Saturday December 29, 2012 Day 20 Finished Villa Park

Aston Villa 0 - 3 Wigan Athletic

  • Ramis 3’
  • Boyce 52’
  • Koné 56’

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  1. Premier League - Wigan heap further woe on Villa

    Premier League - Wigan heap further woe on Villa

    Wigan Athletic made it a festive programme to forget for Paul Lambert with a crushing 3-0 victory against Aston Villa at Villa Park. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Aston Villa
    • Wigan Athletic
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • 90+3 And that's it from Villa Park. That makes it three losses on the spin for the Villans as they move closer to the relegation zone . Wigan move out of the bottom three with the win.
    • 90+2 Bannan lifts a ball to the back post as the hosts look for some late cheer but Wigan clear with ease – and that will probably be that.
    • 90+1 Three minutes of added time here.
    • 90' McManaman looks a bright player – he latches on to a ball in the channel before dropping his shoulder, beating his man and drawing a smart save from Guzan.
    • 88' McManaman is immediately into the thick of things but he is hauled back by El Ahmadi as he looks to lead a break.
    • 87' Kone is replaced by McManaman for the closing minutes.
    • 85' More fans vote with their feet as the exodus continues.
    • 83' Gomez looks for Kone in behind but he goes a little too early and the assistant referee’s flag is rightly aloft. There was no need to go early there as there was ample space in behind.
    • 81' Villa are away at Swansea in only three days time, and they'll need a massive imporvement if they are to get anything from that one.
    • 80' Villa are having the better of the half but again their passing is just not good enough. Surely Lerner will delve into the January sales.
    • 78' Gomez comes on for Beausejour as it looks like Martinez will match up with their hosts with a 4-4-2.
    • 78' Maloney blocks off Bennett but the referee isn’t interested.
    • 77' Villa continue to put decent pressure on Wigan ball but they are lacking creativity.
    • 76' Boyce hacks clear and Bannan picks up the ball to feed Bennett but his effort from outside the box is always rising. The Villa fans that have stayed deserve a goal to cheer.
    • 74' Big, big chance for Kone – he latches on to a long punt from Al Habsi but he elects to round Guzan when he may have been better served lifting the ball over the American.
    • 72' Villa have gone to a back four and have real width but the stadium is almost half empty as the fans make a statement.
    • 70' Thsoe substitutions appear to have galvanised the home team here and Wigan are under the cosh now but Ramis and Caldwell continue to do well against the physical threat of Benteke.
    • 68' Villa have dropped deep now as they look to prevent any further embarrassment but Wigan are splicing though them.
    • 66' McArthur replaces Jones, who is hobbling off rather gingerly.
    • 64' Holman, Lichaj and Ireland are withdrawn to boos for El Ahmadi, Bowery and Albrighton.
    • 62' Herd is down following a timely interception so we have a slight hiatus for physio – this could impact on the subs.
    • 60' Triple substitution on the horizon.
    • 58' This could be a rout – a massive rout.
    • 56' GOOOALL!! Villa are carved apart. The Latics keep the ball well before speeding up play through Maloney and Di Santo. The Argentine feeds Kone, who holds off a pretty poor challenge from Lowton, before rounding Guzan and slotting a third goal.
    • 55' Bannan with a late one on Maloney and he is in the book.
    • 54' That is a body blow for the hosts.
    • 52' GOOOALL!! Boyce gets the ball from Maloney in his right-wing back spot, he beats two men before exchanging passes with Kone before holding off a Villa challenge and firing past Guzan from just inside the box. Great goal.
    • 51' Chris Herd, a midfielder by trade, makes up the extra man in midfield but Villa look exposed as soon as they lose it with only two men back.
    • 50' Benteke becoming more and more prominent now and he wins another flick, but, with a lack of runners, the visitors clear.
    • 48' Villa begin the half well. Benteke heads over a Weimann cross before Clark leads a charge forward. Huge increase in volume this half.
    • 46 We're back underway.
    • 45+1 Benteke flicks an Ireland long ball on but it is just out of the reach of Holman. And that's it from the first half.
    • 45' On the balance of play, the hosts should be at least level. One minute of added time.
    • 44' Benteke heads down the free-kick to Holman at the far post. The Australian’s effort from an almost impossible angle hits the crossbar with Al Habsi beaten.
    • 42' Maloney now in the book for a late one on Bennett.
    • 41' This time Lowton’s ball has too much height on it and it drifts out for a goal kick.
    • 40' Lowton looks for Benteke at the far post with his weaker left foot but the ball doesn’t have the required height on it and Ramis clears. The volume inside Villa Park continues to rise as the Villans begin to come into the ascendancy.
    • 38' The last time Villa came from behind to win was their last game in 2011 against Chelsea.
    • 37' Benteke goes a fraction too soon.
    • 36' Boyce is in the book having delayed the taking of a Villa throw.
    • 35' Weimann lays-off to Benteke but the Austrian was offside as Holman played the ball. The Belgian sticks it away without hesitation but you get the impression he knew that it was to be disallowed.
    • 34' The rain has begun to come down quite heavily now and the players are struggling to adapt – there are errant passes and late challenges aplenty as the half enters the last ten minutes or so.
    • 32' The game is being played about 15 yards further away from the Villa goal now and Ireland finds Benteke in the channel, he cuts in but his shot is blocked.
