Reo-Coker Headlines List of Released Villa Players
Aston Villa have confirmed that Nigel Reo-Coker has been released along with 9 others including John Carew and Robert Pires.
The midfield man is the unluckiest of the crop of players which consists of 5 youngsters having had a successful final season at the club.
Reserve regulars Salifou and Osbourne also depart along with former fan favourite John Carew and failed veteran Robert Pires.
Interest is believed to be high at home and abroad in 26-year-old Reo-Coker and I for one hoped he would stay but a deal couldnt be reached.
Interestingly Brad Friedel was not on the list, indicating that Villa are still in talks to keep the American
VOTE NOW: Rate Villa’s Players this Season to Establish Best XI
With the season now at an end and Villa finishing in a somewhat surprising 9th position, I wanted to give the fans the chance to rate all of the Villa players from this season in order to understand who you consider to be Villa’s best XI this season. A team I will put together once the results are counted at the end of the week. Ratings are made out of 5, 1 being awful, 2 being poor, 3 being average, 4 being good and 5 being excellent. Players who made less than 5 starts in the league were omitted, notably Delph, Pires etc. but there is still 21 players to rate so get to it! Cheers guys. UTV! Vote Now!
Where Villa Went Right at Arsenal
Villa’s win over Arsenal yesterday was arguably the club’s best result and equally, best performance of the season. Not because Villa were the better team over the 90 minutes but because they were tactically astute and every player did their jobs. Setting up with one up front was always likely but the way the side came out of the traps was more like a three up front and was a system that Arsenal’s somewhat unfamiliar backline were taken aback by. Read more
Villa vs Wigan Line-ups
Villa Starting XI: Friedel; Walker, Collins, Dunne, L Young; Downing, Reo-Coker, Petrov, A Young; Bent, Heskey. Subs: Albrighton, Pires, Bradley, Delfouneso, Delph, Cuellar, Marshall.
Wigan: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, McCarthy, Caldwell, Watson, N’Zogbia, Moses, Cleverley, Boyce, Rodallega, Figueroa. Subs: Kirkland, Gohouri, Thomas, Di Santo, Gomez, McArthur, Sammon.
VOTES NEEDED: Villa’s Goal of the Season Vote Undecided
I’m a little short on votes for my last poll of the season, barring the main Player of the Year award, concerning what has been Aston Villa’s goal of the season? Didn’t want to give more than five options so some decent goals missed out, with the great team move for Albrighton’s goal to put us 2-0 up over United, Clark’s chest and volley vs Arsenal and injury time leveller against Chelsea and Petrov’s curler against Sheffield United all being mentioned, but these are the strikes I’ve settled for. Want as many votes as possible so have your say please! This has been one of the closer outcomes so far so your vote could still make a difference
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Johnson Leads Villa Under-18s to League Glory with 2-0 Win
Aston Villa’s youth team captain Daniel Johnson netted penalties in either half of their season ending clash with Chelsea to give Tony McAndrew’s men a 2-0 victory and in turn, the Premier Academy League Group B title. The weekend’s win over Charlton saw Villa’s youngsters climb above Midlands rivals Leicester to the top of the pile, sealing league glory with a decisive away victory at the Blues Cobham training ground today. Johnson has been a shining light for the youth team this year and was the fitting winner of today’s game, netting his 11th and 12th of the season after winger Jack Grealish was fouled in the first 45 before Jordan Graham was upended in the second half. The U18s are now waiting to discover who they will play in the Barclays Premier Academy League semi-finals, with the aim of being crowned overall national champions. UTV Academy. Keep ‘em coming!
Team line-up v Chelsea; Barrett; Nelson-Addy, Bryan, Lewis, Caira; Graham, Melvin, Johnson, Grealish; Burke, Taylor. Subs: Juan Serrano, Coton, Drennan (for Burke), Darkin, Robinson (for Grealish).
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Bannan Recalled to Villa and Could Face West Brom
Villa’s young Scottish midfielder Barry Bannan has returned to the club from a loan spell with Leeds after only featuring 7 times for the Championship who have fallen out of the play off places. It is likely that the club, along with many of the fans, grew tired of the limited opportunities that Bannan was getting at Elland Road for a player who has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt in the first half of the season. His form for Villa even saw him called up to the senior Scotland squad for whom he has shone since making his debut at the end of last year. The 21-year-old did state on his Twitter page @BBannan25 that he was heading “Bck to birmingham hometime !!!” after not featuring in Leeds 1-0 defeat to Palace on Monday, April 25. The youngster is now in the frame for a place in the squad to face West Brom this weekend and will be pleased to be back at the club who have showed that they rate him highly by recalling him from a loan spell that was less profitable than all parties would have hoped.
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Forrester Set for Barnsley Switch
Aston Villa reserve team regular Harry Forrester is poised to leave the club in the summer with Championship side Barnsley ready to stave off any interest in the youngster with an early swoop. Tykes boss Mark Robins has invited the versatile attacker, who can play in a central position as well as his preferred wide role, to join the South Yorkshire side for training ahead of his expected switch at the end of the season. The 20-year-old has been capped at youth level for England and has impressed for MacDonald’s second string this term but will be out of contract come the end of the season. As well as playing regularly for the reserves and the youth team before that, Forrester enjoyed a short 7 game spell with SPL club Kilmarnock earlier in the season having began his career in the youth ranks at Watford.
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VOTES NEEDED on Midfielder and Young Player of the Year Polls
Heys guys, in comparison to the rest of the polls for the end of season Villa Blog awards we’re a little low when it come to the midfielder of the year and in particular, the young player of the season polls. Want the results to be as substantial as the others so would really appreciate your votes, which you can simply do so by clicking the appropriately link. Cheers. UTV!
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Chelsea Reserves – 2; Villa Reserves – 1: Match Report
Chelsea defeated Aston Villa reserves in MacDonald’s sides final game of the season after two early goals from the hosts helped to secure a 2-1 home victory despite a spirited fightback from the young Villa side. Chelsea opened the scoring when Magnay won a header from Tore’s corner with Lalkovic getting the final touch to bundle it home. The home side doubled their lead after terrific work from McEachran, splitting the defence with a fine pass, found Phillip who raced through to slot past Siegrist. A great response from Villa saw Burke hit the post just minutes later after Osbourne found Lampkin in space, who squared to Burke on the edge of the area, whose low shot hit the foot of the post. Philip almost extended his account and the lead after more good work from McEachran but a decent two-handed save from Siegrist denied him. A fabulous long range strike from Samir Carruthers gave Villa a deserved goal after a fine passing move. In the second half Herd and Gardner both had early headed efforts just off target before a superb save from Siegrist denied Tore. Villa came close when great technique from Johnson saw the youth skipper rifle an angled half-volley which took Gardner by surprise and brushed off his head before going wide. Berry nearly forced home an equaliser after beating a defender and angling a left-foot shot towards the bottom corner but Sebek saved with his outstretched boot. An agonisingly close header from Ellis Deeney in the dying minutes of injury time saw the defender hit the bar after head tennis in the Chelsea box but it ended 2-1 to Chelsea.
Starting XI: Siegrist, Berry, Deeney, Osbourne, Herd, Baker, Carruthers, Gardner, Lampkin, Burke, Johnson. Subs: Williams (on for Johnson), Barrett, Devine (on for Carruthers), Nelson-Addy, Taylor (on for Burke).
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