Popular Post John Posted January 9, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 9, 2021 Whatever happens in the future, these young lions will always have last night. They all made their first team debuts together and worked tirelessly for each other and for the shirt that they wore. Whether they go on to play again for our first team (which I believe more than one, has the potential to do), make a footballing career as a professional elsewhere or do not quite go on to make the grade, they will always smile and be rightly proud of how they performed last night against the current league champions. This really was Roy of the Rovers stuff! What a tremendous display our young lions put up last night. It would have been so easy to cave in having gone a goal behind so early, but our lads were determined to put up a valiant display. During the first half our lads looked comfortable on the ball and showed some style. Not only did we not let Liverpool add to their score during what remained of the first half, we even had the boldness to equalise after 41 minutes, with a superbly taken goal by Barry, that sent the visitors in at half time for a spot of teacup throwing. Our courageous, extremely hard-working young players had held the current league champions to 1-1 until the hour mark, but they understandably grew increasingly tired and conceded three goals in five minutes, to ease Liverpool’s embarrassment and to dash any thoughts, that we might have entertained of taking the visitors to a penalty shoot-out. Having hit four the visitors may well have anticipated hitting more, during the half hour of the game that remained, against a team that had run themselves into the ground. The introduction of some fresh legs and a back to the wall, resolute defensive rear-guard action, resulted in our young lions, denying the visitors the additional goals that they sought. Our lads held firm, gave everything they had and then gave some more, and by doing so, prevented the score giving the impression that Liverpool had eased into the next round without needing to slip out of first gear. Although their need to bring on second half substitutes, to win it demonstrated that any further goals, would have been far too cruel on our young team. The visitors had the bulk of the possession and may have progressed into the next round, but it is the young Villa team that will deservedly take the plaudits, rather than the likes of Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum and Salah, that they had faced. I suspect that had Liverpool have chosen to rest those players, they may have been regretting that decision after the game! Mark Delaney did exceptionally well to prepare these youngsters for the tough test they were to face, particularly given the short notice that both he and the players had. What was expected to be a potential slaughter did not happen. This may have been a case of men against boys, but those boys were certainly up to the task. They were not overawed by the occasion, but instead embraced the unexpected opportunity to exhibit their talent, against a team that ran away with the title last season. They should be as proud of themselves, as we are of them! Three months ago, Liverpool brought their first team to Villa Park and lost 2-7. In December 2019, they chose to field a team of kids, having prioritised a game in Qatar, over a League Cup quarter final against us and found themselves on the wrong end of a 0-5 score line. Last night, our youngsters reacted rather better than Liverpool’s had done last season, to the challenge of playing a first team, in front of a live television audience (although they did also have a vociferous Villa Park crowd to contend with). The difference between those two cup selections was that unlike our visitors 13 months ago, it was not our choice to field an under-strength team, that decision was forced upon us. Aston Villa first won the FA Cup in 1887 and then proceeded to make a habit of winning it (in 1895,1897,1905,1913 & 1920). There then followed a lengthy 37 year wait until we next lifted the trophy, in 1957, when we beat the Busby Babes. The wait that we have since endured for an eighth win, seems never ending and will now stretch to a minimum of 65 years. We once sang “7 times we’ve won it, no-one else can catch us up”. Sadly, Liverpool have caught us up and another four teams have overtaken us. I had hoped that this might possibly have been our year, but we were denied the opportunity to have a proper go at it, by playing our first team tonight. We were beaten by the FA’s resolve to complete the third round this weekend, at whatever the cost to the integrity of the competition, rather than by last night’s visitors. On yesterday’s evidence, I suspect that our first team may well have beaten Liverpool had they have been able to face them. One thing that they would not have done however, was to show any more commitment than those Villa boys, all did last night. My player ratings from a game on a night that the club lost, but our young players all emerged as winners from, are: Akos Onodi – 9 – MOTM – I understand he had a trial at Liverpool. Their loss is our gain. Pulled off a good save from Fabinho after 23 minutes, diving to his left to keep out his shot from inside the area and then got off the floor and into position quickly to block a Mane shot at his left-hand post, which deflected off him to safety. Salah made a run into the right of the box and hit a 35th minute shot that Onodi dived low to his left to push out for a corner. Dived to his left to push a shot that Jones had curled from the edge of the box, in the 2nd minute of first half stoppage time. Did well to keep Salah’s close range shot out, from an offside position and to then clutch the ball before the striker kicked it out of his hands on 53 minutes. Collected a 77th minute Origi shot from outside of the box comfortably. Jake Walker – 7 – Had a good game. Dominic Revan – 8 – Made a great 49th minute block on a Minamino shot near the penalty spot. Gave a captain’s performance. Mungo Bridge – 8 – Looked very solid and composed. Callum Rowe – 8 – Claimed an assist for the splendid ball he played for Barry to run onto and score the equaliser. A fine overall performance. Kaine Kesler Hayden - 8 – Hit a nice 27th minute cross for Bogarde from the right, after a Barry run, that a defender just managed to get to first, putting the ball out for a corner at the far post. Did well to block a Henderson shot from the edge of the box in the 1st minute of first half stoppage time, near the goal line. Lamare Bogarde – 7 – Ability does seem to run in his family. Mamadou Sylla – 8 – Got back well on 30 minutes to make a well-timed tackle on Henderson at the left-hand edge of the 6-yard box. Arjan Raikhy – 7 – A good display. Ben Chrisene – 7 – Looks to have be an astute signing. Louie Barry – 9 – Played as our lone forward last night and made an impressive first team debut, during which he scored the first of what seems likely to be many goals for us. His reaction to scoring, his smile at the end of the game and his post-match interview, suggested that we may well have another potential Jack on the books. Or given his playing position, even another Gary Shaw or Brian Little? Scored a terrific equaliser on 41 minutes, when he outpaced Williams to collect a lovely ball from Rowe. He left the defender trailing, as he ran into the box and hit the ball past the advancing Kelleher and into the right-hand corner of the net. This was the clinical, composed, nerveless finish of a natural goal scorer. Substitutes: Bradley Young – 7 - Replaced Chrisene on 61 minutes. What about that sublime turn inside his own box? He made a positive impact during the last half an hour. Harrison Sohna – 7 - Replaced Raikhy in the 65th minute and played well. Hayden Lindley – 7 - Came on for Bogarde on 66 minutes and slotted in nicely. Sil Swinkles – 7 - Replaced Callum Rowe on 75 minutes and looked comfortable. Edward Rowe – 7 - Replaced Walker on 75 minutes and played his part. Up the Villa! John Lewis 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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