149 replies to this topic

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10 of those who appeared for us are British, probably the same, if not more than you!

Good win, we had a pretty strong team out, not first choice but we have just lost a few faces to loans. Not really surprised though, you seem to have a good youth setup as well.

[Angel]

I don't mean to throw salt in your game but, Connor Clifford is Irish soo..

Probably still more than Villa, but we made more substitutes

[TheMuffinMan]

Our 5 to your 7...I guess there isn't much difference then. I don't really have much of a knowledge of Chelsea's youngsters to be honest, apart from Kakuta of course.

Oh and Forrester featured in the reserve game too, which he hasn't done for some time. For the £1m we paid Watford for him all those years ago, I don't think it'll pay off. He's 19 now afterall.

[Ali Farka Toure]

Baker banned from Final

I know he's young but he's still a moron.

[VillaMad]

Another cracking performance from the Villa Reserves tonight winning 3-0 at Wolves. The best thing about the victory was that the whole Wolves team have played in the Premier League this season and the way that some of the guys played against them showed that they are good enough to play in the first team.

Quote

Villa moved back to the top of the Reserve League South courtesy of a brace from James Collins and a strike from substitute Harry Forrester.

It was an excellent performance from the claret and blues against a strong Wolves team comprising 11 players with first-team experience.

Collins gave Villa an early lead at Telford's Bucks Head stadium, but not before the visitors survived a lively start from Wolves.

David Bevan was called into action within the first 15 seconds of the match, making an astute save from Sam Vokes.

Wolves should have gone in front when Andrew Surman volleyed over from close-range - and Villa capitalised on the glaring miss by scoring almost immediately.

A clearance from goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey struck Collins on the back. Andreas Weimann pounced on the loose ball and rolled it to Collins, who tucked it home to give Villa a 13th minute lead.

The night ended in disappointment for top scorer Weimann who had to be substituted after taking a knock midway through the first period.

But his replacement, Forrester, was quick to make an impact. The youngster controlled and finished after latching on to Isaiah Osbourne's volleyed cross from the right hand side.

George Friend went close for Wolves in first-half stoppage time but Ciaran Clark blocked his effort on the line.

After the break, Nenad Milijas sent a curling free-kick just over the bar for the home side.

Bevan was equal to a stinging effort from Geoffrey Mujangi Bai as Wolves looked for a route back into the contest, but Villa killed off the game on 65 minutes.

There was more impressive work from Forrester, who displayed wonderful trickery down the right flank, before crossing for Collins to head in his second.

The result sends Villa two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table, with a game in hand.

WOLVES: Hennessey; Halford, Stearman, Elokobi, Friend; Surman, Castillo, Milijas, Mujangi; Maierhofer, Vokes. Substitutes: McCarey, Dunleavy, Hemmings, Spray.

VILLA: Bevan; Lichaj, Bouma, Clark, Davies; Salifou, Osbourne, Hogg; Weimann, Collins, Hofbauer. Substitutes: Forrester (for Weimann), Roome, Carruthers, Simmonds, Roberts.

Curtis Davies got some crucial minutes as did Bouma which is great news once again. Salifou got a game and Osbourne is back after his spell at Middlesbrough. Other great news was the Forrester sounded like he was hugely impressive as was James Collins who grabbed a double. James Collins was recently on loan at Darlington and wasn't really impressive so he has a point to prove.

[TheMuffinMan]

VillaMad, on 16 February 2010 - 10:21 PM, said:

The best thing about the victory was that the whole Wolves team have played in the Premier League this season and the way that some of the guys played against them showed that they are good enough to play in the first team.

Well I'm guessing alot of them took part in that 3-0 defeat to Man Utd when Mick McCarthy fielded his weakened side.

VillaMad, on 16 February 2010 - 10:21 PM, said:

Curtis Davies got some crucial minutes as did Bouma which is great news once again. Salifou got a game and Osbourne is back after his spell at Middlesbrough. Other great news was the Forrester sounded like he was hugely impressive as was James Collins who grabbed a double. James Collins was recently on loan at Darlington and wasn't really impressive so he has a point to prove.

Good to see both Davies and Bouma play. It'll be like having two new players when they come back.

Osbourne didn't have the best of times on loan to Middlesbrough either did he. Never really made much of an impact. I saw him in one of the games and his passing was just awful, so it doesn't suprise me that they didn't ask for it to be extended.

But yeah, another good win for the reserves. Back to the top, where they belong.

[VillaMad]

Villa won the second-string derby with comfortable ease as they brushed aside their near neighbours 4-0 tonight.

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Villa cruised to victory in the Reserve League South derby clash at Villa Park.

Nathan Delfouneso scored twice while Marc Albrighton and Andreas Weimann were also on target as the claret and blues restored their five-point cushion at the top of the table.

Blues went close early on when David Bevan brilliantly denied Jordan Mutch after some fine work by Akwasi Asanti on the right.

Weimann thought he had given Villa the lead when he tapped home Albrighton's cross from close range, but the linesman flagged for offside.

The deadlock was finally broken on 31 minutes when the lively Albrighton scored with a wonderful solo effort.

The winger picked up possession deep on the right hand side. He went past full-back David Murphy and curled a shot into the far corner with his left foot.

With 65 minutes gone, Weimann cut in from the right-hand side and powered in his eighth goal of the season from the edge of the box.

Albrighton sent Delfouneso clear five minutes later and the striker motored into the box before slotting under Blues keeper Colin Doyle to make it 3-0.

The duo combined again six minutes from time, as Delfouneso converted a low Albrighton cross to round off a comprehensive Villa win.

