Saturday October 27, 2012 Day 9 Finished Villa Park

  1. Premier League - Lambert's Villa held by Norwich

    Premier League - Lambert's Villa held by Norwich

    Paul Lambert was lucky to escape with a 1-1 Premier League draw against his former employers as Aston Villa endured a second-half battering by Norwich City. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Aston Villa
    • Norwich City
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only)
    • - There's the final whistle, and Paul Lambert's 10-man Villa hang on for a deeply unconvincing point against Norwich.
    • 90+5' Played high into the Villa box... Ryan Bennett heads on and Snodgrass lifts the ball over the bar!
    • 90+4' Bent tumbles over as he runs towards goal. He was never going to get to the ball, but his fall brought a loud shout from the crowd.
    • 90+3' Darren Bent is down injured after a clash of heads with Bassong. They both look basically OK, though both are rubbing their heads.
    • 90+2' Garrido storms down the left and his cross comes out as far as Ryan Bennett at the edge of the box... but he is leaning back and slices it over the bar!
    • 90+1 More time-wasting from Guzan as Pilkington bears down on him. The Norwich pressure has eased somewhat.
    • 90' Four minutes of stoppage time to be played.
    • 89' Guzan lets the ball roll as it comes through to him. Villa with no thoughts other than to run the clock down.
    • 88' Terrible free-kick by Snodgrass, curling it straight out for a goal kick from 30 yards.
    • 87' Snodgrass's corner is headed away, but only to the edge of the box where Hoolahan is fouled again.
    • 85' Villa are just lumping the ball away with no obvious intention of keeping hold of it. Even with 10 men, you surely have to have a go at maintaining possession?
    • 84' Ooof.... just before that Holt one-on-one, Herd absolutely maimed Hoolahan with a late challenge. Didn't see that first time.
    • 83' Wave after wave of Norwich attack here. This must make exceptionally tough viewing for Paul Lambert, whose side have been completely outclassed.
    • 81' I know they are a man down, but Villa have looked truly atrocious in the second half. Absolute relegation fodder.
    • 80' Norwich's pressure finally tells, and now they will surely push hard to win this game. They have 10 minutes plus stoppage time to complete the turnaround.
    • 79' GOAL!! Norwich are level! Inevitable! Hoolahan swings in a ball from the right side of the box and Michael Turner makes glancing contact - the ball goes in off the inside of the far post!
    • 78' Norwich all over Villa now! Snodgrass is played in but declines to shoot first time - he hesitates and by the time he gets his shot away it is blocked!
    • 77' Guzan saves Villa again! Holt barrels his way through the middle and is in one-on-one... but his shot is straight at the goalkeeper.
    • 76' Villa change: Andreas Weimann on for Brett Holman.
    • 75' Norwich build again in Villa territory after a foul by El Ahmadi. This is not comfortable at all for the home side but they cling on for the moment.
    • 74' Missed that last Norwich change: Steve Morison on for Johnson.
    • 73' Villa are increasingly under siege here. Their inability to string a couple of passes together means the ball just keeps coming back.
    • 72' Norwich appealed for a penalty from that charged down shot, but Matt Lowton clearly blocked it with his bum.
    • 71' Norwich corner on their left... swung in and the ball bounces out to Snodgrass at the edge of the box. His shot is charged down!
    • 70' Tettey winds up for a long shot that is charged down by El Ahmadi.
    • 69' Hmm... Darren Bent replaces Benteke. But wouldn't you think Benteke is exactly the sort of striker you'd want to defend a lead?
    • 68' Crossed deep towards Holt at the back post, but Vlaar does exceptionally well to get his head to it first.
    • 67' Interesting news at the Emirates Stadium - Jack Wilshere does indeed start for Arsenal. Yikes. Good luck, son.
    • 65' Bennett cull! Off goes Elliott, on comes Robert Snodgrass.
    • 64' Another chance for Hoolahan, who receives a fine ball on the left side of the box, but his pwerful close-range shot is saved by Guzan.
    • 63' Yes, of course pocketcraft is a thing.
    • 62' Booking for Chris Herd - referee Dowd momentarily got his red card out, but I think that was more down to clumsy pocketcraft than anything.
    • 61' Johnson finds Elliott Bennett who goes down under a slight shove from Lichaj. Would have been an immensely soft penalty, though.
    • 60' So, will Villa hang on? I'm saying yes. Norwich have scored six goals in eight-and-a-half games this season. That's not good.
    • 58' OK, that last stat is not that impressive. Small sample size and all...
    • 57' Aston Villa now have the equal-most red cards of any PL club this season. Liverpool and Swansea have also seen two players sent off.
    • 55' That change has enraged my boss Lee Walker, who perhaps unwisely has Agbonlahor in his fantasy team.
    • 54' Villa change: Eric Lichaj comes on for Agbonlahor. He could slot straight in at left-back (where Bennett was playing) - alternatively he could go into the middle with Herd switching to the left.
    • 54' Guzan is nearly caught out by a swirling cross from the right but manages to palm the ball to safety. Meanwhile Benteke has gone down injured.