    • 31' Credit to Villa their intensity has picked up as the half has progressed and there is less space out there for the Latics.
    • 30' Bannan tracks Maloney all the way to clear for a corner. Maloney puts it in but Villa deal with it easily.
    • 28' Holman escapes the attentions of a few Wigan players before sending over a testing cross that is headed out for a corner. Bannan slings the corner over but a Wigan head rises to clear. Bennett collects the loose ball and goes on a slaloming run before behind bundled off it on the edge. Benteke picks up the loose ball but his effort is blocked.
    • 26' Kone gets in behind but his effort from an acute angle is rash and wide.
    • 24' The whole Villa side look porous and if Wigan could be more incisive in their forward movement and passing then they would have had the points wrapped up by now.
    • 23' McCarthy with studs showing on Benteke, and Bannan lofts the resulting free-kick up to Benteke on the edge of the box but he fails to get his head to the ball.
    • 22' Lichaj is having a torrid afternoon, and Wigan could be two or three goals to the good.
    • 20' Maloney is finding all kinds of space between the Villa lines.
    • 19' The customary round of applause for captain Stan Petrov begins at the start of the 19th minute.
    • 18' Benteke, starved of service, has been poor thus far.
    • 16' Weimann has a sight of goal but his effort is always rising from outside the box.
    • 14' There is so much space out there at the moment – Figueroa this time charges forward but there is a break down in communication between the Honduran and Kone and his attempted through ball runs through and out for a goal-kick with the forward coming short.
    • 12' The Latics have the run of the middle of the pitch. They continue to work the ball well through the middle before finding their wing backs in space. Beausejour again whips a teasing ball in but this time a Villa head clears.
    • 10' Again the build-up for that penalty appeal came down the Villa right. Beausejour with the cute ball in behind the Villa back four.
    • 9' Ireland clearly takes the legs of Maloney away from him – that’s their second shout for a penalty and that one was a concrete penalty. The referee is in a great position to see the hack but he shows no interest and waves play on.
    • 7' Someone for Villa needs to pick up Beausejour – for the third time in succession he is afforded ample time down the left but this time his cross has too much on it.
    • 5' Villa are again operating with a back three – but, with Weimann, Bannan and Ireland in front of them, one must question how much protection they’ll be afforded, and that early goal will do little for their collective confidence.
    • 4' That is the worst possible start for the hosts. The defending there was beyond abject – Ramis rose unopposed on the edge of the six-yard box to head home.
    • 3' GGGOOOOAL!! Beausejour whips the ball in and the returning Ramis evades the attention of Benteke and powers a header past Guzan.
    • 2' Lowton is lucky not to give away a penalty as he appears to handle a ball over the top but referee Friend points for a corner.
    • 2' Wigan begin with a decent spell of possession until McCarthy is ushered off the ball for a Villa throw.
    • 1' The players have exchanged handshakes and we’re almost underway – you get the impression that this game could go a long way to determining the trajectory of their respective seasons. Wigan kick-off.
    • 14:55 The referee for today’s fixture is Kevin Friend.
    • 14:50 Match odds: Aston Villa 7/5, draw 9/4, Wigan 2/1.
    • 14:45 Roberto Martinez: “We do need to do more to make sure we try and keep a clean sheet and prevent goals going in, because we’re making it difficult from ourselves by going behind in games and having a mountain to climb at times. It’s important now that we get everyone back from injury, fit again and competing for places in the team. That energy and intensity which will come from competition in the squad will help make a difference at both ends of the pitch.”
    • 14:40 MANAGER QUOTES: Paul Lambert: "Whether we win, lose or draw, we always try to treat the players the same way and try to keep their spirits the same. One thing in football is that you can't dwell on it and you have to recover - there is no other way."
    • 14:35 Much has been made of Villa’s desperate festive capitulation: they have conceded 12 goals in their last two games – the previous 12 came in 10 games. But, following an encouraging start, Wigan have faded alarmingly and, despite it only being the halfway point of the season, this game is definite relegation six-point territory.
    • 14:30 Wigan’s slide down the table has coincided with an unlucky run of injuries and Roberto Martinez is without a host of names for the trip to the Midlands. But defender Ivan Ramis, who is still to make an appearance after suffering a hamstring injury at the end of last month, starts and Franco Di Santo returns to the starting XI. Antolin Alcaraz, who is yet to play this term after failing to shake off a groin injury, should be available soon.
    • 14:25 Defender Nathan Baker is the latest to be ruled out and joins captain Ron Vlaar (calf), Gabriel Agbonlahor (thigh), Charles N'Zogbia (knee), Darren Bent (hamstring), Richard Dunne (groin) and Andreas Weimann (calf) on the sidelines.
    • 14:20 TEAMS: Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Clark, Bennett, Holman, Herd, Lichaj, Weimann, Bannan, Ireland, Benteke. Subs: Given, El Ahmadi, Albrighton, Westwood, Bowery, Stevens, Carruthers. /// Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Boyce, Ramis, Figueroa, Beausejour, Maloney, Jones, McCarthy, Di Santo, Kone. Subs: Politt, Gomez, McManaman, McArthur, Boselli, Stam, Golbart.
    • 14:15 Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage from Villa Park where Paul Lambert’s Aston Villa entertain Wigan in the Premier League.