Delfouneso had the ball in the net again after some fine link-up play between Weimann and Jonathan Hogg - but the linesman flagged for offside to deny the striker a hat-trick.

VILLA: Bevan, Lichaj, Bouma, Hogg, Clark, Davies, Albrighton, Salifou, Delfouneso, Weimann, Bannan. Substitutes: Forrester (for Bannan, 84), Collins, O'Halloran (for Bouma, 82), Hofbauer (for Salifou, 79).

BLUES: Doyle, Ozturk, Murphy, Sammons, Queudrue, Kerr, O'Shea, Mutch, Jervis, Shroot, Asante. Substitutes: Rowe, Butland, Hronec (for Asante, 69), Ntambwe, Redmond (for Mutch, 63).

Well so many positives from that game. Albrighton is back from injury and already looked dangerous, while Bannan seems to be back from his loan spell at Blackpool. Stephen O'Halloran came on for the last 8 minutes and he certainly can share some similarities with Bouma as he has hardly played over the last few years. Curtis Davies also stepped up his fitness again, while Delfouneso just keeps on scoring.

Its obvious to me anyway, that these guys like Albrighton and Bannan are just about ready to step up and with us having 12 league left plus a cup game, you can't expect the likes of Milner, Petrov and Ashley Young to play 90 minutes all the time, every time. Sadly the truth is that MON will try his best to get every possible minute out of them, even when they will predictably be too jaded towards the real end of the season.

[TheMuffinMan]

Great to see Bannan and Marc back playing as you said, and both put in greats shifts as well by the sounds of it. A bit annoyed this fixture was today actually as it was the one reserve match I was really hoping to catch, and it looks like I missed a good'un too. Bouma and Davies also on the road to full recovery too by the looks of things. It shouldn't be long before Davies is fully fit and competing with the first team I wouldn't have thought.

[Bandiera]

O Halloran!!! Brilliant. Hope that fella can get some matter of a career going for him. Such a talented prospect absolutely ruined by knee injuries

Great to have the 2 wingers back as well. They're just so old school and spirited. Unfortunately, I cant see either of them or The Fonz getting much if any game time from here to the seasons end as the games are just too important and MON doesnt trust them enough

[TheMuffinMan]

Bandiera, on 11 March 2010 - 01:18 PM, said:

O Halloran!!! Brilliant. Hope that fella can get some matter of a career going for him. Such a talented prospect absolutely ruined by knee injuries

I don't see him having a future with us to be honest. At 22, he has yet to get anywhere near the first team. His shirt number of last season was taken away from him and given to James Collins, and I can't see him getting it back any time soon. I know the injuries haven't helped him at all, but it would be best for him to just move on and try and get as much first team action as he can as you never know what could happen with his reputation of previous injuries.

[Bandiera]

Barrett., on 11 March 2010 - 06:58 PM, said:

I don't see him having a future with us to be honest. At 22, he has yet to get anywhere near the first team. His shirt number of last season was taken away from him and given to James Collins, and I can't see him getting it back any time soon. I know the injuries haven't helped him at all, but it would be best for him to just move on and try and get as much first team action as he can as you never know what could happen with his reputation of previous injuries.

Which is why I said "Some matter of" career, rather then "a career with Villa"

[VillaMad]

Yeah I think the deal with O'Halloran is to basically get him back fit and finding him a new club.

His contract ran out last season, I think, but they kept him on because of the injuries.

[TheMuffinMan]

Bandiera, on 11 March 2010 - 07:34 PM, said:

Which is why I said "Some matter of" career, rather then "a career with Villa"

Ah ok, I mis-read what you say then.

[Bandiera]

VillaMad, on 11 March 2010 - 08:10 PM, said:

Yeah I think the deal with O'Halloran is to basically get him back fit and finding him a new club.

His contract ran out last season, I think, but they kept him on because of the injuries.

Villa are awesome in so many ways...

[TheMuffinMan]

Arsenal Preview



Villa can put themselves within touching distance of a third straight Reserve League South title with victory in tonight's top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal.

Another maximum haul for Kevin MacDonald's unbeaten aces will put them five points clear of the Gunners, thus eliminating the Londoners from the title race.

Only third-placed Fulham would then be able to catch Villa because of their games in hand.

Nigel Reo-Coker makes his comeback for the claret and blues after nearly three months out with an ankle injury.

The likes of Nathan Delfouneso, Andreas Weimann, Marc Albrighton and skipper Ciaran Clark are also primed for action in the clash at Villa Park.

Arsenal kept up their title challenge last week with a 3-1 home success over Birmingham City.

Coach Neil Banfield hopes to name a similar starting eleven, although Conor Henderson is away with the Republic of Ireland's under-19s.

But talented French teenager Francis Coquelin will be welcomed back from international duty.

In the first meeting of the season between the two sides, goals from Albrighton and Craig Gardner gave Villa a 2-1 win on a night when summer signing Stewart Downing made his first start in a claret and blue shirt.

Join Jack Woodward and Bobby Bridgeman for live commentary from tonight's clash on AVTV. Subscribers should log in then click the banner below.

A live text service will also be running ,which can be accessed by clicking here just before kick-off (7pm).

VILLA: Andy Marshall, Johnathan Hogg, Wilfred Bouma, Ciaran Clark, Stephen O'Halloran, Marc Albrighton, Nigel Reo-Coker, Moustapha Salifou, Dominik Hofbauer, Andreas Weimann, Nathan Delfouneso. Substitutes: Harry Forrester, David Bevan, James Collins, Matthew Roome, Daniel Bradley.

A win in this fixture all but wins the title. We have a strong line up for this match too with Reo-Coker and Bouma both looking to gain match fitness, while Delfouneso and Albrighton are also playing.