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John

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  1. John
    They think its all over it seems it is now and it is still only November!

    It is hard to see us coming back from this sad, sad situation to retain our top flight status this time. Our absentee landlord has failed in his role as custodian of our football club and that will cost him financially and us in ways he does not or chooses not to appreciate. It looks like we are down before the Christmas decorations have gone up!  

    This was a must not lose game that we lost. Watford beat us at Villa Park in the league for the first time since 1969. We have not won a game since the first day of the season in the league and have only managed two draws since then. Will we win one in what remains of this season let alone win enough games to keep us up?   

    We are fast running out of games now let alone winnable ones. Watford was one of the games we really needed to win if we were to retain any realistic hope of adding another 27 or so points to the 5 we currently have. We are now faced with a need to gather points from games that we will start as heavy underdogs in as we did against Manchester City. Our next two games fit that description.    

    We started this game well pressing our opponents from the start and looking like the home side for once. Watford took the lead totally against the run of play but we deservedly pegged them back before half time having shown a good response to going a goal down. We clearly had the better of the first half but we did not put away enough of the chances that we made and our defence showed the usual signs of frailty when they tried to hit us on the break.

    The 8 minutes injury delay came when we were well on top. We were caught napping shortly after the re-start and the visitors took the lead again. We needed to kick on again in the second half but not for the first time this season we demonstrated the difficulty we find in performing at the same level for more than 45 minutes unless that level is an embarrassingly below par one. On the positive side we scored two goals at home. That should have produced a point at the very least but our defence conceded three to add to the four they leaked last week and you really cannot expect to win games when you are conceding goals to that extent.

    We hit a late goal which did give us some hope of a grandstand finish during the ten minutes of injury time. We deserved to get something from this game but we failed to lay a glove on our opponents in stoppage time and they spent more time in our half than we did in theirs.                   

    My player ratings from a game that has left us cast adrift from the rest of the league are:

    Brad Guzan – 7 – Did well to block a 17th minute Ighalo with his body but the same player turned the ball past him later in the same move after the ball ran to him off Clark. Brad did well to stop a Capoue shot with his legs on 24 minutes and he twice saved us from further embarrassment in stoppage time by turning Guédioura shots off target.                                                                         

    Alan Hutton – 5 – Did well going forward and was brought down for the free kick that led to our equalizer. Put the visitors back in front on 69 minutes when he turned the ball past Guzan and inside the post in the process of taking the ball off Ighalo after Deeney had threaded a ball between Clark and himself. His heavy touch on 85 minutes also led to us losing the ball in the build up to their third and ultimately decisive goal.                                 

    Kieran Richardson – 4 – Failed to get forward effectively enough and was again a cause for concern at the back.      

    Michah Richards – 7 – MOTM – Led by example and scored a tremendous goal on 41 minutes heading a well weighted Veretout free-kick into the corner of the net. His goal celebrations showed how much this game meant to him and he gives an example other players need to follow.                                  

    Ciaran Clark – 5 – Ayew touched a 39th minute Veretout corner across the face of the goal which Ciaran hesitated to move towards and could only stab wide with an outstretched foot. He really needed to go for the ball that Deeney headed in on 85 minutes to seal our defeat which had unluckily bounced off Richards into his path.                         

    Carles Gil – 7 – If only he could see out a full game. Worked hard, has a lovely touch and his creativity was much needed in Jack’s absence.

    Jordan Veretout – 5 – Hit a sweet free kick for our equalizer and had a couple of other nice touches but he needs to try to impose himself on games more.

    Carlos Sánchez - 4 – Lost the ball on the edge of his own box which led to their opening goal and was also dispossessed by Deeney on the edge of the box shortly afterwards. Not a good day overall for Carlos.                   

    Idrissa Gana – 5 – Hit a nice shot just wide of the post on 27 minutes but needs to make a bigger impact on games than this.

    Scott Sinclair – 6 – Forced a good save from Gomes on 31 minutes who turned his goal bound effort past the post. Made some decent runs yesterday and produced a better overall display than those of late.   

    Jordan Ayew – 6 – Had a decent shot saved at his near post by Gomes in the 10th minute and hit the bar with a header 3 minutes later from a Gil corner that was re-taken due to a coming together inside the box prior to the corner being taken. Really should have been on target when a 20th minute Veretout shot fell to him but he somehow managed to screw the ball wide of the post. Had a 31st minute punched away by Gomes who was grateful to see Sinclair’s header from the rebound go safely into his arms. Jordan curled a sweet shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the box on 89 minutes to give us a late second goal.            

    Substitutes:

    Adama Traore – 6 - Replaced Gil on 68 minutes. Gave us pace, urgency and a couple of decent crosses but he needs to look for a pass occasionally rather than to go it alone.      

    Rudy Gestede - Replaced Gana on 82 minutes but was not on long enough to gather a rating.

    Stay up Villa!