    • 53' Well, we're down to two Bennetts. And Paul Lambert is preparing a change. I wouldn't be surprised to see Agbonlahor come off.
    • 52' RED CARD! Joe Bennett picks up a second booking and he's off! He held Elliott Bennett off the ball as the Norwich man tried to run down the line, but I think that's harsh.
    • 50' Villa have a chance to counter-attack at pace, but they lose momentum as El Ahmadi and Benteke play it amongst themselves.
    • 49' Benteke wins a defensive header this time, as he nods clear an inswinging Hoolahan free-kick from the Norwich right.
    • 47' Things not looking great for Norwich, who are one of only two clubs who have not outscored their opponents in the second half of any Premier League game this season. The other is Stoke.
    • 46' Benteke in the air again! He leaps high and directs a downward header that Ruddy saves well. Nice cross from the right to the Belgian.
    • 46' A half-time change: Ryan Bennett is on for the injured Russell Martin. We nnow have three players called Bennett on the pitch. Elliott, Joe and Ryan.
    • - A half-time stat for you, courtesy of Infostrada: "Norwich have now conceded in their last 38 PL away matches, the longest run of any top flight club without an away clean sheet since Crystal Palace’s 38-match streak in the old Division One from 1980-90."
    • 45+1' Villa go in at half-time a goal to the good. How important this result could be for Paul Lambert - but can they hold on? It hasn't been great stuff from either side, to be honest.
    • 45' Just a minute of added time to play at the end of the first half.
    • 44' Benteke is proving a real handful in the air. He wins another header that loops through the air and is held by Ruddy, but Norwich have no answer at the moment.
    • 42' Russell Martin needs treatment and jogs off with the Norwich physio... he doesn't look unduly concerned.
    • 41' Corner flag! Holt thrashes at a shot but gets it all wrong, the ball skews off the outside of his boot and twangs off the corner flag on its way out for a goal kick.
    • 41' Good clearance from Herd a couple of yards from his own line as Martin fires a low cross from the right.
    • 40' Bennett puts his body in the firing line as he blocks at the edge of the box. Villa defending fairly well here.
    • 39' The corner comes to nothing and Norwich look to respond.
    • 38' Benteke drifts into space on the right side of the box and collects a floated pass. He cuts back onto his left foot and his shot deflects behind for a corner.
    • 37' Villa in the ascendancy here as they press Norwich back into their own box. But no way through to goal.
    • 35' Benteke leaps high to flick the ball on for Agbonlahor who is just beaten to the ball, which gows back to Ruddy and gets thumped downfield.
    • 34' Now it's Villa's turn to be wasteful, as Agbonlahor leads their attack but his pull-back from the right byline is not within 10 yards of another claret shirt.
    • 33' Garrido is in acres on the Nrowich left, but cannot deliver a decent ball into a crowded penalty box.
    • 32' El Ahmadi slips in midfield and Norwich break... but a crunching challenge wins the ball back for Villa.
    • 31' Half an hour gone - the traditional time for a possession stat: Villa 46.5%, Norwich 53.5%.
    • 30' Hoolahan swings his free-kick in from the right and Guzan punches clear. But Norwich soon have another free-kick, this one slightly further from goal.
    • 29' Yellow card to Aston Villa's Joe Bennett - the game's first - and a promising free kick for Norwich, a couple of yards outside the box on the right.
    • 28' That's Benteke's second goal of the season, and while Chris Hughton might wonder why he was not closed down, it was fine work from the Belgian. Holman with a decent cross from the left.
    • 27' GOAL! Benteke breaks the deadlock! Cracking centre-forward play as he controls a cross in from the left and finishes into the right corner from 12 yards.
    • 26' Hoolahan digs out a cross for Holt on the left side of the six-yard box, but his header back across goal is gathered by Guzan.
    • 25' And there's a similar lack of quality at the other end as Karim El Ahmadi booms a long shot high and wide.
    • 24' Russell Martin marauds down the right flank but his a very poor cross out for a goal kick.
    • 23' Midway through the first half and it has been a pretty even contest so far.
    • 22' In fact, Guzan made that save with his left foot - had Hoolahan lifted his shot a little Norwich would be a goal up.
    • 21' Best chance of the game by a mile! Holt slips a through ball to Hoolahan who is one on one, but the shot is unconvincing and Guzan tips it behind for a corner!
    • 20' After 19 minutes of every game, there is applause for Stiliyan Petrov who is fighting leukaemia. Both sets of fans clap the Bulgarian. Lovely touch.
    • 18' Benteke runs down a blind alley and is a touch lucky to win a free-kick as he is clipped from behind.
    • 17' Norwich have a muted penalty appeal as Bennett goes down under a Vlaar challenge. It's actually a decent shout, but I think referee Dowd gets it right in turning down the shout.
    • 15' There are about half a dozen Villa players on the pitch who I couldn't pick out of a police line-up. Didn't they use to have a decent squad?
    • 14' Elliott Bennett hits a shot from distance now, but fires it low and wide of the far post.
