Thanks to Pat for reminding me of this great day. And for driving me back home afterwards..
Mellberg milks big moment in thrashing of hapless rivals
Peter Lansley, Villa Park
21 April 2008
The Times
© 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved
Aston Villa 5. Young 28, 63, Carew 42, 53, Agbonlahor 78. Birmingham 1. Forssell 67. Referee M Clattenburg - Attendance 42,640 -
Olof Mellberg, who is leaving for Juventus on a free transfer next month, will always be remembered as more than just a very good player by Aston Villa fans. He may yet even attain legendary status after taking his leave of the field five minutes from time yesterday with clenched fists raised to all sides of Villa Park at the culmination of the biggest league victory in a second-city derby since October 1960.
It was more than just a farewell gesture. Mellberg is the player who dared to speak his mind and admit he did not like Birmingham City supporters after they invaded the pitch as St Andrew's in 2002 to mock Peter Enckelman, the goalkeeper, for his own goal as Villa were trounced 3-0. Yesterday, the Sweden defender took his revenge. He milked the moment, as he was replaced by Marlon Harewood, and it was like a fighter waving to the crowd as his victim groggily gets back up off the canvas.
Mellberg was only taking his lead from the hundreds of cowed Birmingham supporters who traipsed towards the exit doors just after the hour mark as their team, now deep in relegation trouble, went four goals behind yesterday. "It's understandable," Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, said. "That's a supporter's prerogative. But what I would say to them is we need them for the next three games, starting next week at St Andrew's, where we have done well."
As Birmingham face Liverpool on Saturday hardly daring to countenance matches against Swansea City and Carlisle United next season, Villa could yet be heading for Europe. They have scored 15 goals in their past three games and only Manchester United have amassed more goals in the Barclays Premier League.
Ashley Young, who scored twice, and Gareth Barry, in particular, turned in superb individual performances in front of Fabio Capello, the England manager. Admittedly Birmingham, lacking Sebastian Larsson and Damien Johnson, were poor, but they were ground into submission by the superiority of Martin O'Neill's team, with John Carew leading the line in awesome fashion - "He was unplayable," McLeish said - and Martin Laursen as impressive at the back.
Villa's goal spree means they have a better goal difference than Everton, in fifth place, whom they trail by three points before next Sunday's trip to Goodison Park. That game is starting to resemble a play-off for a Uefa Cup place. "I've much time for Everton and I think it's been a great season for them," the Villa manager said. "Heavily involved in cup games, and in European football, they've been a bit unlucky. We know that we have to win to give ourselves a chance. But at the moment, I'm just so pleased we've won this game."
O'Neill admitted that he was as relieved as he was euphoric about Villa's fourth successive victory over Birmingham. McLeish named a very attacking line-up and his team started brightly, Gary McSheffrey shooting narrowly over, but Villa flowed forward confidently. Maik Taylor saved a free kick from Barry and Stiliyan Petrov dispatched a powerful shot that the goalkeeper could not hold. Then Barry surged into the penalty area and, when his right-foot centre was cleared to Mellberg, the defender bobbled a pass for Young to drive in.
Mehdi Nafti slalomed into the area in response but, having eluded three defenders, he slammed his shot over the crossbar. Villa reacted by stepping up a gear, Carew starting to turn his markers and run from deep to cause Birmingham repeated problems, and three minutes before half-time he rose to flick in Young's brilliant inswinging free kick.
Game over. Carew slid in Barry's square pass, for his twelfth goal of the season, after the captain shouldered Liam Ridgewell aside with ease and then Young hoodwinked two defenders with a shimmy of the shoulders to dribble into the area and, at the second attempt, strike the goal of the game. Even after Mikael Forssell slid in a consolation, Gabriel Agbonlahor put the icing on the cake by cutting inside two defenders to take his season's tally into double figures