    John Lewis

  2. John
    We made 11 changes from the team that won 3-0 at Barnsley on Saturday and paid the penalty for that with a cup exit (our first ever League Cup defeat against yesterday’s opponents). Not that we are alone in making significant changes in this cup competition and resting first team players at the drop of a hat as Middlesbrough made 10 changes themselves.
    The League Cup was a really important trophy for around 40 years from the mid 60’s but it’s importance has faded to the extent that only 11,197 supporters attended this game. This game reminded me of those old Central League games that were played between reserve sides comprising of players who were out of favour, coming back from injury or potential first team players of the future. Crowds did not particularly flock in to see those games either.
    Clubs mostly play teams that are pretty much unrecognisable from their first-team line ups until the last eight of the League Cup at least. We no longer have replays so that players do not face too many games in a season but those players do not play in the League Cup now anyway! The name of the competition has now become anyone’s guess with the sponsors having changed with great regularity since 1982 when the League Cup became the Milk Cup before morphing into a trophy that no club really makes a priority at the start of each season. It is a pity to see its demise.    
    This game turned on the 57th minute when we conceded a penalty and the first goal from the spot. We also lost Elphick who was given a second yellow which brought us down to ten men for the rest of the game (this referee was far less determined to even things up than the one had been last week). Up until then there had been little to choose between these two second string outfits neither of whom seemed desperate to want to win this game.
    Both teams produced a lack lustre performance last night and it could be argued that we didn’t really play much at all. The game seemed to be drifting towards a tame goalless draw, extra time and penalties until the penalty was awarded. That gave Boro the impetus and the place in the next round on a day few Villa players did anything significant to advance their case for a first team call-up. We are now left free to concentrate on the league and to bring on the first team.  
    My player ratings from a game that extended the number of years we have gone without a League Cup Final appearance and a League Cup Final win beyond 8 and 22 years respectively are:
    Jed Steer – 5 – Could only watch with relief when Bamford’s 26th minute header from a cross struck the bar with Hutton standing statuesque alongside the striker. Saved well low at his right-hand post to keep out a 30-yard shot from Forshaw on 36 minutes. Went left and Bamford struck his 58th minute spot kick down the middle. Caught in no-man’s land for their second when Bamford headed home a Tavernier cross at the near post that Bjarnason seemed to be trying to avoid making any contact with.
    Ritchie De Laet – 5 – Made a good late run from well inside this own half on 92 minutes but his finish was high, wide and not very handsome. Headed the ball off the line on 89 minutes from a Taverier header or was it already marginally over?               
    Tommy Elphick - 4 – Started comfortably enough and headed in from a Lansbury free-kick but was flagged offside. Earned a second yellow card and cost us the game on 57 minutes when he rashly brought down Bamford inside the box and reduced us to 10 men.    
    Chris Samba – 6 – Did the simple things well enough and plays to his strengths.       
    Alan Hutton - 6 – Started very well.  
    Henri Lansbury – 6 – Sent off against these same opponents last Tuesday but was available to play having had his red card correctly rescinded. Went off with an injury on 41 minutes and we missed his experience.           
    Jake Doyle-Hayes - 6 – Not as effective as he was in his last cup outing but he was very, very good on that day.   
    Josh Onomah – 5 – Not at his best last night but few were. Had a 44th minute effort kept out at the far post by Konstantopoulos.
    Calum O’Hare – 6 – MOTM – Make another good impression last night. Chased down apparently lost causes such as in the 34th minute when he went after a Hutton cross that seemed destined to go out of play and turned it back towards goal to force Konstantopoulos to stretch out a hand to avert the danger. Worked hard throughout just needs to try to add a cutting edge to his game.         
    Birkir Bjarnason – 4 – Another disappointing display and he is clearly no full back.     
    Scott Hogan – 5 – Could not quite turn a ball into the box in from close range on the hour mark. More was expected from him but he did not get a lot of service. Looked understandably unhappy to be substituted as were we to see him go given the match situation.            
    Substitutes:
    Ross McCormack – 5 – Replaced Lansbury on 41 minutes. Showed a couple of nice touches and looked like he might have turned home a 65th minute Samba header from a corner. Is it time to re-think bringing him back in from the cold?
    Jordan Lyden – 5 - Replaced Hogan on 60 minutes. Made no particularly noticeable impression on the game in the time he had available.
    Corey Blackett-Taylor – Replaced Onomah on 81 minutes. Not on long enough to earn a rating.     
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  4. John
    We now have our place in the top six. The battle is to stay there. Derby and Bristol City may have a game and two games in hand of us respectively, but we have the points on the board. City must also visit Villa Park and neither of these teams are currently winning games for fun, are they? The likes of Preston, Forest and Wednesday are behind us, so they would need to have a better finish than we do to the season, in order to overhaul us. As Ron Saunders once said at the business end of a very successful season, “Do you want to bet against us?”  
    Yesterday’s fourth successive victory has taken us into the play off places. Who would have thought that likely just a couple of weeks ago? The win has left us just a point behind Middlesbrough, who must now fear being overtaken by the team that knocked them out of the play offs last season and completed the double over them yesterday. They are in our sights now and so is promotion!
    Eight games of this season remain, or could it be 11? The international break has come at a time when we are on a tremendous run that looks like it could sweep us into the end of season play offs. We must use this break to our advantage. Let’s hope that players who are on international duty return to us fit and that a couple of those who are currently on the treatment table, near fitness during this period of club inactivity.       
    We currently have the look of a team that is putting together a late run to make the play offs, that other clubs will not relish meeting in them. Clubs that enter the play offs on the crest of a run of good results, often take the promotion spot from teams that have finished above them over the course of the season. We could be that club this year. If we can play as well as we have done in the last 4 games, in our final 8 games of the season and then do the same in the 3 play-off games, it just could be on, after all!        
    The high winds and second half rain were not conducive to good football. Tony Pulis must have welcomed the conditions then and our visitors from Teesside might well have been reminded of a summer’s day back at home! They may have come to Villa Park to park the bus, but they left it in the club car park and their usually solid defence was breached three times. Villa were not to be distracted by the weather conditions. We dominated this game from start to finish. If it had been a boxing match, it would have been stopped before we applied the coup de grace on the 88th minute. I don’t want to tempt fate, but it seems that our defence might now have reached the point where a two-goal lead can prove to be enough to secure a win.       
    My player ratings from a game that left us surprisingly and unexpectedly optimistic, about our play off prospects are:
    Jed Steer – 6 – Not unduly troubled by the visitor’s attack but appeared both confident and assured.   
    Ahmed Elmohamady – 7 – Another solid performance from Elmo, who is doing more than a bit to make our defence look increasingly and reassuringly solid.          
    Kortney Hause - 7 – Solid, unflustered and looking increasingly confident, alongside Tyrone in the centre of our defence.    
    Tyrone Mings – 8 – His towering presence in the centre of the defence is increasingly impressive. He has so much time on the ball, is unrushed, confident and is the rock on which our defence is currently built. His was an inspired signing!             
    Neil Taylor – 7 – This was a no-nonsense defensive performance, which is exactly what we have been looking for from him. Keep it up Tayls!               
    Glenn Whelan – 8 – MOTM – Didn’t put a foot wrong yesterday. I can’t recall him playing better in our shirt than this. He was the cog in our midfield engine and allowed Jack and John to move forward knowing that he was on hand behind them. Hit a 52nd minute shot from the edge of the box wide of the left-hand post. It must have been nice for him to hear the crowd acknowledging his tremendous performance yesterday.           
    Andre Green – 6 – Substituted after 65 minutes having not over troubled Friend on the right.  
    John McGinn – 8 – Scored one and made one, what’s not to like? Headed a 1st minute El Ghazi cross over. Hit a nice ball to find El Ghazi in space on the edge of the box for our first. Grealish played a ball inside for Abraham that ran past him for John to pick up and run with to the edge of the box before hitting our second into the right-hand corner of the net.        
    Jack Grealish – 8 – Hit the foot of the near post on 62 minutes, having ran inside the box following a short corner. Gave another captain’s performance, led by example, teased opponents with his skills and his presence created space for his teammates. Had a 36th minute shot from the edge of the box deflected wide on 36 minutes.              
    Anwar El Ghazi – 7 – He looks a little like Ronaldo to me from a distance (I must get my eyesight checked), he doesn’t play much like him yet, but this was a bright, encouraging performance from Anwar. Hit our opener on 28 minutes, when he was found unmarked on the edge of the box by McGinn. He proceeded to run into the box and slot the ball past the keeper and into the far corner of the net nicely. Grealish made a strong run forward from inside his own half, before finding him just inside the box but his 50th minute shot was hit just wide of the far post.                
    Tammy Abraham – 7 – Worked hard, stayed busy made some nice forward runs and led the line well. The only thing that was missing was his 22nd goal and that will come another day. Hit a 61st minute ball from Elmo over on 61 minutes and a shot from the edge of the box wide of the right-hand post 3 minutes later.       
    Substitutes:
    Albert Adomah – 6 – Replaced Green on 65 minutes and hit our third 23 minutes later, when he tapped home from close range after Randolph had been unable to hold a shot from Davis.
    Jonathan Kodjia - 6 – Replaced Tammy on 72 minutes.       
    Keinan Davis - 6 – Made a rare first team appearance yesterday, coming off the bench to replace El Ghazi on 75 minutes. Elmo found him on the left of the box on 88 minutes, from where he got into a shooting position before curling a shot towards the far post that Randolph obligingly spilled for our third.  
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  5. John
    James Chester was back to his best last night firstly preventing a Bolton equalizer and then scoring our decisive second goal to send us temporarily to the top of the bottom half of the table and just 4 points behind the top six.         
    We had the perfect start last night with a 4th minute goal that it might have been hoped would lead to a confidence inspiring goal glut against a Bolton side that are currently on the crest of a slump. The visitors instead threatened to draw level and we sat nervously and uncomfortably in our seats until Chester added a second to give us a two-goal cushion and what then became a comfortable win.         
    We played better and lost against QPR, but it was vital that we won this battle between two teams that had both lost their previous two matches. We now need to put a decent run of results together which will not be easy looking at our forthcoming fixtures.  
    A second home win and a second clean sheet at Villa Park for our new management team gives us something to work on. Winning our home games as a minimum will keep us ticking along until the next transfer window when we can look to strengthen where necessary.          
    My player ratings from a game that we deserved to win and did are:
    Orjan Nyland – 4 – He continues to make Pierluigi Gollini look like Dino Zoff! Comfortably collected a mishit 21st minute shot from Oztumer but then embarrassingly dropped a cross 4 minutes later which he then gratefully gathered when it fell at his feet. Seemed to have lost his bearings when he fumbled a harmless 41st minute Oztumer free-kick out for a corner that he should have left to go out. A schoolboy would have been unhappy with doing that under no sort of pressure.
    Did well to get his right foot to a 47th minute Buckley cross from the edge of the six-yard box which was otherwise bound for Donaldson to tap in at close range for an equalizer, but the negatives outweigh this one positive for me. Although he was not often called upon he continues to look to have an error in him waiting to happen. He needs to be doing a lot of work with Neil Cutler in the coming days to address his weaknesses. Is Moreira still not another option?              
    Alan Hutton – 6 – Looks like he can still remember how to give an effective display in his rightful full back role.    
    James Chester - 8 – MOTM – Back to his best and this game will do no harm to his confidence. Did incredibly well to hook a 24th minute Hobbs header off the line with Nyland beaten. Was flagged offside when he headed home a 32nd minute Hourihane free-kick but was given the benefit of the doubt on 57 minutes when he headed a Grealish free-kick in between Alnwick and the post to settle the game.      
