Molly's Aston Villa Review so far ...

Fulham 0-0 Aston Villa
When I looked at Aston Villa's fixtures and I saw Fulham, what cams into my head was a draw. I'd be happy with a draw. So, I'm happy to say, I'm happy with the draw.

I was optimistic as always like many and I thought, yeah we could nick a win here. Well, that was before the game.
After the first half I was pretty impressed with how we were played and how Fulham weren't playing and in my mind I was still thinking, we can win this. I realised that I'd definitely jinxed it when the whistle blew for the second half. Fulham looked decent, yes not excellent or amazing but decent and better than us. They had obviously had a ticking off in the dressing room after their lazy first half performance.
The first half got off to a poor start, with N'Zogbia showing that he still hasn't discovered his defensive side of the game. Without following, Riisse (however you spell it), it allowed him to fire a shot over the bar. Oh dear! Not to worry, we then got our backsides into first gear and started to add a little pressure here and there. A variety of passing to mix it up, for once we looked stable defensively and broke on the counter superbly. However none of the three clear chances we had could be converted and push that gear up a few levels. The three noteable chances came from an Emile Heskey header which swept over the bar, a skipper Stan's shot just scraping the same bar and a James Collins' header from a flighted Charles N'Zogbia cross flying six yards wide.

The second half was started by Fulham and ended by a last ditch attempt from Villa. Even though Fulham were the better team in the second half and had all the better chances on goal, a revived partnership in Collins and Richard Dunne made sure there was no clear path through on goal. Even when Fulham managed to brake the defence and find gaps, hero Shay Given; making his first Aston Villa start in the Premier League; was there to firmly hang on.
 
I had both the stream on whilst listening to Bluenose Tom Ross and towards the end of sick of him saying Darren Bent's name. Repeating several time "One chance, that's all Darren Bent needs, one chance, he's a goalscorer..." We do have another two strikers on the pitch mate!

Conclusion: A well fought battle in the first half, a great point away from home against a good, well drilled side. Gabby cannot play wide. N'Zogbia isn't fit. Albrighton should start cause he's a little gem. Darren Bent needs more service and Shay Given has got to be one of the best buys for this season.
 
"Everyone Likes To Be Loved"

Aston Villa 3-1 Blackburn Rovers

I sat in the north stand upper, in the same seat that I'd sat in for the past three seasons and this was the first time I'd reached my seat with butteflies of excitement. When the bells started ringing and Stan lead the team out I realised why I loved the Villa, which is too hard to put into words. Isn't that what love is? When you can't explain why you love them, because you just do. I stood and applauded the team, my eyes fixed on the tunnel waiting for McLeish's arrival. I knew what I was going to do, that was to clap the loudest of the stadium and make sure that he knew that I backed him. I doubt that one though. It was a sight that I haven't seen at Villa Park in a while, Villa fans united. For once, everyone one stood together clapping as McLeish made that minute walk to the dugout. I was touched and you don't often here me say that.

Of course, it wasn't just about McLeish's reception, there were eleven vital players on the pitch that would be able to ensure that when the final whistle blew the manager would still get an ovation. As hoped, the boys did the business. An encouraging performance full of energy and attack in the first half, and a stable second half gifted Aston Villa and Big Eck's first three points of the season, lifting us to the top of the Barclays Premier League; well aty least for twelve or so hours.

Forgotten man Gabby Agbonlahor scored the opener, a Leighton Baines-esque finish, flying into the top right corner from the left flank past a helpless - a really helpless - Paul Robinson. The former England number one shot stopper was called into action just minutes later by yet another Gabby shot. This time involving Charles N'Zogbia, who made his home debut, and Emile Heskey, who later scored Villa's seond goal.

The big man Heskey shot on the slip past Robinson, with an assit for on-fire Agbonlahor, just before the break. Aston Villa entertaining their home crowd more than some had been expecting.

A second clean sheet for Shay Given, also making his Villa home debut, was a miss however when Pedersen managed to squeeze between Dunne and Warnock to see his header squeeze into the top corner following a Juinor Hoillet cross.

