Premier League - Villa snatch scrappy derby win

Eurosport - Sun, 13 Sep 23:24:00 2009

Gabriel Agbonlahor's late header gave Aston Villa a 1-0 victory at Birmingham City in a derby game high on passion but low on quality.

2009-2010 Birmingham-Aston Villa - 0

Agbonlahor found the net in the 85th minute to give Villa their third consecutive win as Birmingham conceded their first home goal of the season.

The match never lived up to a raucous atmosphere achieved despite the midday kick-off time, but Villa just about deserved three points.

Birmingham's injury crisis at the back worsened during the international break, and Alex McLeish handed Teemu Tainio, normally a midfielder, his debut in the unfamiliar right-back position.

His opposite number Martin O'Neill handed out three debuts at the back - bringing in Richard Dunne, James Collins and Stephen Warnock following their recent moves to Villa Park.

The only defender to keep his place from the 2-0 win against Fulham, Carlos Cuellar, had to shift from the centre to right-back.

The game contained more close-contested challenges than free-flowing football, and most of the first chances fell to the wayward boots of Villa winger James Milner.

Agbonlahor held off his marker and found Milner in the ninth minute, but the England man dragged his shot wide.

Eight minutes later Agbonlahor played in Milner again, but this time the shot was charged down.

The Agbonlahor-to-Milner was in service again midway through the first half for the best chance yet, but once again he scuffed his shot wide.

And a quartet of missed opportunities was completed when an Ashley Young cross fell to Milner at the far post and he sent a half-chance yards wide yet again.

For their part, Birmingham offered little. Garry O'Connor was isolated in his lone striker role, with only the occasional forward forays of Lee Bowyer by way of support.

McLeish has used Ecuadorean international Christian Benitez sparingly, but he was kept on the bench until the 79th minute when the game was crying out for his explosive pace and skill.

If the first half was scrappy, the second was rarely better than turgid.

The introduction of John Carew 20 minutes from the end proved crucial as Villa switched to a 4-4-2 formation and immediately carried more menace.

Steve Sidwell forced Joe hart into action with a close-range header while Milner had a better effort deflected wide.

Carew provided a telling contribution after Stuart Parnaby fouled Young, who delivered the resultant free-kick onto the Norwegian's head.

He nodded it across goal for Agbonlahor, who headed past Hart to snatch victory.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 25 - 44 of 44

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  1. don't wot the score 3 points is 3 points UP THE­ VILLA

    From mik363, on Tue 15 Sep 8:17PM

  2. Hey Bluenose all your predictions are looking stupid­ now arent they how have you not figured out your team­ is @#$% yet?

    From Michelin man, on Tue 15 Sep 12:53PM

  3. by playing defence does not keep u in the premiership,­ you need to attack as well, blues will go down, as they­ have no attack, and 8 players defenders is just no good

    From rahul s, on Mon 14 Sep 9:24PM

  4. 2.how right i was, heskey is rubbish and carew should­­ start from the kick off

    From rahul s, on Mon 14 Sep 9:22PM

  5. McLeish played for a 0-0 draw. It's a disgrace!!!!­ It was so obvious the Vile would @#$% it. I'm sorry­ fellow Bluenoses but with McLeish in charge we are­ heading straight back to the Championship. It's­ fair do's saying we are building our season around­ a solid defence but if we don'rt score goals in­ this league we are f***ed!!! Benitez may be the answer­ but he is unproven at this level. Jerome is awful (and­ injured), O'Connor will never score goals at this­ level, Phillips is past it and Bent would struggle to­ score for my works team...nobody even made any bids for­ him or McSheffrey so that just goes to prove what­ quality we have up front!!! I know I'm angry after­ such a negative performance at home against our biggest­ rivals but I can't see McLeish doing anything­ different all season. He hasn't got the nounce or­ indeed ambition. A s***te day and an even s***ter­ performance from the management :o(

    From G, on Mon 14 Sep 7:59PM

  6. How can McLeish defend playing one striker up front at­ home? Professional footballers are paid astronomic­ amounts of money compared to the supporters who pay­ their wages and should be able to play in any position.­ I'm an engineer, but if I was asked to paint I­ would.... excuses excuses that’s all we here for­ incompetence. Prove yourself a manager who can get­ results or leave now. It's bad enough having a­ board who doesn't want to be there but a manager­ who wouldn't be there if we had someone who could­ finance the club.... Just another money grabber....­ prove yourself or run... we need winners and take­ O’Conner with you... he couldn't score if you put­ him 2 yards out with a 20 foot goal.

    From busdriver, on Mon 14 Sep 6:56PM

  7. The way teams play in a derby doesnt matter. Derbys are­ always scrappy affairs. However i will say that the­ birmingham fans showed great voice. However the right­ team won. Birmingham looked like they were playing for­ a draw. As soon as Villa scored, It was Villa who­ looked more likely to score again. This shows that­ birmingham were right to play defensive. If Blues tried­ to attack all game i believe that would have given­ Villa the space to punish Birmingham. However i do not­ understand why Birmingham did not use Benitez from the­ start. He looks powerfull, quick and genuine quality. I­ hope the blues stay up because we deserve to have a­ derby.