    • 13' Tettey tries a long shot for Norwich which is blocked. The ball comes back to the midfielder who spreads it wide... but the move comes to nothing.
    • 12' Neither side has shown a great deal of quality so far. Not altogether surprising to see both teams in the bottom six.
    • 11' Is it me, or is Phil Dowd carrying a bit of timber these days? Might just have been an unflattering camera angle.
    • 10' Lumped long for Grant Holt... he wins the aerial challenge but has been flagged offside.
    • 9' Good hustle from Agbonlahor to win a header at the edge of the Norwich box... Albrighton thinks he is fouled by Bassong but the officials award a goal kick.
    • 7' First shot on target today comes from Brett Holman, who fires low from the edge of the box. But it's a weak effort and Ruddy makes a comfortable save. Decent from Villa, there.
    • 6' Christian Benteke gets a touch with his head... and the ball goes out for a Norwich goal kick. The Belgian has yet to really impress in the Premier League, and there are plenty of people unconvinced that he should be starting ahead of Darren Bent.
    • 5' On a brisk, sunny day in Birmingham, shadows cover roughly half the pitch (the far side from our perspective).
    • 4' Hoolahan finds Bennett racing down the right flank - poor, heavy cross that goes out for a throw on the opposite side of the pitch.
    • 3' When you look at the Villa side, it is hard not to consider them genuine relegation contenders. The amount of quality they have lost since the Martin O'Neill days is shocking.
    • 2' Norwich immediately attack down the right and Villa clear unconvincingly. Johnson's attempted shot is charged down but the home side look nervous.
    • 1' Off we go! Norwich kick off, playing from right to left as we see it. Both sides in their home kit, which always makes for a nice visual.
    • 12:43 Infostrada hit back in the stat war: "There are 10 English players combined in the starting line ups today – equal-most of any PL fixture this season, and most since Everton-Southampton (10) on September 29."
    • 12:42 Out come the teams to a half-empty stadium. It's a cold day, so hopefully there will be more out in the next couple of minutes.
    • 12:40 A little more shameless self-promotion. I'm Alex Chick, and you can harangue me on Twitter - @alexchick81. Follow/abuse me on Twitter!
    • 12:40 This weekend sees the introduction of the yellow ball in the Premier League. I'm not a fan - but mainly because I'm painfully resistant to change.
    • 12:35 Good stat from OptaJoe: "3.2 - Darren Bent has touched the ball every 3.2 minutes in the PL this term, only Danny Graham has seen it less frequently (3.7). Omitted." OptaJoe on Twitter
    • 12:30 If you're even remotely interested my day starts here, then moves on to Arsenal v QPR, then concludes with Manchester City v Swansea. And the intriguing news - for me at least - is the rumour gathering steam that Jack Wilshere will START for Arsenal today. Remember, he has not played a competitive match since June 2011.
    • 12:25 Norwich boss Chris Hughton has denied Norwich will derive any extra motivation from a 'grudge match' with Paul Lambert. He said: "We'll have a group of players who will be very grateful to Paul for the magnificent job he did here but once the whistle goes there is only one objective. That is how any of our players will see it. I can absolutely guarantee that once the game has kicked off it will be about 11 v 11 and not managers." Full story
    • 12:20 Aston Villa yesterday became the first Premier League club to back the Football Supporters' Federation's campaign to trial standing areas in Premier League and Championship matches. Chief exec Paul Faulkner: "We ... fully support their campaign to allow small-scale trials of safe standing areas at grounds." Full story
    • 12:15 Time for a quick hello, I suppose. I'm Alex Chick, I'll be scribbling my way through the game. You're welcome to get in touch with me on Twitter. Or you can simply puff up my ego by following. Or you can do neither. Whatever suits. twitter/alexchick81
    • 12:15 Time to dust off the #awkward hashtag. Soccer Saturday is running an interview in which Darren Bent says "it's great to be back playing". Underneath runs a yellow bar proclaiming: "DARREN BENT DROPPED".
    • 12:10 Two Aston Villa stats - one good, one bad. THE GOOD: Aston Villa haven’t conceded a first half goal in any of their last six Premier League matches. THE BAD: Aston Villa have won just two of their last 16 Premier League matches at Villa Park (W2 D6 L8).
    • 12:05 Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert faces his former side Norwich, and is already feeling the heat after a dismal start to the season. He has stuck to his guns in selection - Darren Bent is still on the bench, with Christian Benteke leading the line. Unsurprisingly, Norwich are unchanged from the side that beat Arsenal 1-0 at Carrow Road last Saturday.
    • 12:00 TEAMS: ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar (c), Bennett, El Ahmadi, Delph, Herd, Albrighton, Holman, Agbonlahor, Benteke. SUBS: Given, Bent, Westwood, Lichaj, Bannan, Ireland, Weimann. /// NORWICH: Ruddy, Martin, Johnson, Bassong, Turner, Holt (c), Pilkington, Hoolahan, E Bennett, Garrido, Tettey. SUBS: Rudd, Snodgrass, Howson, Jackson, Morison, Barnett, R Bennett.
    • 12:00 Welcome to LIVE coverage of Aston Villa v Norwich City from Villa Park!