    Axel Tuanzebe – 7 – Will get increasingly more comfortable with more games alongside our captain in the centre of our defence. Did well to use his pace to get back and win an 84th minute challenge with Doidge inside of the box which along with the substitute’s heavy touch on the ball denied him a scoring opportunity.             
    Neil Taylor – 6 – Faced little to really test him last night but generally looked competent enough.    
    Conor Hourihane – 6 – Played in an unfamiliar deep midfield role in the absence of Thor. Did well enough given that and he rarely fails to do a decent job for us. Could he fill this role again?              
    Albert Adomah - 6 – Hit a 14th minute shot wide of the far post from the edge of the box and a bicycle kick (as allegedly invented by a late Villa chairman) onto the roof of the netting behind the crossbar. Substituted on 73 minutes.    
    John McGinn – 7 – Subject to the sort of rough treatment normally reserved just for Jack last night and the referee was as lenient with challenges on him as they usually are when Jack receives the same uncompromising treatment. Won the ball well from Donaldson on 43 minutes before running forward and hitting a cross towards the far post that was played back across the face of the goal by Kodjia only for Alnwick to get a hand to prevent Abraham getting his head on it. John then stooped to head the loose ball into the side netting having continued his run. He is quality and has an obvious tenacity and will to win.         
    Jack Grealish – 7 – Made a nice 4th minute run into the box which was spotted by Abraham who having turned to leave a defender for dead then played a perfect pass to Jack who took the ball past Alnwick and tucked it inside the near post. Had a 28th minute shot from outside of the area pushed wide by Alnwick.             
    Jonathan Kodjia – 6 – McGinn played a one-two with Hutton before hitting a 30th minute cross to the far post which Kodjia could only hook well over the bar. Flashed a 69th minute shot wide of the near post having ran into the area after being found by a nice ball from within his own half by Tuanzebe. Not at his powerful and defence threatening best yet.       
    Tammy Abraham – 7 – Maintained a good work rate last night. McGinn found Kodjia who ran into the box and squared the ball to Tammy on 46 minutes, but it was hit a little too firmly and bounced off his right leg to safety as he tried to take a touch when a goal had looked likely. He won’t fail to score too often in games at Villa Park this season.            
    Substitutes:
    Yannick Bolasie – Replaced Adomah on 73 minutes. Not on quite long enough to gather a rating this time. I had expected him to start this one.      
    Scott Hogan – Replaced Abraham on 81 minutes. Not on long enough to earn a rating.     
    Glenn Whelan – Replaced Jack on 90 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating.   
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  7. John
    A super well-placed Conor Hourihane free-kick gave Villa the win in yesterday’s game between the only two of the five English teams that have lifted the European Cup that currently play outside of the top flight. Forest won that trophy in 1979 and 1980. Villa continued the Midlands domination of that cup competition in 1982 to become the fifth consecutive winners from England with Liverpool also having won the trophy in 1977, 1978 and in 1981. These two Midland clubs have sadly fallen from grace and have a long way to go to become anything approaching the teams that they were back then.    
    Villa played well in the first half following a strong start to the game from our visitors. Our team produced some entertaining football with Adomah and Snodgrass both making some nice positive runs down each flank. Forest played their part in what was one of the better 45 minutes of football played at Villa Park in recent seasons. We scored one but the nagging thought remained that at the end of the game we might regret having not put at least one of our other first-half opportunities away.
    Forest had a little too much of the ball for my liking in the first 45 minutes and that was even more the case in the second half. They were always going to get a chance or two given the amount of possession they were enjoying and they got the equaliser that many had feared they might on the 52nd minute. Fortunately, we bounced back with the goal that won it for us from our top goal scorer Hourihane on the hour and we managed to hang onto that lead until the close.   
    The three points that we gained from yesterday’s win took us into the top half of the table. It gave us two consecutive league wins for the first time this season which took us just 2 points off the play-off places and within 7 points of the automatic promotion spots. We are still playing catch-up after our poor start to the season but we are at least in the process of catching up. Wins against Burton and Bolton next week that will put us on 4 wins from 4 games are now required to give us the momentum that we need.    
    My player ratings from a game that we might well have drawn (which we did last season) are:
    Sam Johnstone – 7 – Sealed our win when he showed his agility in pushing an 85th minute 30-yard Dowell free-kick that was played over our defensive wall and was heading for the top corner wide of the post with one hand. Had earlier been somewhat fortunate when he blocked a 55th minute Dowell shot with his right leg and it somehow deflected to safety past his left-hand post. Gathered a 57th minute Murphy header that went straight at him easily enough. Sam had the occasional wayward kick yesterday that led to a couple of throw-ins for the visitors but his confidence is there for all to see now and I hope we can make his loan into a permanent signing.
    Ahmed Elmohamady – 5 – Forest targeted his wing as being a potential weak point for us from the start and had some element of success having done so.                
    James Chester - 7 – Did well and again looked solid yesterday alongside JT.    
    John Terry – 7 – Another composed and solid defensive performance. It was nice to see how much the win meant to him when the referee blew the final whistle.       
    Neil Taylor - 7 – Comfortable at the back and looked good when moving forward. His best performance to date for us in my opinion.  
    Robert Snodgrass – 7 – He gives us a lot and was a real threat on the wing but had understandably tired well before his 88th minute substitution due no doubt to his inactivity before joining us. Hit a nice cross on 33 minutes that Smith pushed out for a corner at the far post with Kodjia in close attention. 
    Glenn Whelan - 4 – Started well enough but tired noticeably in the second half wanting to take too long on the ball at times and being caught or almost caught in possession on occasion. Claimed an unwanted assist for their equalizer when both he and Terry tried to take the ball off Murphy on the edge of the penalty area but his involuntary touch on the ball instead put the striker clear inside the box and his shot gave Johnstone no chance. Jedinak’s injury impacts on our ability to rotate Mile and Glenn as well as to bring one of them on when the other tires.   
    Conor Hourihane – 8 – Hit our winner on the hour with a superb free kick that he bent around the wall and past Smith. A very good all-round midfield display throughout.
    Albert Adomah – 8 – MOTM – Albert’s on fire, isn’t he? Hit our first goal after 15 minutes when he collected a splendidly measured ball played between two defenders into the box by Kodjia before rounding Smith and coolly slotting the ball home. Picked up a ball from Whelan just inside their half 3 minutes later and ran forward before cutting inside and hitting a shot from outside of the box that flew over the far post. Almost got on the end of a nice 56th minute ball into the box from Snodgrass that had just needed a touch at the near post. He was a constant problem to the visitors with his wide runs at their defenders.            
    Jonathan Kodjia – 7 – Got a big assist for our opening goal with a perfect defence splitting pass that was reminiscent of the sort that Gordon Cowans used to hit at will. Hit a 36th minute shot that Smith gathered at the second attempt after Davis had found him inside of the box. We look so much more threatening with “Johnny Danger” back in the starting line-up.      
    Keinan Davis – 7 – He holds the ball up and brings others into play so very well. Was found on the edge of the area by Snodgrass on 28 minutes and then showed some nice footwork before hitting a cross towards Kodjia that went wide of the far post.           
    Substitutes:
    Josh Onomah – 5 – Replaced Davis on 72 minutes. Found settling into this game and making an impression upon it a little more difficult than he would have hoped in the time he had available to do so.    
    Scott Hogan – Replaced Kodjia on 79 minutes. Not on long enough to earn a rating.
    Alan Hutton – Replaced Snodgrass on 88 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating but he did stiffen us up defensively as we looked to close the game out and made an early challenge that left no doubt whatsoever that he meant business.     
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  9. John
    Our unlikely hopes of automatic promotion were finally extinguished beyond any doubt yesterday. We will end the season in fourth place but will hopefully end it with a Wembley win to show for our efforts this season.
    Ex Blue-Nose Cameron Jerome gave Derby County a 14th minute lead yesterday that despite Villa enjoying the lion’s share of the possession they had looked increasingly like holding onto until Lewis Grabban hit our late equalizer and put their invitation to the playoff lottery on hold for another week.
    Villa deserved a point from this game at the very least and can now move on towards the playoffs having lost only two of our twenty-three home league games this season.
    The East Midlander’s arrived hoping to win their first game at Villa Park since 1988. Having gone a goal up they resolved to keep what they had by means of a dogged well organised defence. On another day we might have scored four but on this occasion, we had to be content with one and with keeping our powder dry for the three playoff games on which the success or otherwise of our promotion campaign will be dependant.     
    Who knows we may meet our visitors again in those playoffs. On 26th May (a date of great significance in our club’s proud history already) a Wembley appearance may propel one of these two clubs back into the top flight. I for one would rather like that that meeting to happen, and I would back us to breech their defence more than once on that occasion to claim that final promotion place.
    We are now able to rest players who may benefit from that in our final game of the season at The Den. Of those players that started yesterday I would wrap Elmohamady, Terry, Chester, Snodgrass, Adomah and Jack in cotton wool next weekend.             
    My player ratings from a game after which Gabby made his final Villa Park appearance as a current Villa squad member are:        
    Sam Johnstone – 6 – Kept out a 51st minute shot from the edge of the box from Lawrence.
    Ahmed Elmohamady – 6 – Did well to get back to block Weimann’s 73rd minute shot.  
    James Chester - 7 – Dependable and solid as ever.        
    John Terry – 7 – Welcome back! JT and Chester are such an effective central defensive pairing.  
    Neil Taylor – 4 – Substituted on 23 minutes due to injury. Should have just ran the ball out for a corner but instead gifted the ball to Weimann who then played the ball to Jerome for their goal. May well struggle to dislodge Hutton from the starting line-up now that he is recovered from injury himself.
    Robert Snodgrass – 7 – Hit a fierce 75th minute shot from the edge of the box after his free-kick had come back to him which Carson tipped over unseen by the referee apparently. Worked tirelessly and kept trying to move Derby’s parked bus aside.
    Glen Whelan – 6 – Had a decent game yesterday.      
    Jack Grealish – 8 – MOTM – Played a nice one-two with Grabban on 31 minutes chested the ball down well but his shot was kept out by Carson’s right foot. Hit a shot over the bar from the edge of the area on 61 minutes and another one wide 15 minutes later. He simply makes us tick.         
    Conor Hourihane – 6 –Tried to curl a 32nd minute shot from the edge of the box inside the far post but it was safely gathered by Carson. The ex-Villa keeper also was on hand at his right-hand post to save another 67th minute effort from him from the edge of the area. Somehow hit a 70th minute header from Snodgrass that fell to him at the far post wide.  
    Albert Adomah– 5 – Hit a nice cross that looked destined to be turned in by Grabban on the line just before the interval after Jack had found him with an inch perfect ball. Looks in need of a couple of weeks rest after having been a big player for us to date this season. Albert was substituted inside an hour.  
    Lewis Grabban – 7 – Curtis Davies had him in his pocket for a fair bit of this game, but he did what goal scorer’s do and hit home our equalizer and his 20th goal of the season on 84 minutes. Hourihane hit a powerful shot that Carson blocked but the ball rebounded to Terry who coolly played it along to Lewis who applied the required finish. Headed an Adomah cross harmlessly over the bar on 25 minutes when he should have been on target also headed a ball from Elmohamady onto the post in first half stoppage time.  
    Substitutes:
    Alan Hutton – 7 – A very welcome return. Alan came on for Taylor in the 23rd minute. Made some decent runs forward and had a 79th minute header which went just wide of the post.   
    Jonathan Kodjia – Replaced Adomah on 59 minutes. He is increasing his match fitness with each appearance following his long injury lay off but would benefit from the confidence that a goal brings and almost got one in the 74th minute when he hit the post from a Snodgrass cross.  
    Josh Onomah - Replaced Whelan on 81 minutes. Josh was not on long enough to gather a rating.  
    Get Up Villa!
    John Lewis
  10. John
    There was little to choose between the team that currently sit on top of the league and the one that is rooted to the bottom of it yesterday. Leicester had the confidence that comes of being high flyers but Villa had the spirit and never say die attitude that produced this well earned point.

