Sheffield United - Aston Villa 3-1 Del1
Här följer en rapport från läktaren av Pete Bland
A windswept report, I'm afraid. Right then, this isn't going to be easy.
I went to Sheffield today to watch the Villa away in the FA Cup. I left home at 9 O'Clock this morning, with the wind in the North West not so much tearing the leaves from the trees, as tearing the branches from the trunks. And just for show it was hurling hailstones horizontally at anything still bolted down.
Trepidation about making a journey in these conditions was matched by my trepidation for what I would probably witness.
As it happens part of the trepidation was misplaced - the journey wasn't too bad, as the weather eased off towards the east.
But on the pitch, Oh dearie dearie me. After a couple of pints of Timothy Taylor Landlord (splendid) with Ian (Drat) from this board, and his son and daughter I was feeling quite relaxed. It didn't last long.
The two teams had taken to the pitch for the early o'clock TV game in front of a half full stadium. It was a shame to see huge expanses of empty seats, as well as a bit of a surprise at just how many there were. What with Sheffield United being on a good run and renowned cup battlers with a number of Premier league club scalps to their name in recent seasons.
Enter the timid and half hearted, out of form, away day pushovers that Aston Villa have become.
Most of the people who read this will, I guess have seen the match either on the box, or at the ground. So I won't bother too much with the details, save to say that by half time we could quite reasonably have been 2 goals down. We had little grip on midfield, the forwards were unable to hold the ball up and the defence was a mixture of lacadaisical defending and confusion.
Tommy saved a number of times from forwards clean through, or unchallenged with good opportunities to score. And one blinding save from a header.
The comedy linesman down our end didn't help, giving Sheffield corners when the ball was still clearly in play and then in the second half he gave a goal kick to them for one of the most obvious corners you'll ever see. Luckily on that occasion even the Ref, who was poor, could see it was a corner. But I digress.
Only Gareth Barry looked ot be a threat, attacking wise. Cole was simply dreadful, outjumped and outfought by tiny wee Wrighty (who had a good game and was well recieved by the Villa fans). JPA is no longer a "striker", he's become just a bloke who plays up front and lays the ball off. No goal threat at all.
Nobby might as well not have been on the pitch. Gav was patchy, Lee not involved much. In defence Delaney was wandering about at right back, often out of position.
JLloyd was half asleep and his passing dire. Olly, the Captain got on with his own game, but provided no inspiration.
Still 0-0 at half time. What would DO'L do?
Second half we scored after a minute. Gareth Barry finishing off a quick move with a powerful right foot Volley. Gav went off and Berson came on. But being Villa we immediately let Sheffield United score from a corner. Not great marking. But Villa were better than in the first half at this point and were getting more into the game and pressing for a second. The passing was more on the deck. Nobby went off and Davies came on. Further improvement. Cole off Luke on. Hurrah!
And then a shot by Barry hit the hand of a defender outside the box. "Play on" You're kidding? United broke down Samuels side the lad shot, the ball went under Tommy I think, and despite looking a tad offside, the goal was allowed.
As Villa pressed Alan Wright clearly handled a JPA pass in the area. Again no hand-ball given. This one was cast iron.
Then another break away by United a minute later and it's 3-1. Was the shot deflected, or did it bounce strangely? I couldn't see clearly, but again I thought it might have been saved.
By now heads had dropped, and Lee's had got a bit hotter.
So what to make of it?
First Well done to Sheffield United- they were deserved winners and showed way more fight and character than did Villa. They created more chances, and despite being helped by the ref, twice, there can be no claims of "we wuz robbed".
Second, the reaction of the players and fans at the end. The fans were singing "you're not fit to wear the shirt" and banging the seats in sheer displeasure at the performance. I joined in with neither, but I could sympathise. It tells you all you need to know about Villa at the moment though. Unhappy and lacking in harmony.
As the players skulked off, only mark Delaney and Tommy even bothered to acknowledge the Villa fans. I think the rest realised they weren't going to get any thanks back.
The team is out of form, on a bad run. When that happens, as it does to all teams sooner or later, I want to see their character and effort and commitment. In too many it was absent. And probably absent before the start.
Pete
Lytham
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