Stalemate in friendly against SHA

[Legion]

From Pravda:

Villa played out a goalless draw against Birmingham City on Tuesday lunchtime in a specially arranged behind-closed-doors friendly.

An experienced claret and blues side containing Stephen Ireland, Curtis Davies and Steve Sidwell played at Blues' Wast Hills training ground.

Gerard Houllier and his new back room team were amongst the spectators on the sidelines who watched the profitable workout for a number of Villa stars.

Brad Guzan was called into action with 15 minutes on the clock. The USA shot stopper produced a great save to deny Nikola Zigic heading Blues into the lead.

Villa's best chance of the first half fell to Jonathan Hogg shortly before the interval. The midfielder picked up Barry Bannan's pass and unleashed a shot, but it could only find the side netting.

The woodwork denied the claret and blues from taking the lead on 65 minutes. Bannan's well worked corner with Ireland found Nathan Delfouneso lurking inside the penalty area. The striker's shot agonisingly hit the crossbar much to the relief of Blues goalkeeper Maik Taylor.

Thereafter, Villa stepped up the pressure on Blues in search of a winning goal and that almost arrived through Sidwell, but the midfielder put his shot past the post.

Late on Guzan produced a stunning save to deny one of Blues' substitutes a last-gasp goal.

Villa: Brad Guzan, Habib Beye, Curtis Davies, Ciaran Clark, Ellis Deeney, Jonathan Hogg, Steve Sidwell, Stephen Ireland, Daniel Johnson, Barry Bannan, Nathan Delfouneso

[PeterWithesShin]

That Deeney kid will never make it, so may I be the first to say, Ellis Out!

[Salsa Party Animal]

I wonder what is Deeney's nickname ? Deadly

[TaxDodger]

6 in a row is no more

[Tom_Mc9?]

6 in a row is no more

There'll be celebrations on the streets of Solihull tonight.

[The Man With A Stick]

Ooooof, you can literally feel the balance of power shifting can't you!

[PeterWithesShin]

6 in a row is no more

There'll be celebrations on the streets of Solihull tonight.

The above article is already in their trophy cabinet.

[TopDeck113]

Could give a stuff about a behind-closed doors friendly.  Halloween is when it matters.

[KRS]

Good to see additional friendly games being organised on the quiet giving players much needed match practise and GH more time to look at his squad. Good stuff.

[not3bad]

I wonder what is Deeney's nickname ? Deadly

He's got a hell of a bicycle kick on him.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Good to see additional friendly games being organised on the quiet giving players much needed match practise and GH more time to look at his squad. Good stuff.

Ye good management. Gives Mr H that little more insight to what certain players are all about. Also nice and early in the week so any little knocks can be rested .......

[Matt Collins]

Of course, if two of our players had got injured it would have been have a stupid mistake to have played a game against our local rivals!

[Simba]

6 in a row is no more

There'll be celebrations on the streets of Solihull tonight.

The above article is already in their trophy cabinet.

Trophy Cabinet? What Trophy cabinet? 

[darren woolley]

A nice workout for the lad's so he can have a look at more players.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I see it was a lunchtime kick off. Do you think the paranoid West Midlands police insisted ?