    Our first half performance was below par and it was Leicester who had the better of the first half. The second half was a different story we became more direct and had the better of it by some distance although our opponents always carried a goal threat. We demonstrated new found resilience by not letting our heads drop after going a goal down and at the end of the game it was the table toppers who may well have been the happiest to hear the final whistle.  

    We are now unbeaten in our last three games. We need to start winning games and when better than next weekend? We currently stand 9 points away from safety. Games will fast run out now but we have 16 left to pull off an unlikely great escape. Do you want to bet against us? If so, you will not get much of a price from your local bookmaker and we did ruin a lot of bets against us yesterday.        

    My player ratings from a game that brought us our fourth point from our last two home matches are:

    Mark Bunn – 7 – Booked on 14 minutes when he unnecessarily brought down Vardy outside of the box who had run ahead of Okore and Bacuna to get to a long Schmeichel clearance that had been headed on for him to chase. Did very well to get a hand to Vardy’s attempt to chip the ball over him on 28 minutes but was not quite able to keep Okazaki’s tap in from the rebound out. Mark did well to wait for the kick to be taken and saved Mahrez’s 32nd minute penalty with his legs. It was unlikely we would have been able to come back had we gone two behind at that point. Helped a Drinkwater shot over the bar on 58 minutes.                                                                             

    Leandro Bacuna – 6 –Ayew switched the ball nicely to him inside the box on 66 minutes but Schmeichel was on hand to save. Leo was again surprisingly solid at the back.  
    Jores Okore – 6 – Okazaki dived over his leg on the edge of the box in the build up to their penalty but the referee let play continue surely that was either a penalty or not and if it was not then should the striker not have been booked for a dive before the penalty was awarded? Might have unluckily conceded an own goal on 79 minutes when he stuck out a leg to a Fuchs cross and the ball ended up inches past the far post. Had another solid game. 

    Joleon Lescott – 5 – Had switched off and was therefore only a spectator when Okazaki ran past him to follow up on Vardy’s shot and score from the rebound. Otherwise he was generally solid enough.                                   

    Aly Cissokho – 6 – Could consider himself harshly treated by referee East when Mahrez’s shot unintentionally hit his slightly raised arm as he attempted to block it at short range and a penalty resulted. Hit a 40th minute shot from outside the box that Schmeichel gathered and forced another save with a 52nd minute effort. Solid at the back.                            

    Jordan Veretout – 5 – Not as good a performance as he produced in his last game but he keeps us moving forward and usually does so to better affect than this. Might need a game off on Tuesday to come back fresh for the weekend as I think might most of this team.    

    Carles Gil - 5 – Not at his best today and playing two games within a week may have taken its toll on a player who has often been substituted after around an hour in previous games.                   

    Idrissa Gana – 7 – MOTM - Became increasingly influential as the game wore on. Fed by Veretout on 44 minutes and ran inside the box only to hit his shot over. He is improving with each game.

    Ashley Westwood – 6 – Kept busy and looking for the ball yesterday. Got on the end of a 28th minute Bacuna cross and attempted to replicate Gil’s goal at Sunderland but he was unable to get the right connection on it hitting the ball well over. He played a nice back-heeled pass to Ayew who in turn played an inviting ball into the box which was only just in front of Ashley on 65 minutes.      

    Jordan Ayew – 7 – Jordan was not quite as threatening as he has been of late and for me he is more effective played in a more central role but he is still our main threat to opposition defences. Was correctly flagged offside having stood a couple of feet in front of the defence when he got on the end of a well measured 35th minute free kick which he headed inches wide. Jordan ran and worked himself to a standstill.    

    Libor Kozak – 7 – Libor fits the bill as a target man but he currently lacks the killer finishing touch. He does however; get into scoring positions so he may find his shooting boots with more game time. Huth presented the ball to him on 20 minutes when he under hit an intended back pass for Schmeichel but having run into the box his shot was saved by the keeper at his near post.

    Huth who found difficulty in his aerial battles with Libor was incredibly lucky to not be twice penalised for fouls on him inside the penalty area thanks to the lenience of the referee. Firstly on 61 minutes he swung an arm into Kozak’s face and then pushed him to the floor with it when struggling to be first to a Westwood cross and then on 78 minutes when he pushed his left arm into his face. Libor got under a 68th minute Veretout free kick which he headed over the bar. Had a good opportunity to win this for us on 88 minutes when a Bacuna free kick from inside his own half was nodded on by Gestede but he snatched at the chance lifting the ball harmlessly over the bar.                    

    Substitutes:

    Rudy Gestede – 7 - Replaced Gil on 67 minutes and made a difference. Won balls in the air and scored our well merited equalizer on 75 minutes. Bacuna played the ball to him near the edge of the box the ball hit his hand as he tried to bring it under control and his shot from just inside of the box when under pressure from Huth took a deflection off Morgan that helped it go past the keeper and into the net.    

    Scott Sinclair - Replaced Ayew on 95 minutes and was therefore not on long enough to merit any rating.

    Stay up Villa!

