Villa_Button is not feeling too well.'I feel sick,' she says. 'Stomach cramps,'I say, 'Are you sure you're okay to go?'She says, 'try and stop me.'
I'm then packed off to the shops for urgent supplies. She tells me she needs a snickers and a drink, no doubt sure fire ways to beat a virus. I return to find her in full Villa garb looking pale. About thirty minutes later we fall out of a cab and enter the Holte Pub. Its rammed at the bar. After our recent run everyone's in fine fettle, swilling down the ale. Its a relaxed atmosphere, without the tension of recent weeks. Nice to have a game at a proper time as well. Real football for proper punters. After her pint of strong bow and a sit down the Mrs agrees. Time to find out seats. Long may we reign.
Gabriel Agbonlahor has picked up a thigh injury. Being a sprinter he tends to pick up a fair few niggles so I'm not surprised yet I'm disappointed nonetheless. He has been in superior form. We will miss his power and pace and his recent slew of goals. N'Zogbia takes his place in a starting line up of Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Delph, Weimann, Bowery and the magnificent Benteke.
It's a slow start in what feels like an oddly subdued atmosphere. Travelling home and away tells you one thing: Of late, we are relaxed on our travels and play more fluid football. Villa Park is a demanding mistress. This grand old Victorian club brings a history and expectancy with it. It is as if the players are interrupted by her. The low Fulham turnout isn't helping. Their isn't enough of them to fill in the lower section of the away end. Fulham are notorious travellers but still...
After some cautious possession play from Villa we eventually find an opening on 25' minutes. Weimann finds Benteke with a cute cross. Benteke shovels his shot over the top corner with a spooning boot. Close but no cigar, son. Central to all our attacking movement is Charles N'Zogbia. He looks lively today and is probably our best chance of creating a chance. He has a good chance to score Villa's first when he meets Benteke's byline pass six yards out. His snap effort is palmed away brilliantly by Fulham shot-stopper Mark Schwarzer. That was a lightening save to his left. Top stuff.
Each time Matthew Lowton gets the ball, cries of 'shooooot' ring around the stadium. He's playing really well again today, overlapping and cutting in with the ball. N'Zogbia takes the ball off him and goes on a diagonal run toward goal, unleashing the ball from thirty yards out. Fulham keeper, Mark Schwarzer, is in fine form, parrying the ball away with an upward arching save. Another Villa effort goes begging, this time from Weimann. Again, Schwarzer parries. He will take some beating today.
Weimann is lacking his edge today. The boy looks tired. Half-time duly arrives and we head to the concourse. The Mrs is holding it together though sitting\standing for 45' minutes hasn't helped. She is consoled by assorted snacks and drinks. The power of Hula-Hoops cannot be underestimated. That and beer.
We return to out seats as the second-half meanders to life. Fulham craft a superb chance to take the lead. Brian Ruiz splits our defence down the middle, sending Berbatov on his way. The artistic Bulgarian waltzes into out penalty box. This will surely be a goal.... No, he's hit the outside of the post. Someone screams 'wake the **** up, Villa!' Well said that man. The final ball seems a bit lazy today. If Stoke away was a buzz then Fulham at home is definitely a more numbing experience. Not sure why as our record against Fulham in the Premier League is immense. You'd have to go back a long way to find when they last beat us at Villa Park.
Brede Hangeland makes a poor clearance in his box, almost laying it off for N'Zogbia. The French magician sends a curling left-footed effort past Schwarzer. Its a lovely goal and one that has been coming. 1-0 Villa
We come back down to earth with a bump. For about the millionth game in a row Villa make a mistake, scoring their second own goal in 4 games. Fabian Delph is too far forward for the Fulham corner. He jumps, nicks the ball with his head only to put it into our own net. It's another stupid, needles give away. 1-1
N-Zogbia is replaced by Sylla on 68' minutes. Within seconds of the game restarting he goes in with a one legged challenge, his body weight fully behind it. A Fulham player goes up in the air....then comes down again in a painful heap. No play acting on this one. That was a crunching piece of business by the French enforcer.
Villa Park hate figure, Phil Dowd gets out his cards..... its yellow. That was close. Well, at least the Fulham players know Sylla. he's on the pitch. A minute later, Brett Holman replaces Bowery and on 76' minutes Bent replaces Andi Weimann. We now look disjointed and uncomfortably though possession continues to be exchanged with not a lot happening.
At some point Joe Bennett, with Villa players streaming forward, shoots from about 40 yards out. It is a pathetic effort that dribbles wide of the post. I watch it die like a fart. Lambert is not impressed and he lets him know it. I shake my head and grumble to myself.
At the end of the game, after some good pressure play we craft a great opportunity on the break. Fabian Delph is left with a chance to smash the ball into the top right hand corner when the ball finds him at the far post. Its a tight angle but the goal is at his mercy. Can he redeem himself?.... No, he can't. Rather than celebrating a winning goal he aims for a pigeon instead. An awful finish from a player who's put a real shift in today.
After leaving the Holte Pub we walk straight passed Matt Lowton, suited and booted. I'd be embarrassed to go up and ask him to sign my midriff. He's very down to earth I'm told. Very approachable. Still, it is my midriff.
I feel a little deflated that we haven't got the win. Without doubt, Gabriel Agbonlahor was a massive loss for us today. His presence and connection to the club have added a talismanic value to his recent performances.
Link: [Live Football] Fluminense FC RJ - Caracas FC - Copa Libertadores
No comments:
Post a Comment