Heskey Villa’s Best Player This Season? Average Player Ratings
Around about the half way mark of Villa’s season, I would like to know who you think, that when they have played, has been Villa’s highest consistent performer this season. According to the Average Ratings section of the site, based on individual ratings after every performance, I make much maligned striker Emile Heskey to be the best player this season, just ahead of youngster Marc Albrighton and Ashley Young who come in second and third respectively. In a season hampered by injuries, Heskey has proved an integral part of a flailing Villa set up and is missed in his absence with the likes of John Carew and Gabby Agbonlahor yet to score a single league goal. In just 9 starts in all competitions, the 31-year-old has scored 6 times, coming off the bench on 4 occasions. A pretty good record for someone who, I would use the saying couldn’t finish his dinner but he clearly can, and has been lovingly named donkey by sections of the Villa support. Do you agree that the big man has been the surprise package this season or have the likes of Albrighton out shone his performances this season? The full ratings are published in the following link with some pretty poor performer’s outweighing the decent ones it seems! Full Player Ratings Table
Aston Villa vs Liverpool Pre-Match Predictions
Here are my predictions for this Monday’s game with Liverpool. I’m equally optimistic and pessimistic ahead of the match which will see Houllier return to Anfield. An uncertain defence of late doesn’t look like keeping a clean sheet any time soon against a Liverpool team who made a host of chances against Tottenham last week. On a positive note Agbonlahor looked sharp against City and we dominated the game despite defeat so I think we will get a few chances against a Liverpool defence devoid of Carragher and Agger. I’m hopeful of returns for Cuellar and Albrighton but may well be wrong! What do you think will be the score and who will feature in tomorrow night’s 8pm kick-off?
Possible Starting XI: Friedel; L Young, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock; Albrighton, Clark, Hogg, Downing; Ireland; Agbonlahor
Key Man: Gabby Agbonlahor
Goalscorer(s): Agbonlahor, Ireland
Minute of First Goal: 53
Final Score: 2-2
Liverpool vs Aston Villa Match Preview
Monday 6th December 2010
Opponent: Liverpool
Venue: Anfield
Kick Off: 20:00
Gerard Houllier will make an emotional return to Liverpool in Monday night as he takes his Villa side to Anfield in desperate search of a win. The Frenchman will no doubt have had his eye on this fixture since moving to Villa and his ties with the club are just one of a number of potential reunions. Houllier’s No.2 Gary McAllister was brought to the club by the manager is a playing capacity and in a short stint with the club the Scotsman became a cult hero. Among the playing staff to have plied their trade in Merseyside include Brad Friedel, Stephen Warnock and Emile Heskey, though the striker is unlikely to feature through injury. Extended Match Preview
Villa Injury Update Ahead of Liverpool Trip
Barry Bannan is the latest player to join the Villa Park injury list. The young midfielder limped off in the 2-1 defeat to Birmingham in midweek with a groin injury and is unlikely to recover in time for the trip to Anfield on Monday night. Gerard Houllier was erring on the side of caution as he didn’t want to aggravate the problem which would only deplete his squad further. Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Houllier stated:
“I don’t think Barry will be able to play. I’ve got my doubts because it is a groin strain which he picked up against Birmingham.”
Positive News on the Long-Term Injury Front
Hogg and Gardner Sign New Contract Extensions
Jonathan Hogg has become the fifth product of the Villa academy to commit his long-term future to the club in recent months. After a torrid time with injuries the workman-like central midfielder has turned his Villa career around and earned a new two-and-a-half year deal with the club. Hogg has started 4 games thus far for Houllier’s side including impressive performances on his Premier League debut in the 2-2 draw with United and a battling display at local rivals Birmingham. The 21-year-old has not been overawed in some massive games for the club and his sufficiently impressed the new manager for him to hand Hogg a new contract. Hogg joins the likes of Ciaran Clark, Barry Bannan and Marc Albrighton to sign long-term deals with the Villa youngsters offering a glimmer of hope in what should be a bright future after hard times of late. In other news 18-year-old midfielder and brother of former player Craig, Gary Gardner has also signed a new contract with the club. Gardner is returning to fitness after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with cruciate ligament damage stunted a youth season in which he had managed an impressive 14 goals from the centre of the park. The England Under-20 international is hoping to follow the likes of Hogg into the first team and has earned himself a new a contract extension until 2014.