    John Lewis

  11. John
    There were flames and a pre-match firework display yesterday but we missed the spark of invention around the box that Jack had until his injury at WBA been providing us with, during the game itself.
    Dean Smith indicated after the match that he anticipated being without Jack for the rest of this month. His two-month absence will deal a potentially lethal body blow to our promotion hopes. It has already badly dented them, with us having taken only 6 points from a possible 15 from the games he has already missed.
    We have taken rapid steps to remedy our goalkeeping and central defensive issues already during this transfer window. I feel we now need to do the same in finding someone who can give us some sort of midfield creativity when Jack is absent.   
    This was to be a sorry start to the New Year for us with another two points dropped at Villa Park. The number of games played during the festive season has clearly taken its toll on our team which has also suffered from injuries that have had a noticeably adverse effect on our performance level. We started well yesterday but couldn’t put the game out of the reach of our visitors and we once again dropped points after being in front. Had we not done this quite so often, our promotion prospects would be looking considerably rosier now.        
    We have 3 draws and a defeat to show from our last 4 home games. That is not promotion form. Tammy’s goals have kept us in touch with the play off places, but we have not closed in on sixth place and are instead treading water 5 points off it. We have failed to take advantage of the recent slip ups of Leeds and Norwich and it is Sheffield United and WBA who are now within reach of these two clubs in the battle for automatic promotion. Whilst we look on now focusing on 6th rather than 2nd place.            
    We started well against an anti-football, cynical, time wasting QPR side who were aided and abetted by an inept refereeing display and who after this fixture remain above us having taken 4 points off us this season. Having drawn level on 75 minutes with 11 minutes of stoppage time still to be played once 90 minutes had been reached, QPR might have anticipated their goal being put under constant siege as we pressed for a late winner, but they got the point they came for all too easily without undue cause for concern.          
    My player ratings from a game that produced goals but not the three points that we needed are:
    Jed Steer – 6 – Held a 69th minute shot from Freeman at his near post and made a good stop with his legs on 86 minutes from an Eze shot. Offered us some level of assurance between the sticks on his recall from Charlton. Had no chance with their first and their second flew past him into the top corner so on a day of only 4 on target shots 50% of them produced goals for the visitors.            
    James Bree – 6 – Did well enough in his natural position.         
    James Chester - 6 – Clipped the ball over their bar on 5 minutes. Played with a tad more confidence alongside Tommy.     
    Tommy Elphick – 6 – Welcome back! Tommy will offer us some reasonable cover in the second half of the season. His Hull loan seems to have helped him to get back on track and he looked better than he had last time around yesterday.              
    Alan Hutton – 4 – Looked good enough coming forward again and he always gives 100% but his primary job is to defend, and he wasn’t up to scratch in that area yesterday. Lost an aerial challenge for the ball during the build up to their equalizer and left oceans of room on his flank too often. A glaring example of that was when he ambled back into a central position and Wszolek was allowed to run unchallenged and cross for Eze to hit their second past Steer and into the top corner of the net.            
    Birkir Bjarnason – 5 – Still in need of game time to build up his match fitness following his injury. Hit a 60th minute shot over from the edge of the box. Seemed to know what needed doing but often did not quite have the legs to do it.              
    John McGinn – 7 – A Bjarnason cross was deflected off a defender to John whose 20th minute shot from the edge of the box rattled the crossbar. His accurate cross a minute later produced our first goal. On hand in his own box to head a 33rd minute cross out for a corner. Had a shot saved at the keeper’s left post in stoppage time
    Conor Hourihane – 5 – Failed twice to get any challenge in during the build up to their second goal. Hit an 81st minute free kick onto the roof of the net.     
    Albert Adomah – 5 – Can do better than this.      
    Jonathan Kodjia – 5 – Hit a shot wide of the near post from inside of the box on 44 minutes but demonstrated again that he is not a natural wide player.            
    Tammy Abraham – 8 – MOTM – How many goals does he need to score to be on the winning team? Scored his first on 21 minutes when he nodded in a perfectly placed cross from McGinn and added a second on 75 minutes when he touched home another splendidly inviting cross this time from El Ghazi. Ran onto a sweet ball played through from McGinn on 23 minutes and hit his shot over the bar. Also had a 9th minute shot blocked at the near post by Lumley after Adomah had found him well.        
    Substitutes:
    Anwar El Ghazi - 6 – Replaced Kodjia on 61 minutes. Hit a perfect cross which Tammy turned in for our 75th minute equalizer.
    Yannick Bolasie - 6 – Came on for Adomah on 61 minutes. Hit the ball across the face of the goal on 78 minutes and headed an El Ghazi cross onto the roof of the net in stoppage time. Had earlier headed a Hourihane corner towards goal that was scrambled away from the goalmouth.    
    Glenn Whelan – Replaced Hourihane on 91 minutes. He was not on long enough to earn any rating and it was a surprising decision to see him coming on rather than Hogan or Davis with a winner being surely our objective in the last 10 minutes of the game.   
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  13. John
    Villa scored four goals at home for the second time in four days yesterday despite making 11 changes from the team that defeated Norwich on Saturday.
    Our League 1 table-topping visitors also made the same number of changes. It seems clear from this that both clubs are prioritising promotion rather than cup glory this season although a visit to Wembley might yet be needed to secure promotion for both teams via the play-offs.
    This was a much better game than I had anticipated it would be and it was free for season ticket holders! It has often been said that “you don’t get anything for nothing” this phrase was recently used by the new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for example but we season ticket holders did get something for nothing last night we got to witness another goal fest at B6 for free!
    Scoring four goals in consecutive games for the first time since 2008 (when we scored 4, 6 & 5 goals in 3 successive games the first and last of which were home games) could well lead to Villa Park soon becoming known once again as fortress Villa Park. Make it so Villa!
    It was nice to see youth getting a chance in the first team again last night and it paid off once again. Most players that would be expected to be called upon on Friday for the visit to Bristol City got a game off. The young players that replaced them impressed and that can only be good for both them and for our football club.
    We might not win this cup or go much further in this competition but we have not yet embarrassed ourselves with the sort of inept performances we have produced in losing to lower league opponents in the recent past. For a second time within a week we performed well for 90 minutes and scored goals for fun. A third win on Friday might suggest that we really have turned the corner after what was an unexpectedly poor start to this season.
    My player ratings from a game that took us into the last 16 of the League Cup that we last won way back in 1996 are:
    Jed Steer – 6 – Looks an able deputy for Johnstone. Was fortunate late on when an 89th minute effort from Hunt struck his legs rather than the back of the net.        
    James Bree – 6 – My primary concern with James being selected tonight as well as De Laet is that this suggests Hutton might be being saved to start on Friday night for some reason that is beyond me! James looked confident and competent last night both at full back in the first half and then when switched to the centre of our defence in the second.               
    Ritchie De Laet - 6 – Looked as adaptable as Bree did when he changed position with him from playing as a central defender alongside Elphick in the first half to playing as a full back in the second during which he made a couple of decent runs forward. Was beaten a little too easily by Colclough who then ran on to slot the ball into the corner of the net past Steer for their 43rd minute goal but he then claimed a big assist for our fourth goal.    
    Tommy Elphick – 6 – Gave a steady and solid enough central defensive performance working alongside two defenders who would not be expected to feature too often in the centre of our defence. Hit a speculative 30 yard shot on 58 minutes that went wide of the post.       
    Mitchell Clark – 6 – Did well on his debut looking solid and comfortable in his role throughout. Hit a 10th minute shot from the edge of the box after an Adomah corner had been partially cleared that Jones pushed out for a corner at his right-hand post.  
    Albert Adomah – 7 – Performed at a level above what we have seen from him of late and sustained a good performance throughout the game rather than for say 45 minutes or less as has sometimes been the case previously. Hit our second goal on 36 minutes when he connected sweetly and first time with a cross from Bjarnason to send it rocketing into the roof of the net.
    Gary Gardner – 5 – Below his best last night as he has been for a while now. This may well be the last that we see of him in our shirt. Injury problems have hindered his development as I think has the holding midfield role he has often been asked to play as was the case last night. Gary looked to have a bright future with us showing an early ability to pick a pass (as he did last night in the build up to our first goal) and to find the back of the net himself but he is now looking to move on to play first team football more regularly. I hope this will soon see him performing at the sort of level he did when on loan at Forest for example (but not against us).          
    Jake Doyle-Hayes – 8 – MOTM – We might well have witnessed the emergence of a second significant young talent within less than a week yesterday. Jake did the simple things well, made some good strong challenges, has the happy habit of finding one of his own players more often than not and pretty much dominated the midfield until his 78th minute substitution. A very impressive performance that will surely see him start our next cup tie and challenge for a place on the bench in future league games in the same way as O’Hare has.  
    Birkir Bjarnason – 7 – Looked a lot more up for this game than he had done in recent appearances. Needs to get as involved in future games as he was in this one on a consistent basis in order to challenge for a starting place. Might have added a third on the 42nd minute when Hogan found him inside the box but he took a touch which enabled Jones to claim the ball. Scored our fourth on 74 minutes. De Laet made a good run from within his own half before hitting a cross that hurried behind Hogan but Bikir made a determined run that put him in front of a defender and he hit the ball home well. He also had a decent header kept out by Jones 10 minutes later.        
    Callum O’Hare – 7 – Showed signs of promise as he did in his previous appearance in this cup competition. Worked tirelessly and showed some nice touches. Got down where it hurts on the 40th minute when trying to get the ball in after a De Laet header from a corner. Hit a good cross on 45 minutes that Hogan was not quite able to stretch enough to be able to turn it into the net.     
    Scott Hogan – 8 – O’Hare played a ball to Scott on 8 minutes that he took into the box before wrong footing a defender and seeing his shot blocked by Jones at the near post. Gardner headed a 12th minute corner forward that Scott headed onto the crossbar. Opened the scoring on 19 minutes when a nicely weighted ball from Gardner found Adomah whose low cross into the box was turned in with his outstretched right foot. Scored his second and our third of the night on 44 minutes to restore our 2-goal cushion when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box turned and lashed the ball into the corner of the net. Headed a ball into the box from Adomah straight at Jones on 65 minutes. Scott was substituted on 81 minutes to put an end to his search for a third goal.           
    Substitutes:
    Ross McCormack – 6 – Replaced O’Hare on 73 minutes for a very rare Villa appearance. Was he in the shop window? Most likely but if so he did himself no harm showing he retains the ability to bring others into play in the final third as well as an awareness of the need to find space for himself in the box.   
    Jordan Lyden – Replaced Doyle-Hayes on 78 minutes. A welcome return to first team action but he was not on quite long enough to gather a rating.
    Easah Suliman – Replaced Hogan on 81 minutes and bravely blocked a fierce Burgess shot on 94 minutes. Our England U-19 UEFA European Championship winner was not on long enough to earn a rating.      
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  16. John
    An unwelcome snake slithered into Villa Park yesterday and spent most of the game sitting upon the bench which has now become its usual habitat. That greedy snake came onto the playing field on 78 minutes and received the welcome it so merited but was happily denied a victory.

    Manchester City arrived as table toppers whilst we were embarrassingly propping up the rest of the division. There could only have been one result couldn’t there?

    Many of us arrived expecting the worse as we have grown accustomed to seeing it at Villa Park this season. But we left the ground with smiles on our faces rather than frowns and for once not having tasted defeat.

    We were encouraged that the first team to be selected by the new boss contained none of the usual shocks. It was in fact unusually near to that which most of us would have selected for the game so we had little cause to question it.

    Our new manager was described as a “Wenger clone” by both Henry and Keown yesterday. That will be good enough for me on yesterday’s showing.

    We looked organised and our players seemed aware of what was expected of them. We played some very nice one and two touch football. Our defence showed a steely determination not to be breeched and achieved a very rare clean sheet. We continue to lack a cutting edge up front but did suggest that we might have it in us to play our way out of the mess we are now in.

    Manchester City were below their best in the first half and our players will have been encouraged that they went in level at the interval. Our opponents did improve in the second half and had opportunities to win it. They may claim that we rode our luck and clung onto our point. But we earned our valuable fifth point of the season yesterday along with any luck that may have been with us.

    This result will not keep us up in isolation. But it stops our run of defeats and does provide us with hope that we can turn things around in what is left of this season to finish it with three clubs below us. The new boss now has the international break to work with those players who are not away on international duty. All we ask for is a second new manager “bounce” in two seasons to rescue us from the unthinkable.                    

    My player ratings from a game that provided grounds for optimism that were missing before it are:

    Brad Guzan – 7 – Kept out a low Kolarov shot at his near post on 17 minutes which bounced off him for a corner. Brad needed to have a third player in his wall for Kolarov’s 52nd minute free-kick from the edge of the area. His shot was hit past the 2-man wall and was fumbled rather than caught by Brad keeper but fortunately Clark was on hand to clear the loose ball. Spread himself well 5 minutes later when Sterling ran between Hutton and Richards to connect with a Navas cross only to see his unchallenged close range header bounce clear off Brad’s head. Oh and I just have to mention that free-kick that he put straight out! 

    Alan Hutton – 8 – Alan worked tirelessly as he always does. He was very solid at the back.                                

    Jordan Amavi – 8 – How could he possibly not have been selected in recent games?      

    Michah Richards – 8 – He was so determined to not be on the losing side yesterday.                                 

