Aston Villa 1-1 Blackburn Rovers, Villa Park, 26/01/08. Att: 39,602
Ashley Young’s set-piece mastery once more rescued Aston Villa, as the Midlands side came from a goal down to salvage a point at Villa Park.
Blackburn’s free-scoring Roque Santa Cruz had opened the scoring midway through the second half, bundling the ball home from close range. Young’s stunning 72nd minute free-kick, however, was enough to deny a resurgent Rovers outfit and send his team into fifth place in the Premiership in front of the watching Fabio Capello.
Given Rovers’ appalling recent record at Villa Park, this clash of the FA Cup drop-outs promised an opportunity for Villa to push their way into the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot by virtue of an eighth home league win of the season. In truth, that rarely looked as if it would be the case as the points were deservedly shared.
Clear-cut goalscoring opportunities for either side were sparse in the opening exchanges, and it took a clumsy trip from Nigel Reo-Coker on David Bentley to present the visitors with a chance to open the scoring from the spot. Matt Derbyshire strode forward to take the kick, but Scott Carson dived low and right to repel the youngster’s tame effort. The ensuing mêlée left Derbyshire crumpled in a heap on the penalty spot, but referee Howard Webb elected to award a free kick to the home side amid congratulations for hero Carson from his relieved team-mates.
An inert Villa toiled to find a way back into the match; a Young free-kick was hacked clear by Blackburn’s Irish international Steven Reid, who played a key defensive role in the Lancashire club’s five-man midfield setup throughout. Targetman John Carew utilised his ‘good touch for a big man’ - managing to work his way clear of three defenders in close attendance but then delaying a second too long before pulling the trigger, and his shot was blocked-out on the edge of the area.
Then, just short of half-time, Derbyshire raced clear of the static Villa defence but an expertly-timed Wilfred Bouma tackle just inside the penalty area prevented the England under-21 forward from getting into a favourable one-on-one situation against Carson.
Young’s considerable influence on the game intensified following the interval; the once-capped England winger’s surging run from the restart had to be halted by an incisive Stephen Warnock tackle, and it took a desperate challenge from David Dunn soon after to block his progress once more.
Frustrated Villa boss Martin O’Neill withdrew midfielder Stillian Petrov – tireless but ineffective – and introduced Monday night’s unlikely hero Marlon Harewood in his place. The oft-maligned Harewood received a glowing reception from the Villa faithful; demonstrating that one spectacular goal at Anfield could, however briefly, mask a lacklustre start to his career at the club. The ex-West Ham frontman was quickly into the heart of the action; a powerful, direct run was followed by a firm, low shot which tested Brad Friedel in the Rovers’ goal.
Blackburn, however, were first to break the deadlock, on 66 minutes. David Dunn danced away from his marker and surged brilliantly past Curtis Davies on the edge of the Villa area to fire a low shot at Carson which he could only parry into the path of the hitherto invisible Roque Santa Cruz. The Paraguayan duly nudged the ball into the net from close-in to claim his 15th goal of an impressive first campaign in English football.
A tired-looking Villa side were essentially bereft of the required inspiration to conjure an equaliser from open play, but with a dead-ball expert such as Young amongst their ranks they will always carry a substantial threat from set plays. An innocuous-looking challenge on the otherwise anonymous Gabriel Agbonlahor was adjudged by Webb to be worthy of a free-kick, a decision which Rovers’ manager Mark Hughes later described as “disappointing”, and Young curled a brilliant effort over the defensive wall and past a helpless Friedel to equalise.
Another precision Young free kick then found the head of Harewood, but his header cannoned back off the bar and to immediate safety. A good opportunity from a similar situation was spurned by Blackburn’s Morten Gamst Pedersen, whose effort was driven straight at Villa skipper Gareth Barry.
Pedersen also then dragged a speculative long range shot wide and a Brett Emerton run culminated in a disappointing left foot shot, easily gathered by Carson, as the visitors looked to snatch a win on the break.
In the dying minutes, Agbonlahor turned well to slot in from a Martin Laursen flick-on, but the ‘goal’ was rightly ruled out by the offside flag. Ashley Young’s stellar showing was almost capped off in style, as the £9m arrival from Watford in last season’s winter transfer window whipped yet another first-class free kick narrowly over the bar with the last meaningful kick of the game.
After the match, Mark Hughes alluded to Villa’s strong physical presence and subsequent threat from set pieces being a key factor, but still felt that with “a little more craft and composure” his charges could have earned maximum points. He said: “Villa Park has not been a happy hunting ground for us. When you miss the penalty you think ‘here we go’, but I think we possibly deserved all three (points).”
Martin O’Neill said of his side’s saviour: “Ashley’s exceptional. He’ll always stay back and practice (free kicks) after training. He’s improved immensely in the last year.”
When pressed, O'Neill added that the club would be making an announcement about the immediate future of Juventus-bound Olof Mellberg and “perhaps something else” on Monday. Villa fans will be hoping that ‘something else’ pertains to further creative support for their rapidly-rising starlet Young. He, in turn, will be hoping that his display sufficiently impressed Signor Capello – and surely it did.
No comments:
Post a Comment