Oct 23

Vital Villa

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Striker James Collins has gone on a three-month loan to Darlington managed by former Villa star Steve Staunton. Defenders Eric Lichaj and Nathan Baker have join Lincoln on month long loans.

Seriously good night in store with Big Ron and Paul McGrath, can you resist? A Night With Big Ron & Paul McGrath

Fieldy: Martin O’Neill has hit back at the recent criticism of Ashley Young, describing him as one of the best wingers in Europe. Speaking on the official site O’Neill was reacting to media reports accusing Ash of a dip in form. ‘Sometimes people need to realise how tough it is. He tracks back to help his full-back, he’s covered 40 or 50 yards and the next thing you know, the midfielder gives him the ball back and he looks up and he’s got 90 yards to go and about 15 players to beat.’ Full article: O’Neill Defends Ash

A rumour in the Metro says we are after Manchester City defender Micah Richards and Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko this January. Pants to the first one, do we really need anymore defenders? As for the striker link, probably total pants also although a lot will depend on whether Heskey and John Carew find their shooting boots up until Jan? Hope not though, I’ll never remember how to spell that name!

MON has spoken ahead of the local derby v Wolves telling Sky Sports (live on Sky this Saturday, 12:45pm kick off): “We will be up for the game. We can still lose the match, but we will be right for the game. The players have gained a lot of confidence from the Manchester City and Chelsea matches. We’re ready for it. I’ve already said to the players how difficult the game is going to be. They will be as ready for the game as we possibly can. That might not be good enough on the day – but they will be ready for it.”

Stephen Warnock has told SkySports News that Villa can finish in the top four: “With the players we’ve got and the way we’ve played so far this season, the results against Chelsea and Man City, people are starting to sit up and take notice of us and think we’re a real threat.”

Great article by Sheriff Kimbo: Twenty one years ago today, Aston Villa beat Everton 2-0 with goals from Tony Daley and David Platt. A fairly inconsequential game in the big scheme of things, but for your writer it was massive; it was my first time to Villa Park. One year ago today, I wrote a very long article for this site talking about the 20 year anniversary of my first game. As this season is my 20th as a season ticket holder it is another landmark, and as it is a slow news week I thought I would attempt to cobble some words together into something that is almost interesting to mark the anniversary yet again. Having thought about what to do in order to mark the occasion, I have decided to name my best team of the last 21 years. In perhaps a thought to the modern day team, I have opted for a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation. Full article: Key to the door… the team of the last 21 years

Our regular fan interview, this time with Akela from Vital Wolves
Young_Jonah does the Vital Wolves interview

There were a few snippets of press talk on Wednesday, Hokey Cokey is okey dokey, Emile to here there and everywhere and Cardiff striker linked in: Aston Villa Press Transfer Talk

Fieldy: Whilst of the press went to Chelsea despite our victory, Monny has reminded us we haven’t ‘done nothing yet’ in the grand scheme of things. Dismissing the London bias in the press as just one of those things, Monny knows if we can win the amount of games Chelsea have over the last 5 years and achieve in real terms what they have then maybe the bias will change. Until then it’s just something we will have to put up with he said to the official site. Full quotes: Villa Boss Calls For Perspective

Fieldy: Stiliyan Petrov is delighted with the signings of Collins and Dunne, especially for the threat they bring from set pieces. In our last two games our centre halves have chipped in with goals from dead ball situations, and it’s been a threat we have lacked since the unfortunate injury to Martin Laursen. This is of course also ignoring how much stronger we look in defence because of their additions. Speaking to the official site, our Captain said: ‘Set-pieces are a big thing in football and we try to use them as much as we can. We know how good James and Ashley are at delivering the ball so we’ve just got to be more aggressive attacking the ball. We have got players that can do that and it has been paying off.’