    Ciaran Clark – 8 – Gave everything he had to keep their forwards at bay and produced a very committed performance                           

    Carles Gil – 8 – MOTM – Carles fitted into the way we played yesterday so easily. Was held back on 35 minutes when in the process of running on to a superb ball played from inside his own half by Gueye for him.

    Jordan Veretout – 8 – Looked increasingly confident during this game and can build upon this encouraging performance with a run of games.

    Carlos Sánchez - 8 – Carlos seemed much more comfortable in our midfield yesterday. He along with his colleagues seemed aware of what was expected from them and produced it.                  

    Idrissa Gana – 8 – He was a touch hesitant to begin with but soon found his feet and played a crucial role in what was a solid midfield display. Hit a 14th minute shot wide of the post from outside of the box.

    Scott Sinclair – 7 – An encouraging performance from Scott after some recent ones that had been below par. Returning to his goal-scoring early season performances would be timely.  

    Jordan Ayew – 7 – Ran himself into the ground yesterday. Given service he will get goals and he merits a run in the team for me.          

    Substitutes:

    Charles N’Zogbia – 7 - Replaced Gil on 65 minutes for his first outing since the FA Cup Final. When he is up for it he can provide the sort of measured crosses Gestede could feed on. Brought out of the cold by the new boss and needs to reward him for that with his performances for us during the rest of this season. Hit a sweet cross on 70 minutes that Sagna just got to and turned out for a corner before Sinclair was able to reach it.     

    Leandro Bacuna – 7 - Replaced Sinclair on 72 minutes. Played a nice one-two with Ayew that started in our own half and touched the ball into space past Kolarov only for Hart to come off his line and beat him to it.

    Rudy Gestede -  Replaced Ayew on 88 minutes and flicked a Veretout corner just over the bar that he had himself won in controversial circumstances. Not on long enough to claim a rating.

    Stay up Villa!

    John Lewis

  17. John
    Newcastle are the only team to have not beaten us in the league this season. As a result they look likely to join us in our journey to the league below next season. It was at Villa Park that their relegation fate was decided 7 years ago and their fate was all but sealed yesterday when they failed to claim the three points they had expected to leave with. A win for their neighbours Sunderland who are at home to Everton on Wednesday will seal their fate and will see them along with Norwich visiting Villa Park again next season.
    Everyone had guessed that this would prove a straightforward win for our visitors yesterday because doesn’t everyone beat us these days? However, we avoided the shame of setting a new club record of twelve consecutive league defeats yesterday by keeping a very, very rare clean sheet.
    A goalless draw was the limit of our ambitions from the very start of this our final home game of the season so I guess this was a case of mission accomplished for our temporary manager Eric Black. His team selection did nothing to suggest we were looking to take the game to our visitors. We looked to stifle them rather than to take them on. We left creative players such as Grealish, Adama and Gil sitting on our bench throughout the game despite having a total lack of threat up front from start to finish.
    This was a game that produced a workman like performance from Villa which is a description that has rarely been associated with our team’s performances this season. For some reason our visitors chose not to press us and they looked little better than we did which is quite a condemnation these days. If anything we looked more committed than they did which was surprising given they still had a decent chance of staying up before this game. They had chances to win the game in the second half but failed to take them. Colback flashed a shot over the bar on 46 minutes, Mitrovic chipped a ball over both Bunn and the bar 15 minutes later and then headed wide of the post on 74 minutes. We didn’t have any chances at all.        
    This point moves us to 17 points from 16 at long last. It is too little too late but there was a feeling of relief at the final whistle because avoiding defeat has almost become a cause for celebration having been becalmed on 16 points for so long.
    Both Newcastle and Villa have fans that do not deserve to be relegated but I would not say the same about either of these two club’s owners.
    This game was a poor one. It will be one we will soon forget and one that Newcastle fans will try to forget but may struggle to do so. What it did show was our fans at their very best. Fans marched before the game to again show their feelings about how this club is being run. Well done to everyone who took part in this as well as in past protests and to those that have organised these protests for us. Villa fans sang loud and proud during the game and the inflatables, banners and balloons made a striking impression during the game and particularly on the 74th minute. These are the things that are worth remembering from yesterday.
    We now need to stop dithering and appoint a new manager. We cannot wait indefinitely to do so in the hope that a new owner will be in place sooner rather than later. We need to bring in players and let others who either want to leave or we want to leave go. We need to start preparing for the challenges we will face in three months from the likes of Rotherham and Leeds.           
    My player ratings from a game that brought us something other than another league defeat are:
    Mark Bunn – 6 – Could not hold a low 70th minute shot from Wijnaldum but Bacuna was first to the loose ball and cleared it with a little help from Clark’s back. A far quieter day at the office than he would have been expecting.
    Alan Hutton – 5 – Worked hard as he always does but his crosses were again woeful as was that attempted shot.
    Kevin Toner – 6 – It was asking a lot for this young prospect to fill in for the missing Cissokho. He did look solid enough at the back and he will grow in confidence the more games he gets but he unsurprisingly looked less than fluent when trying to move forward. For me his future is clearly in the centre of defence and unlike others at the club he has one.
    Joleon Lescott – 5 – One of his better performances in what has been a sorry season for him and for us both on and off the field.  
    Ciaran Clark – 7 – MOTM – Beaten too easily to a 74th minute cross by Mitrovic whose header was fortunately off target but showed courage to get his head in the way of a fierce goal bound shot from Wijnaldum in stoppage time. Our best defender by a distance yesterday and if he stays he might well get the captain’s armband next season.  
    Leandro Bacuna – 4 – Will this be Leo’s last appearance at Villa Park or will he come back in a Milan shirt in a few years?
    Carlos Sanchez – 5 – Broke up play reasonably well and made none of those glaring errors that he is prone to.
    Ashley Westwood – 5 – Did his bit in keeping the midfield together but offered little to those playing in front of him.
    Idrissa Gana – 6 – Put his foot in and kept busy. I guess he will be among the few players we would like to keep but no doubt he will be one of the first that we get derisory offers for.   
    Jordan Ayew – 5 – Jordan had a quiet one. He was starved of the sort of service that players left on the bench may have provided him with. He has the ability to shine with better players around him I guess he will not get the opportunity to do so with us anytime soon.   
    Scott Sinclair – 5 - Scott showed to anyone who might have had any doubts about it that he is not comfortable in playing as a target man. He did however manage our one shot on target in the 65th minute when Ayew played a nice ball to him and he hit a shot from just inside the box that forced a save from Darlow tis a pity he had strayed just offside.   
    Substitutes:
    Rushian Hepburn-Murphy - Replaced Sinclair on 90 minutes so was not on long enough to gather a rating despite 6 minutes of Rafa time.    
    We will return – Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  18. John
    This game was very, very friendly and not a lot can be deduced from it. Before the game I expected our visitors to be battling to stay in their present division this season and for us to be striving for promotion preferably without recourse to the play-off lottery. I witnessed nothing to change that opinion yesterday as this game gave little clue concerning how successful each team may or may not be in achieving those objectives.  
    It was fitting that the two football clubs that are most associated with the late Graham Taylor met in this tribute match. There was warm applause from the Hornets fans when the Holte End sang “Graham Taylor’s Claret & Blue Army” during the second half and both sets of fans showed their mutual respect for their former manager throughout. Graham would have liked that.     
    My player ratings from what was a low-key warm-up game in which our new signings shined brightly are:
    Jed Steer – 6 – I would anticipate that Jed will be our back-up keeper this season now that the injury that kept him out of first team contention is hopefully behind him. Jed looked confident when the ball was played back to him and his kicking was reliable and better than we have grown accustomed to seeing from our keepers of late. Kept out a close range 64th minute effort from substitute Isaac Success out with a little ball juggling and held a low shot on the 83rd minute.         
    Alan Hutton – 6 – Brought down inside the box in the 53rd minute by Kaboul to give us our penalty. Alan had his usual solid no-nonsense game.             
    James Chester - 7 – Looked solid at the back as he so often does.     
    John Terry – 7 – JT looked very composed and found his man on all but one occasion when he had the ball at his feet. We look less likely to concede with him organising the defence and his partnership with Chester looks very promising.      
    Neil Taylor – 6 – A solid enough display. 
    Ahmed Elmohamady – 7 – MOTM – Looked sharp and trickier than I had anticipated he would be when making wide runs.
    Henri Lansbury – 5 – Hit our 54th minute spot kick to the keeper’s left but Gomes guessed the right way and pulled off a save that kept the score level.       
    Glenn Whelan – 6 – He likes a tackle, doesn’t he? Looks capable of adding the sort of solidity we missed when Jedinak was absent in games last season.
    Jack Grealish – 5 – Left the field on 26 minutes having appeared to have taken a blow to the ribs.  
    Andre Green – 5 – Made a couple of decent runs.
    Gabriel Agbonlahor – 5 – Kept himself busy enough in the first half but lacked support alongside him and faded prior to being substituted. Should have done better on the 2nd minute when he was put clear and only had Gomes to beat but he hit his shot straight at the keeper.       
    Substitutes:
    Leandro Bacuna – 5 – Replaced Grealish on 26 minutes. Leo is still waiting for that Champions League club to come in for him and this sort of performance will not have changed things on that score.   
    Scott Hogan – 6 - Replaced Gabby on 54 minutes. Looked keen to make a positive impact and we will need goals from him in Kodjia’s absence.
    Birkir Bjarnason – 5 - Replaced Green on 69 minutes. Needs to make a bigger impression in games than he did in this one to start matches for us.       
    Jordan Amavi – Replaced Lansbury on 74 minutes. Jordan was not on quite long enough to earn a rating but it was nice to see him still wearing our shirt and he hit a cross that fell to him on the 76th minute just wide of the post with his first touch.      
    Conor Hourihane – Replaced Whelan on 74 minutes. Hit a firm 87th minute shot from outside of the box that Pantilimon kept out. Needs to start next week. 
    Chris Samba – Replaced JT on 74 minutes. Not on long enough to earn a rating but it is good to have him available to add his physical presence off the bench in games.  
    James Bree – Replaced Elmohamady on 74 minutes. Not on long enough to merit a rating.
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  19. John
    Another late, late goal at Villa Park averted a travesty of justice last night. It gave us the very least we had deserved from a game that we had dominated until our visitors belatedly came into it during the last quarter with us by then having apparently punched ourselves out.
    This was our best display of the season by some distance, but it had appeared until Kodjia’s second equalizer of the game that we would somehow emerge pointless from it. We have shown a never say die attitude already this season though and we managed to lift ourselves up from the canvas as time was fast running out to land a heavy blow that maintained our unbeaten record.
    We have now drawn our last three home games against The Bees and this point may prove vital at the end of the season when the promotion places are decided. Our visitors have not lost at Villa Park since 1946 and they have clearly become a bogey team to us. They have made an impressive start to the season and may well end it in the top six. Whether they do or do not, they will be unlikely to be more relieved than they were last night to have emerged with a point from any of their remaining fixtures.
    Our defence does currently remain a cause for concern. Maupay was left in space for their opener and had it not been for Nyland the visitors could have had more than two goals despite Villa having enjoyed the lion’s share of the game. We need to get back to last season when our defence was a strength rather than a weakness. Signing a left back and a central defender is likely to achieve that dare I suggest JT once again for the central defensive role?    
    We started strongly, pegged them back in their own half for long periods and denied them the opportunity to put their own stamp onto the game. There were encouraging shades of our best home performances of last season about last night’s game.
    We now sit in fifth place with 8 points from our first four games. A win on Saturday will give our team which is steadily being reinforced something to build upon.  
    Maupay’s first goal was against the run of play and he should not have been on the pitch by then having cynically stamped on McGinn to have scored their second which might have won it for them. Had it done so it would have been a case of twilight robbery.
    My player ratings from a game that our visitors are likely to have been more relieved to have taken a point from than disappointed to have not taken all three from are:
    Orjan Nyland – 7 – A much improved display. This game can give him the confidence he needs. Conceded two goals but he had no chance with the first and did well to turn a 71st minute Yennaris shot around his right-hand post before Watkins beat Tuanzebe on 82 minutes and hit a shot that Orjan parried which then fell to Maupay to force home for their second on the line. Kept them within range with crucial saves on 84 and 89 minutes when blocking a Yennaris header from 6 yards out and then a close range Maupay shot.  
    Axel Tuanzebe – 6 – Substituted on 70 minutes. Did very well for a central defender who was playing as a full back and put in a couple of decent crosses. Did well to rob the ball away from Maupay on 11 minutes inside of the box. May well grow into this position but more likely to do so more easily and quickly in a central role.     
    James Chester- 7 – Solid and dependable once again. Headed a McGinn free kick that took a deflection off a defender over.     
    Mile Jedinak – 5 – A wayward backward header on 49 minutes from a couple of yards inside his own half fell to Maupay who under pressure from Chester as he ran forward was unable to get a shot in before Nyland came out to claim the ball at his feet. Otherwise did well enough in his extended outing as a holding midfield player playing as an emergency central defender. Headed a 30th minute McGinn corner back across the goal but nobody was near the goal line to put it in.        
    Alan Hutton – 6 – Beaten to the ball on the line for their second. Alan was his usual reliable self.     
    Ahmed Elmohamady – 6 – Did well enough but he is playing too far forward for me.           
    Glenn Whelan – 7 – Did well tidying up at the back. Gave a good solid performance last night.    
    Jack Grealish – 8 – Was upended on a regular basis throughout the game as is too often the case. Nevertheless, Jack still showed his class and would have been able to do so more frequently had he had a modicum of protection from the match officials. Hit a 15th minute shot from the edge of the area that Bentley saved low to his right and had a shot blocked by him 4 minutes later. Jack picked up the ball and ran into the area on 56 minutes, but his cross was blocked by Bentley at the near post.    
    John McGinn – 8 – Another fine display by our Scottish Iniesta. Played a nice one two with Adomah on the 2nd minute and stretched to hit his shot just over the bar. Combines very well with Jack.  
    Albert Adomah – 6 – A better performance than of late. Couldn’t quite get a touch at the near post to a nice 19th minute Elmohamady cross.              
    Jonathan Kodjia – 9 – MOTM – Two vital goals and gave his best display by a country mile since injury interrupted his career. Showed his strength and ability to shield the ball. McGinn played a lovely ball through to him on 36 minutes and he hit a fierce shot which Bentley saved having got himself into a shooting position on the edge of the box. Hit his first on 39 minutes beating Konsa on the edge of the box having been found by Adomah and cutting inside the box from the left before pulling the trigger and hitting the ball in between Bentley and his near post.
    Turned a nice 59th minute Adomah cross straight at Bentley. Added a second equalizer in the last minute of stoppage time. Elmo played a ball into the box that took a deflection off a defender’s head before Jonathan powered a header past Bentley and into the net.   
    Substitutes:
    Andre Green – 5 – Came on for Tuanzebe in the 70th minute. Not his best 25 minutes in claret & blue but he will make bigger impressions on games this season and needs to continue to get regular game time albeit mostly now it seems from off the bench.  
    Conor Hourihane - Replaced Whelan on 83 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating. I would have him starting games.
    Rushian Hepburn-Murphy - Replaced Tuanzebe on 85 minutes. He was not on long enough to earn a rating either. 
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  20. John
    Our first home win and only our second league win of this frankly embarrassing season left us all leaving the ground with smiles on our faces and trying to remember how we used to react to winning a home league game.