  • Summary

    • 90+5' Played high into the Villa box... Ryan Bennett heads on and Snodgrass lifts the ball over the bar!
    • 90+2' Garrido storms down the left and his cross comes out as far as Ryan Bennett at the edge of the box... but he is leaning back and slices it over the bar!
    • 79' GOAL!! Norwich are level! Inevitable! Hoolahan swings in a ball from the right side of the box and Michael Turner makes glancing contact - the ball goes in off the inside of the far post!
    • 78' Norwich all over Villa now! Snodgrass is played in but declines to shoot first time - he hesitates and by the time he gets his shot away it is blocked!
    • 77' Guzan saves Villa again! Holt barrels his way through the middle and is in one-on-one... but his shot is straight at the goalkeeper.
    • 71' Norwich corner on their left... swung in and the ball bounces out to Snodgrass at the edge of the box. His shot is charged down!
    • 64' Another chance for Hoolahan, who receives a fine ball on the left side of the box, but his pwerful close-range shot is saved by Guzan.
    • 52' RED CARD! Joe Bennett picks up a second booking and he's off! He held Elliott Bennett off the ball as the Norwich man tried to run down the line, but I think that's harsh.
    • 41' Corner flag! Holt thrashes at a shot but gets it all wrong, the ball skews off the outside of his boot and twangs off the corner flag on its way out for a goal kick.
    • 38' Benteke drifts into space on the right side of the box and collects a floated pass. He cuts back onto his left foot and his shot deflects behind for a corner.
    • 27' GOAL! Benteke breaks the deadlock! Cracking centre-forward play as he controls a cross in from the left and finishes into the right corner from 12 yards.
    • 21' Best chance of the game by a mile! Holt slips a through ball to Hoolahan who is one on one, but the shot is unconvincing and Guzan tips it behind for a corner!
    • 7' First shot on target today comes from Brett Holman, who fires low from the edge of the box. But it's a weak effort and Ruddy makes a comfortable save. Decent from Villa, there.
    • 12:00 TEAMS: ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar (c), Bennett, El Ahmadi, Delph, Herd, Albrighton, Holman, Agbonlahor, Benteke. SUBS: Given, Bent, Westwood, Lichaj, Bannan, Ireland, Weimann. /// NORWICH: Ruddy, Martin, Johnson, Bassong, Turner, Holt (c), Pilkington, Hoolahan, E Bennett, Garrido, Tettey. SUBS: Rudd, Snodgrass, Howson, Jackson, Morison, Barnett, R Bennett.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.9 8
      Defenders
      7.3 7
      Yellow Card 6.2 6
      6.9 6
      Red Card 4.1 5
      Midfielders
      4.1 5
      Substitution Out76′ 6.8 7
      5.1 5
      5.9 6
      Substitution Out54′ 5.8 5
      Strikers
      Goal Substitution Out70′ 8.6 7
      Subs
      Substitution In70′ 3.8 5
      Substitution In54′ 7.2 5
      Substitution In76′ 6.5 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.2 6
      Defenders
      Substitution Out45′ 7.4 7
      Goal 7.5 7
      8 6
      6.1 5
      Midfielders
      7.8 7
      Substitution Out70′ 7.1 6
      Substitution Out64′ 7.2 6
      7.2 8
      6.3 6
      Strikers
      7.1 6
      Subs
      Substitution In64′ 7.6 6
      Substitution In45′ 5.3 6
      Substitution In70′ 6.3 6