Richard Dunne was pleased to grab his second goal in our win against Chelsea, but was quick to pass praise to his team mates. Delighted Dunne

Fieldy: Gary Gardner, brother of Craig, has signed his first professional contract with the Villa on Tuesday. Details and quotes: Gary Gardner Signs Professional Contract

Good grief, where has the week gone, not done a Villa Times since the weekends win v Chelsea! Then again, I was walking around today thinking it was Wednesday, that is the genius of old Feario basically! Anyway, Chelsea coverage:

Stats
Chelsea fans opinion on the Villa win
Match report by Sheriff Kimbo

Oct 23

Perpignan 29 Northampton Saints 13

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From giddy euphoria to sobering reality, Northampton have travelled a long way within six days. It is the sort of journey only on offer at the highest level of European competition. And so the Saints’ invigorating march came to an abrupt halt in this raucous corner of Catalonia.

Under the cosh for long periods, particularly up front, Northampton had to live on their wits, relying on the occasional sparkle of Shane Geraghty and Chris Ashton for moments to lift their valiant band of travelling support.

Perpignan really ought to have won with more to spare, butchering at least two tries. The Saints, though, hung in there, although missing out on a bonus point may be costly. Their ill-discipline was a factor although they were not happy with the officiating.

“We didn’t get any help from the referee [Nigel Owens],“ said Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder. “But it’s a good lesson for us, especially for our up-and-coming players.“
Northampton were well aware that one heroic effort does not make for a campaign and much as they strove to repeat their all-consuming display against Munster, they were on the back foot, forced to scavenge and salvage. It was a chastening experience even if they did share the try count at two apiece.

Last week’s poster boy, lock Courtney Lawes, was reduced to comparative anonymity, no surprise given the pressure exerted by the abrasive Perpignan pack. Geraghty was not without flaw, but he again showed invention as well as guts. But it was a sporadic effort all round. Northampton did not run up the white flag but they took a pounding.

This was where Northampton found out much about themselves. Not many have come through the Aime Giral ordeal. Perpignan have not lost at home in Europe in 15 matches and are unbeaten on their own patch this season.

They were in feisty mood, goaded into salty action by the ineptitude of their 9-8 loss in Treviso. As centre, Maxime Mermoz, so neatly put it: “We know we gave the rest of the rugby world a good laugh.“

The bite and snap was back. Perpignan got stuck into the Northampton set-piece, disrupting the lineout and squeezing in the scrum. They ought to have had more return than they did. But for a crass fumble by flanker, Jean-Pierre Perez with the line at his mercy, Perpignan would have been out of the blocks with a real rattle.

They did not have to wait long, however. Jerome Porical had already knocked over a penalty goal before his forward pack laid siege to the Northampton line. Time and again the Saints scrum buckled, but referee Nigel Owens only issued warnings. Finally even his patience snapped, penalty try.

Northampton’s stirring victory over Munster spoke of a side with honest traits: selflessness, togetherness and humility. They grafted for that win, backing each other to perform. They are not the flashiest, although Geraghty has been in a rich vein of form.

It was Geraghty who helped Saints recover from a torrid opening. He punched up from a lineout in the 26th minute but was back in position to send Ben Foden round on an arc. The full-back did well in delaying his pass allowing wing Chris Ashton some room. He did not waste it, chipping cleverly and timing his run on to the ball to beat Perpignan scrum-half Nicolas Durand to the touchdown with inches to spare from the dead-ball line.

But that was a lone sortie. Northampton were being stretched. Nothing had been seen of the man l’Equipe dubbed “Le Demolisseur,“ the Demolition Man, Lawes.

The inevitable fissures opened, Perpignan exploiting the fault lines. Just before half-time, fly-half Nicolas Laharrague dinked a ball in behind the Northampton defence.

Mermoz raced on to it, slipped a deft pass out of the tackle for his midfield partner, David Marty to gallop to the line having skipped out of the flailing tackle of James Downey.

Perpignan’s 20-8 lead was well-deserved.

Perpignan ought to have put the game to bed within minutes of the restart. Again, Perez was the culprit, firing out a forward pass when he could have strolled over the try line himself.

Ben Foden reacted to another Perez fumble shortly after, weaving upfield, finding Bruce Reihana on an angle who, in turn, fed Ashton. When the ball was recycled prop Saone Tongauiha teed up his front-row mate, Brian Mujati for an unlikely try.

Perpignan took what was on offer thereafter, Porical’s boot landing nine points. Northampton were gutsy but soundly beaten.

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