    If our players are to be heroes just for one day then at least we will have the memory of a minimum of one home league win to look back on as we face the drop at some point between now and mid May.

    Yesterday we showed that at Villa Park we can beat them, just for one day. Our task is now to build on that win and to make it the start of what would be the greatest and most unexpected of escapes. We are currently 8 points from safety and that sounds a lot better than 11.

    To stay up we would need to gather another 27 points for me which looks to be beyond us. It would not need us to show we can beat them, forever and ever but if we pulled off this miracle by getting one less point from our last 17 games than Watford did from their first 17 we can be heroes, forever and ever. It would also lead to a lot of planned street parties being cancelled in the dark side of Birmingham!

    We started last night’s game well and played some decent football throughout against a Palace team who appeared to think that turning up at Villa Park was all they would need to do to emerge with all 3 points from the club who were and are still sitting rock bottom of the league. We played as a team and worked exceptionally hard for the victory we deserved last night Fair play to Pardew who said after the game, “I hope they do (stay up) they’re a great club. The PL would not want to lose a club of this magnitude”.    

    This Villa team showed spirit, passion and a will to win. These have been rare commodities so far this season and for me the team that took us into double figures points-wise last night should have the opportunity to go again unchanged on Saturday and seek a second successive home win against Leicester. This win can give our team some much needed confidence and belief to take into our coming games.   

    Our defence after recovering from the shock of Zaha hitting the far post in the first minute and seeing Delaney get between Lescott and Okore to turn a 27th minute Cabaye free-kick just wide of the post secured a crucial clean sheet. Our midfield ran for fun and challenged for the ball like terriers. The final third continued to be an issue for us but we got the goal and as Arsenal have proven is the case that is always enough when you are able to keep a clean sheet.

    We may well still go down after this win but if we must then let us go down fighting in the way that we fought for every ball last night!   

    My player ratings from a game that provided us with a rare league win are:

    Mark Bunn – 6 – Had a surprisingly quiet evening but did what little he needed to without undue alarm for the defenders in front of him and with a minimum of fuss.                                                                          

    Leandro Bacuna – 8 – Looked very decent as well as composed and reliable at the back last night. He was his usual effective self when getting forward. 

    Jores Okore – 7 – Jores was very solid alongside his skipper last night.       

    Joleon Lescott – 8 – This was a solid defensive performance and he led by example organising the players around him very effectively. Joleon added our winner on 58 minutes when he towered above two defenders to head Veretout’s corner and Hennessey was unable to gather his header which crossed the line off both of his legs.                                   

    Aly Cissokho – 7 – Aly was very steady at the back and did well enough when going forward. Had a 53rd minute shot from the edge of the box deflected over. We looked a lot more solid in defence with him there and that is what matters for us just now.                            

    Jordan Veretout – 8 – MOTM - Didn’t stop running, closing down as well as trying to move us forward last night.   

    Carles Gil - 7 – Worked himself into the ground before his late substitution and has now surely shown he is worth a regular starting place.                   

    Idrissa Gana – 8 – Got stuck in and did a lot of good work in our midfield. For me this was his best game for us as he continues to get better with each game.

    Ashley Westwood – 7 – Did his bit in the middle and worked hard. Hit a 3rd minute shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.    

    Jordan Ayew – 8 – Our main threat up front worked very hard as he always does and has the spark that worries defenders. Thundered a shot into the side netting on 26 minutes after Kozak had headed the ball onto him. Might have settled our nerves on 85 minutes when he did all of the hard work by cutting into the box and running between 2 defenders before hitting his shot over the bar.   