Comment 46 - 66 of 66

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  1. city should of won the game

    From Damian, on Mon 29 Oct 16:01

  2. Benteke's goal was class, but other than that a­ very hard game to watch as a Villa fan. I didn't­ see the sense in taking off both Agbonlahor and Benteke­ in the 2nd half, who were our only chances of getting­ back into a losing battle. Lambert made a mistake­ there. In addition to that, Delph is such a­ liability it's not funny. Always wants to mess­ around with the ball in unnecessary situations, always­ gave the ball away whenever we had a half decent crack­ at creating a chance. He just doesn't cut it. He­ should of just re-signed for Leeds when he had the­ chance. Looking at our fixtures ahead I'm­ extremely worried. Sunderland away from home, Man Utd,­ Man City, Arsenal. We are in for another relegation­ fight fellow Villians...

    From Matteos Maserati, on Sun 28 Oct 5:50

  3. never mind go one better next time and lose you villa­ #$%$ Albion till i die i hate the villa!

    From welly, on Sat 27 Oct 15:45

  4. Thank goodness the grass is still growing

    From Horatio, on Sat 27 Oct 15:37

  5. another 2 points lost, should have beat a villa side­ that was worse than us just! on the ball city

    From C, on Sat 27 Oct 14:48

  6. Nice job benteke!!!!! He is promising for us belgians

    From , on Sat 27 Oct 14:46

  7. Had high hopes for Delpg when he joined the club, now­ all I have is trepidation every time I see him near the­ ball, I lamented the use of Warnock at left back but­ now I'd pay to see him take Bennett's place­ (not saying he won't be good enough, just that he­ isn't at the moment). A lot of work to be done,­ could be hoping that their's 3 worse clubs in the­ PL again this year.

    From MichealS, on Sat 27 Oct 14:44

  8. Worst start to a league season since 1986, the season­ we were relegated, Lambert is out of his depth the jobs­ to big for him make the change know and get Harry in or­ we will be down by Christmas.

    From craig, on Sat 27 Oct 14:41

  9. Relegation display (and the upcoming matches are even­ harder) forget Lambert, Lerner must consider is­ position because how he's handled things in the­ last few years has been extremely poor. A lot of dead­ wood at the Club (including Bent) and not enough­ quality players.

    From DSM, on Sat 27 Oct 14:41

  10. If ever I`m arrested, I hope that my sentence won`t be,­ forced to watch Villa Games

    From Horatio, on Sat 27 Oct 14:40

  11. Very depressing being a Villa fan nowadays. Glad I am­ old enough to remember the good times.

    From ED, on Sat 27 Oct 14:36

  12. Everybody says how wonderful Lambert is. Proof of the­ pudding I fear. He better get some decent players or­ learn how to school the ones he has. Villa are­ 'drawing' out of the picture. And it ain't­ over yet!

    From Serpico, on Sat 27 Oct 14:35

  13. Just shows the divide between the good teams and these­ two shoite teams in the EPL; perhaps Villa &­ Norwich should move up to the SPL because that is about­ their level?

    From bobby, on Sat 27 Oct 14:34

  14. :-/

    From zippy, on Sat 27 Oct 14:30

  15. In the 60th minute the commentator was sure villa would­ hang on for the win. 20 mins later he's saying­ villa are atrocious relegation fodder. complete nobhead

    From Stench, on Sat 27 Oct 14:28

  16. 10minutes for Villa to hold out for a point.Soft­ sending off in area of no danger.If Villa lose this now­ they will be losing more support from their loyal fans.­ Baggie Roy

    From , on Sat 27 Oct 14:25

  17. yahoo have you got a stutter ????

    From chris, on Sat 27 Oct 14:21

  18. under siege ???? don't make us laugh also you are­ forgetting to add the subs in you commentating!

    From chris, on Sat 27 Oct 14:19

  19. Under siege D

    From chris, on Sat 27 Oct 14:16

  20. Under siege D

    From chris, on Sat 27 Oct 14:16
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