Newcastle takes on Aston Villa at Villa Park. We've seen quite the rivalry between the mags and the Villans. Bruce certainly has more to lose in this game. He starts with a 3-5-2 formation with Darlow in the net. The back three consists of Lascelles (Captain), Schar and Hayden. In midfield sees a return of Manquillo in the right-wing position with Hendrick in the centre alongside Shelvey and Almiron who comes in on the left side, hopefully fitting him better on his left foot. Lewis completes the left-wing position. And the big man, little man tactic was on show again with Carroll and Wilson. Now here was the interesting bit. ASM, yes the king of Gucci bling Allan Saint-Maximin made the bench after his bout of Covid-19.
It was Villa who got us underway but in the 3rd minute Shelvey played a good ball over the top for Wilson who pulled away from the defence to put in the cross but it was cleared away off the head of Douglas Luiz. Then three minutes later it was Villa who came forward with Traore who crossed it in but Hayden got the clearance in only as far as Targett who had a shot on target from outside of the area which was gathered comfortably by Darlow. But the deadlock was broken on the 13th minute when Targett played in a teasing ball in for Watkins, Schar managed to get his toe on to the ball which chipped the ball into the air, Darlow came for it anticipating a volley Watkins nodded it past the keeper 1-0.
In the 37th minute Almiron played in a cross for Carroll who headed it wide. Like De Ja Vu, just two minutes later Almiron whipped the ball in for Carroll again, this time Carroll headed the ball towards goal but it came off Mings, deflecting back into Carroll's path the Villa keeper Martinez pounced on to the ball to stop the big Geordie from getting the equaliser. However it was Villa who managed to increase the deficit when Grealish played in a corner which was punched away by Darlow, only as far as Traore who played the ball back to Grealish for a one-two to play it back to Traore, stretching for the ball Traore smacked the ball into the back of the net hitting the crossbar on the way in.
2-0.
Newcastle got the second half underway but it was Villa who had the first chance of the second half in the 48th minute when Watkins got into the box, tracked back by Lewis, Watkins got the shot away but Darlow made the block which deflected back to Lewis who didn't get enough on the ball passed it to an unsuspecting Luiz who dragged it wide. Newcastle had an opportunity in the 61st minute when Mings gave the ball away to Wilson who drove the ball into the box, in on goal Nakamba managed to get back to dispossess Wilson and knock the ball out for a corner, Shelvey whipped in the corner which found the head of Mings who made up for his error in the build-up to clear it away.
And the 71st minute gave us all the moment we were waiting for. A goal? No, we don't do those. Allan Saint-Maximin alongside Ryan Fraser came on to make his first appearance since November. Since ASM and Fraser were on they could ping the ball in for Carroll in the box, giving him the service he so desperately craves. But no, Carroll made way for Saint-Maximin to come on. However, Fraser had an opportunity when Almiron played him in. Fraser got a touch but Konsa came out of nowhere to get the ball away.
Villa went down the line on the 73rd minute with Barkley playing through Grealish who got his shot away. Like Konsa earlier Shelvey got a toe to the ball and blocked it out for the corner. Saint-Maximin didn't look one hundred per cent however he did have a box of tricks, although he did bring down Trezeguet for a free-kick. Which Grealish took and found the head of Mings who headed it wide. Newcastle looked fairly decent since ASM came on, and in the 92nd minute which was taken by Fraser, and cleared away as far as Hendrick who scuffed the shot into the path of an acrobatic Gayle but his chance went wide.
It was Villa who had the last opportunity with El Ghazi on the left side. El Ghazi knocked the ball up to Luiz who headed it into the path of Trezeguet forcing a great low fingertip save by Darlow. Full-time Aston Villa 2-0 Newcastle United.
From our struggles in December, I have always said that we won't go down as there are three or four worse teams than ourselves, and unless the re-emergence of Fraser and Allan Saint-Maximin ignites a flame, im starting to think that we're not better than any team in the Premier League. I can't see away forward under Bruce. But what hurts me the most is that people such as Jamie Carragher call us boring and poor. It hurts because he and the others with such opinions are correct. We are dreadful and it needs to change.
By Sam West.
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