A spirited, resolute display prevented this Aston Villa team becoming the first since season 1946 – 47 to lose their opening three home league fixtures bringing a rare home victory and sending fans home jubilant.

Well very few if any of us had been expecting three points from this game and that was particularly the case when we went a goal down just before half time against what had been a dominant Manchester City outfit. We were like a boxer on the ropes in the first half but we kept battling and improved in the second half picking ourselves up off the canvas to land two decisive blows and produce our very own version of “rope a dope” despite only having 33% of the possession by claiming the lion’s share of the goals.

We started against a Manchester City team that showed just one change from the side that had embarrassed their local rivals last weekend without Gabby, Westwood, Benteke and long term absentee Okore so there seemed little cause for optimism. Lambo played three at the back who generally kept us pretty solid and two wing backs moving forward well to support our hard working midfield three. But it seemed likely that this strategy was bound for failure should City score because we were showing little to suggest that we could be much of a threat to them up front given the lack of service we were able to provide for our forwards. But whilst there was only one goal difference between the two sides there was always the chance that we could snatch something from this one and we did just that with goals that turned probable defeat to sensational victory.

The inevitable opening goal came just before half time from their ninth corner but we valiantly responded to that and to a second goal from their tenth corner to claim all three points for a second time this season when being faced by a team who are expected to qualify for the Champions League each season. Even 5 minutes stoppage time that left us with 19 minutes to see out could not bring Manchester City the equalizer they sought which proves that money can’t buy you everything!

My player ratings from a game that has left us in the top half of the table are:

Brad Guzan – 6 – Brad produced a couple of poor kicks that cost us possession late in the game but hit one delightful long clearance that led to our winner and showed how effective a long ball can be for a so called “long ball team”. Did well to get down to a stinging volley from Negredo on 59 minutes and produced a decent save from Kolarov after 74 minutes having earlier got down well on 9 minutes as Dzeko tried to turn a Nasri pass past him.

Leandro Bacuna – 7 – MOTM – Not at his best in the first half but few were and his assist for our first and his well taken second made this win possible. Hit our second equalizer on 73 minutes when he hit a sublime free kick from the edge of the box over the wall and into the corner of the net with Hart nowhere.

Nathan Baker – 7 – A solid performance alongside Ron and Ciaran. Beaten to Nasri’s 56th minute corner by Dzeko whose back brought them a second with no Villa man protecting the far post it flew in at.

Ron Vlaar – 7 – Another good no-nonsense display from Concrete Ron.

Ciaran Clark – 7 – Worked well as part of this new central threesome.

Antonio Luna - 7 – Did very well when getting forward and did a solid job at the back.

Karim El Ahmadi – 7 – A much improved performance battled hard in the midfield and scored our opener on 51 minutes when Weimann threaded the ball past two defenders to him in space in the box and he hit the ball across Hart and into the far corner of the net. Yes he had one leg offside when the ball was kicked but we were due a debatable decision having been on the wrong end of more than one this season such as at Chelsea and the law of swings and roundabouts applies here.

Fabian Delph – 7 – Another good competitive display.

Yacouba Sylla - 6 – Solid challenges but then gave away his hard earned possession more than once. Put in a good shift overall.

Andreas Weimann – 7 – Brought down on the edge of the box by Nastasic producing the free kick that Bacuna converted and then ran onto a long clearance from Guzan on 76 minutes that Kozak got a slight touch on, which passed through two central defenders as did Andi before slotting the ball past Hart who had rushed out of his area to no avail and beyond the reach of the defender who was trying to get back to hook the rolling ball off the line.

Libor Kozak – 6 – Very limited service but he kept plugging away and did well on the edge of the box on 25 minutes when almost managing to slip a pass through to Andi.

Substitutes:

Jordan Bowery – Replaced Weimann on 80 minutes. Not on long enough to earn a rating but put himself about well enough in the time he had available.

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

Source: Player Match Ratings: A five goal comeback thriller at the Villa!