  • Summary

    • 74' Big, big chance for Kone – he latches on to a long punt from Al Habsi but he elects to round Guzan when he may have been better served lifting the ball over the American.
    • 56' GOOOALL!! Villa are carved apart. The Latics keep the ball well before speeding up play through Maloney and Di Santo. The Argentine feeds Kone, who holds off a pretty poor challenge from Lowton, before rounding Guzan and slotting a third goal.
    • 52' GOOOALL!! Boyce gets the ball from Maloney in his right-wing back spot, he beats two men before exchanging passes with Kone before holding off a Villa challenge and firing past Guzan from just inside the box. Great goal.
    • 40' Lowton looks for Benteke at the far post with his weaker left foot but the ball doesn’t have the required height on it and Ramis clears. The volume inside Villa Park continues to rise as the Villans begin to come into the ascendancy.
    • 35' Weimann lays-off to Benteke but the Austrian was offside as Holman played the ball. The Belgian sticks it away without hesitation but you get the impression he knew that it was to be disallowed.
    • 32' The game is being played about 15 yards further away from the Villa goal now and Ireland finds Benteke in the channel, he cuts in but his shot is blocked.
    • 28' Holman escapes the attentions of a few Wigan players before sending over a testing cross that is headed out for a corner. Bannan slings the corner over but a Wigan head rises to clear. Bennett collects the loose ball and goes on a slaloming run before behind bundled off it on the edge. Benteke picks up the loose ball but his effort is blocked.
    • 19' The customary round of applause for captain Stan Petrov begins at the start of the 19th minute.
    • 9' Ireland clearly takes the legs of Maloney away from him – that’s their second shout for a penalty and that one was a concrete penalty. The referee is in a great position to see the hack but he shows no interest and waves play on.
    • 3' GGGOOOOAL!! Beausejour whips the ball in and the returning Ramis evades the attention of Benteke and powers a header past Guzan.

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
      3.4 5
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 2.7 4
      2.1 4
      2.9 4
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out64′ 2.4 5
      Yellow Card 2.2 6
      Substitution Out64′ 3.1 6
      Substitution Out64′ 3 5
      2.1 4
      Strikers
      Yellow Card 3.1 6
      4.1 5
      Subs
      Substitution In64′ 3.3 5
      Substitution In64′ 3.4 5
      Substitution In64′ 2.3 5
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.5 6
      Defenders
      Goal 7.5 6
      7.2 6
      7.7 5
      Midfielders
      7.4 5
      Substitution Out65′ 6.9 5
      Goal Yellow Card 7.5 7
      Substitution Out79′ 7.3 5
      Strikers
      Goal Substitution Out88′ 8.4 8
      Yellow Card 7.7 6
      7.4 5
      Subs
      Substitution In79′ 7.4 6
      Substitution In65′ 7.3 5
      Substitution In88′ 8.3 5

Comment 39 - 59 of 59

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  1. Wow lot of hate here .As ah Celtic fan you clowns have­ got the best Young manager in the country.y he went­ there in the first place Iyl never know .He will come­ good make no mistake about that.