    Up the Villa - Good Luck Blues

    From james, on Mon 14 Sep 4:29PM

  8. Villa did what they needed too.. two new boys- dunne­ and collins played very well-excellent buys by MON- got­ there heads to every ball around the box- city never­ looked like scoring although they did try and put some­ pressure on, villa do need to finish there chances­ better though- should of scored those two late ones..­ Up The Villa!!

    From Stephen, on Mon 14 Sep 11:52AM

  9. Well done the vile never was going to be a classic, ref­ made one mistake it was never a free kick b ut two free­ headers around around our box first by carew then rent­ a gob (gaby) totaly undone 89 mins of good defensive­ football. Agree with most comments that 4 5 1 system­ cannot win you game as bruce found out, and my thoughts­ on big eck un printable.

    From nosieblue, on Mon 14 Sep 10:00AM

  10. Well done the vile never was going to be a classic, ref­ made one mistake it was never a free kick b ut two free­ headers around around our box first by carew then rent­ a gob (gaby) totaly undone 89 mins of good defensive­ football. Agree with most comments that 4 5 1 system­ cannot win you game as bruce found out, and my thoughts­ on big eck un printable.

    From nosieblue, on Mon 14 Sep 9:53AM

  11. i was @ the match, the villa was so menacing in the­ first half that pidgeons were walking around the­ penalty area looking for worms, at least they kept Joe­ Harte amused!Villa lost most the one to one­ battles,Agbonlahor got away with murder with his shirt­ pulling every time he made a run,it was summed up by­ Martin O'Neill who was genuinely embarrased to win­ a game they did not deserve to,villa resorted to long­ ball football in the 2nd half,big strikers,hope for the­ best,they were lucky & they know it!

    From bluenose, on Mon 14 Sep 9:36AM

  12. it was an average performance by villa but we still won­ thats what counts.gabby getting a bit of form back come­ on the villa.

    From Peter, on Mon 14 Sep 9:22AM

  13. All you ever hear is blues fans whinging, they're­ worse than the aussies for whinging, heard them say­ that Blues were the better team for a few periods here­ and there, a game isn't over a few periods here and­ there, the game is 90mins and its goals that win games,­ villa wasn't at its best but we still beat ya,­ Blues are just a joke, how embarrasing is it to live in­ a city where the tean carrying the name birmingham is­ like a pub team.

    From jasonpeers, on Mon 14 Sep 6:30AM

  14. Game was a bit edgy and lacked class.
    Birmingham seemed­ to have no ambition, but they do have a good solid­ team. They will learn and hopefully stay in the­ Premiership.
    Villa after getting boo'd off the­ pitch against Wigan, have woken up and are now starting­ to motor, they might even improve on last years­ position.
    Cummon the Blues, some Villa fans (like me)­ want you in the Prem, work as hard as you did yesterday­ and you will have no problems!

    From Paul, on Mon 14 Sep 6:25AM

  15. A tricky tie proffessionally dealt with. well done mr­ o'neill.

    From tj.whelan, on Mon 14 Sep 1:19AM

  16. OK - I'm a Blues fan. Look at the result­ realistically and Villa just deserved the win on the­ basis that we don't ever look like scoring. This­ season already has relagation written all over it -­ narrow defeats but play well - sounds famiier hey. Just­ hope come January were not to far adrift so any new­ strikers who replace the donkeys we have at the moment­ can have a chance to shine. In the mean time its­ fingers crossed. On the Villa - they dont look like a­ top 6 team at the moment - but opposite to us they nick­ 1-0 victories. Its going to be a difficult season for­ both teams - with different expectations. KRO

    From John, on Sun 13 Sep 9:56PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The big african strikers were on target this weekend -­ Drogba, Adebayor, Eto'o, Niang, follow the African­ perspective @ africaplays.come.

    From Second S, on Sun 13 Sep 9:35PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    comment 27 - biggest team in Birmingham like who cares­ hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

    From Colin, on Sun 13 Sep 8:18PM

  19. How does McLeish expect to win by playing one­ up,especially at home?To win a game you have to score­ more than the other side and no way will that happen­ playing the formation he does.5 games,2 goals-1 a­ penalty-says it all.Why not play Benitez from the start­ with O'connor?He can always be subbed if he doesnt­ last the pace rather than when its too late!!!

    From R B, on Sun 13 Sep 8:18PM

  20. blues are a joke, they were too defensive. why take off­ your lone striker for another striker instead of going­ 2 up front? YOU WERE THE HOME TEAM!!! o'neill got­ it right and brought off a midfielder for another­ striker... that's how it's done.
    you're­ s**t ahhhhhhhhhhhh

    From Stench, on Sun 13 Sep 8:10PM
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