After the cancellation of last weekβs fixture under unprecedented circumstances, Villa returned to action under the B6 lights on Friday night.
The passing of the long-reigning British monarch Queen Elizabeth II put football on hold momentarily, but as action resumed across the footballing world this weekend, fitting tributes were paid by players, coaches and fans alike.
This was no different at Villa Park, where the lights were dimmed to create a chilling stage for a minuteβs silence which was followed by a powerful rendition of the national anthem.
The tribute reached its rousing conclusion and the match kicked off.
Here is how the two sides lined up for Fridayβs fixture:
Villa made two changes from the resolute display against the reigning champions Manchester City. The evergreen Ashley Young deputised for the injured Matty Cash as expected, whilst Coutinho was the surprise inclusion in place of Douglas Luiz, who had performed superbly against his former employers. For the visiting Saints, Malian winger Moussa Djenepo came in for the former Rangers man Joe Aribo.
In the early exchanges the pattern of the game began to emerge. It was evident that this would be an attritional affair between two sides who had started the season in a somewhat underwhelming fashion.
Southamptonβs win at home to Chelsea last month had been superb, but there has been a reliance this season on forwards Che Adams and Adam Armstrong to win them points from a limited number of open play chances, along with the much broadcasted set-piece prowess of James Ward-Prowse.
This could be seen once again early on, with Southampton lacking a real creative spark, although every Ward-Prowse dead-ball opportunity was greeted with a nervous hush from the home fans. His deliveries were dangerous, but Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings looked back to their best and dealt with the threat competently.
As the half progressed, Villa began to edge the hard-fought encounter. Philippe Coutinho, who Gerrard claimed had dazzled on the training pitch this week, looked a threat, whilst Leon Bailey occupied the left back Perraud with moderate joy.
Whilst Villa had dealt with their visitorβs threat from set-pieces, it was a corner of their own which cracked open the game. After a Coutinho header was well stopped by young keeper Bazunu Villa took the corner quickly. Coutinho and Lucas Digne linked up, and the Brazilian star whipped a cross into the danger area. Ollie Watkins found space and flicked a pacey header at goal. Bazunu made a good reflex save, although his touch was not strong enough to divert the ball out for a corner. After the ball hit the woodwork and Mohammed Salisu made a mess of his clearing header, Jacob Ramsey pounced to fire the ball off the underside of the bar and into the net. A quick VAR check for offside followed, but the goal was awarded and Villa went into the break ahead.
The second half started with a greater intensity than the first, although that was not difficult. Both sides came out with a more aggressive approach, but a lack of quality in the final third still remained. This was particularly evident with Southampton, who only registered their first shot on target in the 76th minute. Emi Martinez had put a couple of errors behind him to thwart Manchester City spectacularly last time out, but on Friday night the Argentinian was afforded a quiet night against a sluggish Southampton.
Villa won the midfield battle as Ward-Prowse and Aribo, who had replaced Diallo, were overrun by the much-improved skipper John McGinn and goalscorer Jacob Ramsey. Douglas Luiz had earlier replaced Boubacar Kamara after he went down with an injury, and the Brazilian did not look out of place with a composed display in the deeper role that has often looked unnatural for him. Villa will hope the young French midfielder is back in action soon and that his injury is not serious. Leander Dendoncker came off the bench for the final half hour and slotted in to the midfield seamlessly.
The game began to stagnate and plateau towards its conclusion, but this suited Aston Villa and their manager Steven Gerrard after such a turbulent start to the season. A late substitute appearance from Danny Ings against his old club almost resulted in a goal of the season contender. His weak-footed effort from the halfway line almost caught out the Southampton keeper who had made his way up for a corner.
As the final whistle sounded, Gerrard roared in delight. This clear display of passion and relief suggested that the Liverpudlian was all to aware of the precarious position that had engulfed him in recent weeks. But credit where it is due, he has found a way to rally the team, instill fight and belief, and crucially take four points from the past two matches.
It was not pretty, but on Friday it did not need to be. The back four were superb, with the former captain Mings the pick of the bunch. The centre back has had his place in the team called under question by many, not least his own manager, and will have been disappointed to miss out on England selection this week, but his performances of late have been far better than many of his contemporaries who continue to retain the favour of Gareth Southgate.
The rot has been stopped and the results have improved, whilst the game management from the side has been impressive. The fight and belief that had been missing at the back end of the previous campaign and the start of the current one seems to be back.
Despite the improvements, there is still a long way to go. The style of football that Villa have played in the last two games is perfect for arresting a slump, but to be successful in the long term performances will have to be far slicker and more fluid.
With a relatively lenient run of fixtures until the winter break for the World Cup, there is certainly points to be won and there are also places to be earned in various international squads for those hoping to be on the plane to Qatar.
The timing of this victory is also crucial with an international break coming up. It is well documented that a bad run of form or even one bad result before a two week break can hamper morale, whilst a win can have a real boost on a squad.
After a bleak start to the season, the outlook is suddenly becoming more positive, but there is still much work to be done in the coming weeks by Gerrard and his players. But for now letβs enjoy this winning feeling Villans, after all it feels like a long time since I last wrote a Fan Report for a Villa win!
AUTHOR | JOEY MILLINGTON
Authorβs UTV PODCAST archive Joey Millington | UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
UTV PODCAST HQ | LATEST NEWS
DONATE
UTVPODCAST | An Aston Villa Blogβ is now accepting small donations, which will help to support the site’s ongoing evolution.
Thank you so much for your support.
VILLA BELLAS
Villa Bellas is the Official AVFC Womenβs Network. In an unequal and often unrelenting world we work to break down barriers for equality.
Our network aims to raise the voice of women and non-binary people at @AVFCOfficial We support inclusion & diversity and with our allies, we can challenge sexism and misogyny, creating a safe and welcoming environment for the fans in the stands and the women on the pitch.
Let’s celebrate ourselves and champion each other while having fun doing it!
Twitter: @villabellas Instagram: @villa.bellas
SUBSCRIBE
Enjoying this article – then please subscribe to UTVPODCAST | An Aston Villa Blog to help us grow and support the site; you’ll receive instant email notifications of all released article.
Plus, it’s completely free.
PARTNERS
UTVPODCAST is pleased to partner with Official AVFC Store, Fanatics, Kitbag, and Classic Football Shirts. Throughout the season, we will bring you special offers and discount codes.
ASTON VILLA | KITBAG
ASTON VILLA | AVFC STORE
2022/23 Aston Villa – Shop Now
ASTON VILLA | CLASSIC FOOTBALL SHIRTS
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook and Twitter readers, click the respective icon below to follow our utvpodcast social media accounts.