The claret and blue boys hadn't come out onto the pitch for the second half full of their exuberance which had been displayed throughtout the first forty-five minutes; mirroring their second half sloppyness against Fulham, which led to Blackburn's goal. Star man Gabby had already been substituted at half-time through injury, being replaced by Marc Albrighton, who sadly looked off the pace. Something needed to be changed, that came from injuries to Luke Young and Emile Heskey. On in their place was Ciaran Clark and Barry Bannan. Our wee man Barry changing the whole game, adding pace and that extra energy that had been lacking in this second half. Bannan setting up Villa's third goal of the afternoon. Darren Bent's first of the season. Coming from nothing, Petrov releasing the trigger from twenty-five yards out. It took a deflection along the way, finding Bent's feet perfectly.

As he took two strides to the left, he fired the bullet.

Blackburn were dead.
 
Derby Day!

Aston Villa 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

When Manchester United and Manchester City play one another, what do you expect? Goals, drama, meaty tackles, red cards, right?

When Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur play each other, what do you expect? Goals, drama, meaty tackles, red cards, right?

When Aston Villa and Wolves play against each other, what do you expect? Goals, drama, meaty tackles, red cards, right? Wrong. What should you expect? Wimpy challenges, yellow cards, shirt grabbing and shots that end up agt St Andrews.

It wasn't all dull, boring football. There were moments when I got out my seat ready to jump up because we'd scored. Yet, we didn't score, we had eighteen - give or take one or two - shots, eleven probably off target, that couldn't test the goalkeeper or find the back of the net.

The front three English men still seemed sharp and made and nearly finished off several chances, with Gabby coming the closest. Emile Heskey just centiments wide and Darren Bent's dipping header bounced off the roof of the net. Aston Villa looked dominant, until N'Zogbia was brought off. Many people have said that he wasn't great yesterday but I'd like to argue; he provides width, yes he seems to not know the word 'defend' or 'cross and not shoot' and also 'don't wander, or follow the ball' but when he came off there was no width, no-one who was willing to have the ball at their feet or shoot.

I don't feel like I can right much about the game, if I do some might deem me as 'clutching at straws.' What I would like to say is that with the depature of Luke Young, we really do need a new right-back. Chris Herd was great yesterday, and deserved man of the match, however we can't rely on Herd. A young player whose only played so many Premier League games, you cannot expect him to step up for every game.

However Sky Sports seem to disagree with me: Chris Herd. Outstanding as he dealt with Jarvis like an established Premier League right-back. Only his second start in the top flight but Villa's hunt to replace Luke Young may already be solved.
 
On the list of players to come in before Wednesday:
-A right-back, preferably Kyle Walker.
-Loans; James Milner, Aaron Ramsey.
-Someone whose also been brought to my attention; Nico Kranjcar.

We need someone creative and dynamic. Someone who can provide chances for a stirker.
 
"He's A Bluenose Though." The banks of empty seats said more about the home club. Villa is historically a huge club. It is the biggest team in Britain's second-biggest city. 'The City is Ours!' It finished second in the first Premier League season. Now, it is a finishing school for Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City. Fan frustration boiled over when Alex McLeish was appointed from despised and relegated neighbors Birmingham City. The fundamental problem is not that McLeish is a "bluenose." It's that his hiring suggests that Randy Lerner, has given up hope of breaking into the top four. The two previous appointments, Martin O'Neill and Gerard Houllier, suggested the club thought it might be possible to go toe-to-toe with the big boys. Which with O'Neill that did happen and given Houllier was fit enough to carry on we could have been. Although McLeish did win a couple of Scottish titles during his checkered reign at Rangers, there has been nothing in his recent past, that suggests he will break Villa's soul-sapping 12-season streak of finishing somewhere between sixth and 16th. What we learned Saturday was what most Villa fans already knew, this team is not going to be in contention nor is it in danger of relegation.
 
 
 
Molly