Aston Villa Performances Overshadowed by Dismal Results
After a day to grieve over what was really a hit and run from the Blues on Wednesday I have had time to reflect and collect my thoughts! It seems at the moment that Aston Villa cannot buy a win and if you can find me a manager whose new job has started with worse luck then Gerard Houllier I’m all ears. A dominant and much improved performance from the forgettable 0-0 draw at Villa Park last month still saw Villa knocked out of the League Cup. A Semi-final with West Ham awaited which almost had me sobbing into my lonely corner of shame as Villa looked to build on their Final appearance last season. Without sounding too much like a broken record, Villa couldn’t really have been missing many more players once again against the Blues though a goal-scoring return did give us fans something to cheer. Still, poor defending in the first half and a lack of cutting edge meant that all Villa’s possession and passing football came to nothing in a 2-1 defeat at St Andrews.
Extended Match Report and Ratings
Aston Villa Face Blues in Must Win Quarter Final: Match Preview
Villa travel the short journey to St. Andrews in what is a massive League Cup Quarter Final draw with fierce rivals Birmingham City. The two sides met last month, producing probably the dullest derby in decades and a strong contender for worst Premier League game of the season. Villa were riddled with injuries and remain severely depleted as they look to turn around a poor run of results. A spirited comeback against Arsenal on Saturday was all in vain due to a dire first half display but did encourage some fans ahead of the nail biting clash on Wednesday. Houllier’s side have won just 1 in 9 in the league though they qualified for this stage of the cup with a tense 2-1 extra-time win over Championship Burnley. Birmingham reached the Quarter Finals at the expense of League One Brentford who pushed the Blues all the way but were beaten in a penalty shoot-out. Read more
Villa Continue Dismal Recent Record
Gerard Houllier finds his Aston Villa team in an increasingly large rut following a 4-2 defeat to Arsenal due to an abysmal first half performance. The Villans have now won just one game in their last nine Premier League matches coming from an edgy 3-2 win over a massively under strength Blackpool side. The Arsenal loss was Villa’s first league defeat at home and despite a spirited second half fight back Houllier’s men were unable to overturn what was a fortunate 2-0 deficit by half time. Read more
Villa’s Youngsters set to Benefit from Pro-Pires
My first rumour mill prediction appears to have come true with Robert Pires close to agreeing a deal with Villa this week. The Frenchman is unattached and therefore is available for an immediate free transfer. At 37 the veteran does represent a minor gamble on Houllier’s part but with only wages to pay to the former Arsenal man the risk is just that, minor. Pires could be in line to make the trip to Blackburn on Sunday if he passes a medical in the next two days. The player feels that this won’t be an issue having trained with his former club, Arsenal for the past two months. The signing would come in the wake of somewhat of an injury crisis at Villa Park with no fewer than 10 first teamers absent last time out. The 2002 Footballer of the Year is seen to be the perfect role model for the likes of Marc Albrighton and Barry Bannan in particular and brings a wealth of top-level experience to benefit the senior squad. Pires has the backing of old boss Arsene Wenger to succeed under compatriot Gerard Houllier at Villa with the former France international eager to get going as soon as possible. What Pires has had to say
10 Games in: Gerard Houllier’s Record and Review
Filed under: Aston Villa, Hot topic debates, Villa Manager
Many neutrals and Villa fans had their doubts over the appointment of Gerard Houllier 2 months ago but how has he really done in his opening 10 games at the club. The pessimistic may have seen the choice of the Frenchman as somewhat of a sideways step after his tenure at Liverpool was left on a low point with the Anfield club. Despite this, Houllier had a terrifically successful spell at the club leading them to Community Shield, UEFA, FA, League Cup (x2) and Supercup glory, a feat which has surpassed any of his successors at Liverpool. After health issues seemed to stunt his progress with the club, many in the Merseyside remember Houllier as a negative and uninspired tactician as he looks to answer the critics who doubted him. Villa have had a stop-start season to say the least and some impressive performances and results have been overlooked due to the sides current inability to close out games. Here is why I believe the new manager has done a decent job in his opening 10 fixtures and why Villa should not be counted out of a European finish. In-depth Managerial Review
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