A late James Milner penalty was the difference between the sides in a game that Blues could well have won.
Alex McLeish made a couple of changes to the Blues side with Seb Larsson coming in for Keith Fahey and Gregory Vignal coming in for the injured Scott Dann. Blues lined up with a 4-5-1 formation, with Vignal at left-back and Liam Ridgewell switching to centre half. James McFadden played wide left with Cameron Jerome up front on his own. Craig Gardner played more centrally with the brief to try and support Jerome.
The way Villa started, as a Blues fan, you had to worry. John Carew bullied Roger Johnson and Villa looked bright. However, this only lasted for the first five to ten minutes before Blues themselves began to get a grip on the game and retain some decent possession.
The first half was a fairly even contest overall. Villa probably slightly edged it in terms of chances, but those were generally long range and untroubling efforts, whilst it wasn’t dissimilar at the other end. Blues’ set up was one of containment, and they contained Villa well.
The second half was much different, with Blues coming out of their shell and creating umpteen good opportunities. Villa struggled to cope with Blues who could well have gone 2-0 or 3-0 up. Jerome, McFadden, Gardner, Bowyer and Ridgewell all went very close, with efforts on target that Brad Friedel saved or a Villa defender blocked or deflected away.
Blues, generally, aren’t particularly great at hitting the target when well placed, but they seemed to be doing it every time all of a sudden. All of the efforts were good ones that somehow Villa were able to keep out.
As the second half wore on, there began to be that sense that Villa may win it. It wasn’t that they were doing much themselves (in fact, given what was on offer to them in the Champions League sense, they were fairly poor) – it was more that Blues had been denied so many times that you started to think that it was going to be one of those days.
Emile Heskey went close for Villa as they finally had their first real chance of the second half. From the resulting corner, Richard Dunne headed over when he should have done better. You really were beginning to sense what was coming…
Then it happened. For the first 80 minutes or so the Blues fans had restrained themselves and not sung “Champions League, you’re having a laugh!” That was good. If they sang it, you knew what would happen.
Sure enough, after 80 minutes or so, the Blues fans sang it. Sod’s Law dictates that if you start singing something like that, the worst will happen. I’ll never forget the chants of “Villa reject!” directed towards Darren Byfield at Millmoor years ago, moments before he scored for Rotherham bloody United. You knew what was coming.
Gabriel Agbonlahor was slipped in by Ashley Young and Roger Johnson chased him. Johnson slid in, Agbonlahor went down and Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot. I’ve heard a lot of post-match stuff saying that it was never a penalty. I gather, now, that Johnson got his toe to the ball. What I will say is that, at the time, from the other end of the ground, it looked like a penalty. Whilst referees are paid to get these things right, it didn’t look to be the most unbelievably bad decision ever. It would appear (now) that it was wrong, but at the time, I too thought it was a penalty.
Cue arguments from various Blues players, including Johnson, and a delay of a few minutes before Milner could take his spot kick. When he did, he drilled it down the middle and made it 1-0. Gutting.
Blues tried to hit back, but to no avail. Keith Fahey, on as a substitute, continued the theme of actually hitting the target with very decent efforts, but he was denied, before Stuart Parnaby (on for the knackered and close to being sent off Vignal) headed wide at the far post. Villa ran to the corners, won throw ins and ran the clock down, and Blues’ sixth consecutive second city derby defeat was complete. This was, however, comfortably the best that they’ve played in those last six meetings.
The drama still wasn’t quite over thanks to Stephen Carr. The Blues skipper came over to applaud the travelling fans at the end, and started making what I’d describe as the “up yours” gesture at the Villa fans in the corner of the North Stand. He did that three times. He then began giving what I’d describe as the “Nescafe shake” gesture at the same Villa fans, before continuing all the way across the front of the North Stand and down the tunnel. It was truly bizarre (and very funny). I watched the whole thing and kept thinking, “surely he’s going to stop in a minute as he’ll get in trouble”? He just kept on doing it though, all the way along. It was brilliant. Stupid, childish and (as club captain) irresponsible, but brilliant. If it were you or I, we’d want to do exactly the same thing. The difference was that Carr had that opportunity, and he took it.
Only the most blinkered Villa fan would argue that Blues didn’t deserve at least a share of the points. Forget the penalty – Blues dominated the second half anyway. Bizarrely, Blues kept hitting the target with good efforts and on another day could well have been 3-0 up before Milner stepped up to take his penalty. It wasn’t to be, however.
McLeish reverted to 4-5-1 for pretty much the first time since the Bolton home game when he got dog’s abuse for it, and in fairness to him, it worked. Blues’ performance was such that you couldn’t really argue with the tactics or the team selection because, for much of the game, they were the better side.
Cameron Jerome, of whom I am often critical, did a fine job up front on his own. Craig Gardner was often a threat playing in an advanced midfield role. Barry Ferguson was the best midfielder on the pitch. Gregory Vignal performed beyond my expectations at left-back, until he tired. Even Liam Ridgewell who, once I found out would be playing centre half, I feared for, was pretty much fine. It was a performance that you would struggle to complain about. Out of the last six games against the Villa, it was Blues’ best effort by far.
After that 5-1 game, Blues needed to restore some pride, and there’s no doubt that they did that. To hear Martin O’Neill, Brad Friedel and various Villa fans on the radio afterwards admitting that Blues were the better side in a way only made things worse. The 5-1 was horrible, but is it not better to be stuffed so that you know your place than to turn up, be the better side, have the better chances, and still walk away with nothing?
Make no mistake, this hurts too, but Blues turned up at a side chasing a Champions League spot, had the better of the game, and were unlucky not to win, let alone lose. Forget the fact that it was that lot from under the bridge – it was a good effort against any such side in those circumstances.
Blues’ side, by my reckoning, cost about £18m to put together. That wouldn’t buy you James Milner. If they want to enjoy a lucky 1-0 win against their poor, rubbish neighbours after spending £80m plus on their team, let them. They should be tearing teams like Blues apart and the fact that they’re not speaks far more about their failings than Blues’. Villa have, this season, effectively been as successful as Wolves, and potentially face having a less successful campaign than Portsmouth. Well done to them.
As for Blues, after a few disappointing displays of late, this showed that they are still “up for it” this season. They should be pleased with the performance but not the result. Next week they face Burnley who are, really and truly, rubbish. Blues should be looking to take today’s disappointment out on another side in claret and blue next week, thus securing a top ten finish.
A top ten finish would have been beyond anyone’s wildest expectations at the start of the season. I’m not sure that the same can be said of winning nothing and finishing sixth or seventh when you’ve spent £80m plus.