    From ALEX, on Sun 30 Dec 21:02

  2. zippy looking good for villa

    From Camoron, on Sun 30 Dec 14:46

  3. get the owner to put his hand in his pocket and buy­ good players not kindergarden ones...... its a mans­ game [ not as manly as Rugby] and we have a team of­ kids.... none of the senior players have stepped up [­ have you Ireland] get rid of him for sure. Randy we­ need 2 established defenders 2 class midfielders [­ gareth Barry class] and someone to help out and train­ the players to PASS TO THIER OWN TEAM MATES....... not­ give the ball away. Shay Given world class goalkeeper­ dont blame him for sitting on the bench with this load­ of muppet defenders in front of any goalkeeper would­ smash your confidence. Invest in the team and the team­ will reward you in return.we aint down yet!!!!!!!! come­ on u VILLA......

    From MICHAEL, on Sun 30 Dec 9:12

  4. ha ha you asked for him and you got him,lambert is a­ one season wonder.up the mighty yellows.villa are #$%$

    From barks02, on Sun 30 Dec 1:50

  5. LAMBERT OUT!

    From , on Sat 29 Dec 21:04

  6. Can't keeping blaming the manager ,face it , #$%$ team­ ,haven't done anything for years , pretending to be a­ big club. Lambert is a good manager and will have a­ bright future when he gets to a club with a decent set­ of players who want to play and work hard

    From andy, on Sat 29 Dec 21:04

  7. Bye bye Lambert.

    From Matti, on Sat 29 Dec 20:46

  8. One team was organized, full of ideas, determined and­ full of belief.....one was not.....guess who ?????

    From john, on Sat 29 Dec 20:33

  9. I hope that you villa fans get behind your manager for­ once and stick by him, as his football and the boys he­ has there will come good maybe not for 2 to 3 years but­ i see the same scenario that was when ferguson came to­ Man utd. so cut him some slack,european football within­ 5 years if hes given the time, and remember that the­ previous managers have all spent big bucks and done­ nothing.good young team there just need to get a few­ lucky breaks which we all need from time too time.

    From JAMES, on Sat 29 Dec 18:03

  10. VILLA should count themselves LUCKY to be ALIVE old­ red nose.

    From BLUEBULLY, on Sat 29 Dec 17:21

  11. lets all laugh at Villa! Lets all laugh at Villa ­ Petition "DONT SACK LAMBERT"

    From BLUEBULLY, on Sat 29 Dec 17:18

  12. another defeat for the villa - almost looking forward­ to work next week - our general manager will be in a­ foul mood :o)

    From Gary, on Sat 29 Dec 17:17

  13. Villa you know what you are! You know what you arrrr! ­ Aston Villa You KNOW WHAT you are" BEGINS WITH­ "S" and ends in "T" four­ letters!!! STOP IT NOW " My side are­ hurting"

    From BLUEBULLY, on Sat 29 Dec 17:16

  14. Lambert another one of those managers who thinks he is­ good but when it comes to managing a club of any­ substance is actually way out of his league.

    From delazzuro, on Sat 29 Dec 17:15
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    villa villa villa villa villa villa !!!!!

    From nor, on Sat 29 Dec 17:10

  16. Good lesson for an arrogant clueless manager - check­ his papers!

    From , on Sat 29 Dec 17:08

  17. Awesome display Latics!!! Thats 15 goals against cruddy­ Villa in 3 games and they've scored NONE!!!!­ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Down the Villa!

    From Carl, on Sat 29 Dec 17:03

  18. TAXI for Mr Lambert

    From Frankie Pcboards, on Sat 29 Dec 17:00

  19. Could be playing Blues next year. If they stay up!

    From TOM, on Sat 29 Dec 16:56

  20. Coming soon... Paul Lambert's School of Motoring.

    From VillanD, on Sat 29 Dec 16:56
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