolute peach of a goal!

Villa now climb 9 points ahead of Wolves in the table and make it only 1 defeat in 6. Also some of the Villa players are now gearing up for euro 2012 which everybody cannot wait for!

2012

Team Ratings

Shay Given (7) – Couldn’t do a lot with goals, but looked solid and commanding otherwise.
Alan Hutton (5) – Looked poor and was second best most of the day.
Ciaran Clark (6) – More comfortable once he moved in the middle.
James Collins (6) – Worked hard.
Richard Dunne (6) – Tried but was second best to Steven Fletcher most of the day.
Gary Gardner (7) – Very good effort.
Marc Albrighton (7) – Got better and better as the game went on.
Stiliyan Petrov (6) – His worst performance this season.
Gabriel Agonlahor (5) – Just wasn’t in the game.
Darren Bent (7) – Linked up well with Keane, and worked hard.
Robbie Keane (8) – Two wonderful strikes.

Substitutes

Stephen Warnock (7) – Looked back to his best.
Barry Bannan (6) – Tried.
Andreas Weimann (5) – Should of scored.