    Libor Kozak – 7 – Libor was back by popular demand and worked his socks off last night looking more comfortable and familiar in the role than the player he replaced has of late. Did all that we could have reasonably expected from him and did well to get a shot in from the edge of the box on 52 minutes that was deflected off a defender and that Hennessey fumbled wide of the post.                 

    Substitutes:

    Ciaran Clark - Replaced Gil on 91 minutes so was not on long enough to merit any rating.  

    Stay up Villa!

    John Lewis


     
  24. John
    We encouragingly played like Champions-elect during the first half yesterday but failed to put enough of the chances that we created away and as was proved so often last season a one goal lead is not always enough for us.
    That Cup of Traditions tournament was made for us, wasn’t it? Villa performances are all too often games of two halves during which Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde take turns in coming out in claret & blue shirts. Those pre-season games were of only 45-minutes in duration and they did not therefore allow us the opportunity to take our foot off the pedal for half of the game as we did yesterday.
    Hull deserved their point. They had the better of the second half in much the same way that we had the best of the first 45 minutes. We fell into that nasty habit of thinking that we could hold onto a one goal lead again. We surrendered the initiative and dropped points from what was a winning position and we cannot continue to do these things if we are to achieve our promotion objective this season.
    We need to start dominating games over the full 90 minutes rather than for the first 45 and belatedly the last 10 as we did yesterday. We need to score more goals on a regular basis and to finish teams off when we have the game in our hands to win.    
    My player ratings from a game that cast some doubts upon our chances of significantly improving on last season’s points and goals tallies are:
    Sam Johnstone – 7 – Nice to see him confidently claiming balls in the air. Dived to his left-hand post to gather a header back from Taylor who was under pressure from Bowen on 10 minutes. Made a good double save on 44 minutes from Frazier Campbell with his right leg as the striker tried to turn the ball past him having run inside the box and then punched clear an effort from Grosicki from the edge of the box. Had little to no chance with their equalizer which came from Bowen who had been left totally unmarked.         
    Alan Hutton – 6 – Claimed an assist for our early goal.             
    James Chester - 7 – Solid alongside JT.     
    John Terry – 7 – MOTM - Confident and assured at the heart of our defence. Looked as disappointed as we were with the result.        
    Neil Taylor – 6 – A steady enough performance. 
    Ahmed Elmohamady – 5 – Had a decent first half but faded in the second half as did the team in general.
    Henri Lansbury – 6 –Ran between two defenders to collect a long ball from inside his own half by Taylor, took the ball from the edge of the box into it before hitting the ball across the face of the goal and wide of the far post on the 2nd minute. Chested down a 30th minute ball into the box from Elmohamady before hitting a decent shot that was gathered by McGregor.
    Glenn Whelan – 6 – A solid hard-working performance.
    Leandro Bacuna – 4 – I really do struggle to understand why Leo started yesterday instead of Conor Hourihane who spent a frustrating evening sitting on the bench. Leo put in a shift at times during the first half but his impact on the game was not marked and had become minimal at very best well before his substitution. A deflected 70th minute cross from Taylor fell to him at the far post but his last kick of the game was hurried and flew well over the bar.   
    Gabriel Agbonlahor – 6 – Had a gilt-edged opportunity to open the scoring on 6 minutes when a nice ball from Lansbury put him clear wide on the left he proceeded to run into the box but he was denied by McGregor’s outstretched hand as he attempted to place the ball past the advancing keeper. Made no mistake just a minute later when Elmohamady fed Hutton who was running to his right. His low cross hurried behind Hogan and in front of Lansbury before falling to Gabby who was unmarked on the edge of the 6-yard box at the far post whose crisp well-placed finish found the far corner of the net. Tired as the game wore on and became increasingly less effective.   
    Scott Hogan – 6 – Made a good run down the left on 21 minutes before pulling the ball back for Lansbury on the edge of the box who did not manage to connect with the ball with his right foot and the ball instead hit his standing foot and was easily picked up by a defender. Dawson’s attempted 27th minute clearance hit Lansbury who found Scott who in turn beat 2 defenders before aiming to push the ball past McGregor only to see it strike his left leg before it was gratefully gathered by the keeper. Could not quite get enough contact on Elmohamady’s deflected 32nd minute cross to turn it in.        
    Substitutes:
    Andre Green – 6 – Replaced Bacuna on 70 minutes and gave us some energy. Missed a late chance which looked much harder to miss than to score from on 80 minutes. Taylor’s free kick fell to him a couple of feet out near the far post but his header was badly mistimed and went harmlessly across the face of the goal rather than into the net. He will get goals and win games for us this season.  
    Josh Onomah – 6 - Replaced Hogan on 78 minutes and looked a pacey, promising addition to our squad.
    Chris Samba – Replaced Lansbury on 90 minutes and was immediately pushed up front alongside Gabby. This desperate last toss of the dice did not lead to the late winner Steve Bruce was seeking but Chris put himself about in this unfamiliar role. He was not on long enough to gather a rating.      
    Up the Villa!
    John Lewis
  25. John
    Another game gave us another passionless, sad, embarrassing capitulation that has brought us a game nearer to our inevitable relegation.
    This is the second time we have managed 7 consecutive defeats this season and it was our 22nd league defeat from our 32 games to date. The “Proud History, What future?” signs were there for all to see at Villa Park yesterday and well done to all that took part in that protest!  
    We were half way through the first half before we went behind yesterday and for once we did not concede another goal within a couple of minutes. This time we managed to stay only one behind until a stoppage time penalty gave the visitors a two goal cushion and they predictably added another shortly after the re-start. That third goal was well taken but we offered the same sort of resistance that you would expect a set of training cones to provide.
    This was way too easy for our visitors who were missing keys players but could have won this with their Under 21 side. Had Chelsea had the inclination or something still to play for this season we would have lost by more than the four goals that we did. The sad thing is that very few of us would have been surprised had we done so.  
    My player ratings from a game that left us potentially just one more defeat away from being mathematically certain of relegation with five dead rubbers still to play after that are:
    Brad Guzan – 3 – Spread himself well at his near post on 37 minutes to block a shot from Rahman and got down low to hold another shot 2 minutes later. He fumbled a 48th minute effort from Oscar before parrying Pato’s 59th minute shot into the path of Pedro to claim an unwanted assist for their fourth goal. These all too regular howlers have not helped the increasingly brittle confidence of the defenders in front of him or our chances of avoiding our sad fate which will soon be confirmed beyond any doubt. We cannot afford not to sign a new keeper for next season!
    Alan Hutton – 4 – We like it that Alan works hard and dropping down a division might see him find it easier when coming up against less gifted and speedy forwards as well as less accomplished defenders when he moves forward himself. He got stuck in as we expect that he will yesterday but left the game early due to gathering two yellows in 7 minutes.
    Micah Richards – 4 – Won the ball more than once when it seemed he was unlikely to do so.   
    Joleon Lescott – 3 – Shows the odd sign of the player he has been in the past but time seems to have caught up with him this season. Loftus-Cheek turned in Azpilicueta’s 23rd minute cross for their opener which took a deflection off Joleon’s leg on its way past Guzan.
    Aly Cissokho – 4 – Conceded the penalty during first half stoppage time that gave the visitors a two goal cushion when flattening Pato as he looked to get on the end of a cross from Fabregas.
    Carlos Sánchez – 3 – Started reasonably well but he always has a mistake waiting to happen in him and he failed to make any attempt to cover Pedro’s run into the box for their fourth. Prior to his substitution he had embarrassingly taken to trying to stop Chelsea players going past him by attempting to tackle them by grabbing them around the body with his arms. These half-hearted attempts at a tackle would have been bad enough in a schoolboy game of rugby but we were allegedly supposed to be playing football.   
    Ashley Westwood – 4 – Needs to make more of an impression on a game than he did on this one.
    Idrissa Gana – 5 – Another decent display and he was again comfortably our best midfield player.
    Carles Gil – 5 – Started well and forced a save at the near post from Courtois on 31 minutes.
    Jordan Ayew – 5 – Had a 22nd minute effort deflected for a corner. Was unlucky to see an attempted clearance from Baba Rahman cannon off him into the arms of Courtois on 31 minutes. Got between two defenders inside the box on 41 minutes and placed his shot just wide of the far post. Hit a 30 yard shot on 50 minutes that Courtois plucked comfortably enough from the air.    
    Rudy Gestede – 4 – Failed to make any real impression on the defenders he came up against yesterday. Hit a speculative long range shot on 15 minutes which was on target but lacked the pace to pose any sort of threat to Courtois. Failed to get an outstretched leg to a ball on 79 minutes.   
    Substitutes:
    Jack Grealish – 6 – MOTM - Replaced Gil on 66 minutes. Made an encouraging impact hitting a good cross over on 68 minutes. He was then brought down inside the box by Pedro on 71 minutes but the referee chose to ignore his penalty claim. Volleyed a shot wide of the post on 88 minutes.  
    Leandro Bacuna – 3 - Replaced Sánchez as part of the double substitution on 66 minutes to a merited chorus of boos and he will not have any future in the Champions League on this sort of showing.
    Jordan Lyden – Replaced Gana on 82 minutes and was not on long enough to gain a rating. 
    Going down with a whimper Villa!

    John Lewis


     
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