Pre-Season Friendlies 2012

[Chipsticks]

2 - 0 Holman

I'll tell you what, Brett Holman does manage to get himself into some good positions. He could score a fair few this season.

Potential partner for Bent?

I think outside of the more conservative elements of the church, most people dont have a problem these days.

Very good, you got me

[luke25]

What do we all reckon about Johnson then? Is he going to be our next kid to break through, I really hope so purely for him looking like Edgar Davids.

[not3bad]

Sitting in Charter's Bar which is a bar on a barge in Peterborough. Good performance in front of a small crowd. Villa kept the ball well and the second goal came at the end of a 20 to 30 pass move. Lots of substitutions in the second half again, but unlike in previous friendlies Villa didn't lose their rhythm.

[Matt Collins]

Assuming bent is fit, but barring any new signings, I think the front 6 will be bannan and karim holding; with Holman, CNZ and Ireland supporting bent. That 3 could play in any combination really, but I'd probably play CNZ up front, with the other two tucked in in midfield, against west ham. Might want more width in the next home game

[Matt Collins]

Not3bad, who played well / didn't? Did we have much cutting edge?

[Toronto Villa]

My impression from the US tour games is that we keep the ball to the point of wearing team down. We're not Barcelona by any stretch and we'll have to be a lot more clinical in the PL, but you can see what Lambert has asked them to do.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

2 - 0 Holman

I'll tell you what, Brett Holman does manage to get himself into some good positions. He could score a fair few this season.

Potential partner for Bent?

Maybe. I know he likes to play that inside left position just off the main striker so it really depends on how Lambert plays him. I still think we need another top forward because I'm not convinced by either Fonz or Weimann.

I'm fairly happy with Weimann, I'm probably more concerned about who's going to play out wide to give them service? With Albrighton out Zog seems to be our only senior conventional winger. Who played out wide tonight?

Listened to it on O/S, Nzog played most of the match up front and from the commentary , mostly from Ken McNaught I got the impression that he wanted too many touches and often made the wrong decisions. Running into cul-de-sacs and shooting when he should have passed. So All in all the same as his performances on the US Tour.

Get rid asap.

[Toronto Villa]

N'Zog just hasn't figured it out at all, and for me by far the most disappointing player of the US tour. For someone that is meant to be a skill player his first touch is awful and his lack of awareness keeps getting him into trouble. I was all for him last year when he signed and he has shown he can do it, but I haven't seen it at all last season or this.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Peterborough may be a far cry from Portland but Villa maintained the impressive form from their American tour with a comprehensive win at London Road.

Youngster Daniel Johnson opened the scoring six minutes before half-time, with Australian summer signing Brett Holman driving home the second nine minutes before the end.

In between times, Paul Lambert's men produced some neat, free-flowing football to offer hope of an improved Barclays Premier League campaign, although they will face tougher tests at Nottingham Forest on Saturday and Werder Bremen the following weekend.

Although Paul Taylor produced the first goal attempt with a fourth-minute shot beyond the far post, Villa generally created the better chances during the opening 25 minutes.

Johnson's left-foot effort was deflected for a corner before Charles N'Zogbia's low left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area was well held by former Villa youth keeper Bobby Olejnik.

Enda Stevens then linked up well with Stephen Ireland before drilling a low drive across the face of goal, while Nathan Baker just failed to connect with a cross from the right and N'Zogbia curled another shot wide following some fine approach work by Samir Carruthers and Stephen Ireland.

Even so, Shay Given needed to be alert to push away Taylor's fierce low 20-yard drive before Villa were forced into the first substitution on 27 minutes, Matt Lowton replacing Chris Herd, who had had taken a knock while climbing for an early header.

Villa were ahead on 39 minutes after a spell of pressure which culminated with Eric Lichaj crossing hard and low from the right.

The ball was too far ahead of Andreas Weimann, but Johnson controlled well beyond the far post before firing a low angled shot past Olejnik.

Weimann and Carruthers also sent long-range efforts off target before half-time and Villa maintained their momentum after the break, Lichaj sending a powerful 25-yarder not far wide before N'Zogbia's low shot was held by keeper Joe Day, who had replaced Olejnik at the interval.

As Peterborough began to come more into contention, Lowton and Lichaj both impressed with some smart defending before the visitors were close again when Weimann was inches away from making contact with a Stevens centre.

Stevens was again prominent in the second goal, superbly controlling Lichaj's deep cross from the right and cutting the ball back to Ireland.

The midfielder played it sideways to Holman, who left Day helpless with a well-struck left-foot drive from 15 yards.

Holman nearly grabbed a second in the closing minutes, unleashing a drive which was well saved by Day.

Peterborough: Olejnik (Day, HT); Little, Brisley, Zakuani, Knight-Percival; Swanson (Farrell, 69), Kearns, McCann, Newell (Ajose, 64); Barnett, Taylor.

Villa: Given; Lichaj, Herd, Baker (Clark, 81), Stevens (Warnock, 81); Delph (Bannan, 70); Carruthers (El Ahmadi, 70), Ireland (Burke, 81), Johnson (Holamnn, 70); Weimann, N'Zogbia (Delfouneso, 74).

[not3bad]

Not3bad, who played well / didn't? Did we have much cutting edge?

Ireland played very well again, I think this may be his season. Zog was better than he has been but is still prone to bad decisions. Villa tried to walk it into the net a couple of times in the second half, which was both frustrating and good to see.

[villajk]

Sitting in Charter's Bar which is a bar on a barge in Peterborough. Good performance in front of a small crowd. Villa kept the ball well and the second goal came at the end of a 20 to 30 pass move. Lots of substitutions in the second half again, but unlike in previous friendlies Villa didn't lose their rhythm.

We were in there before the game.  Came straight home after.

[Mazrim]

What do we all reckon about Johnson then? Is he going to be our next kid to break through, I really hope so purely for him looking like Edgar Davids.

I've had a feeling he'll start breaking through this season. Very impressive player.

[villajk]

What do we all reckon about Johnson then? Is he going to be our next kid to break through, I really hope so purely for him looking like Edgar Davids.

I've had a feeling he'll start breaking through this season. Very impressive player.

I have the same feeling.  Fingers crossed for his future as a Villa player.

[ciggiesnbeer]

2 - 0 Holman

I'll tell you what, Brett Holman does manage to get himself into some good positions. He could score a fair few this season.

Potential partner for Bent?

Maybe. I know he likes to play that inside left position just off the main striker so it really depends on how Lambert plays him. I still think we need another top forward because I'm not convinced by either Fonz or Weimann.

I'm fairly happy with Weimann, I'm probably more concerned about who's going to play out wide to give them service? With Albrighton out Zog seems to be our only senior conventional winger. Who played out wide tonight?

I havent seen the match but if the US tour is anything to go by, its the full backs who play out wide. We didnt play with traditional wingers at all. The 4-2-2-2 ish formation means the mids tend to move as a unit with wide options coming from the backs or occasionally one of the two forwards.

[Matt Collins]

I generally think DJ looks better than Gardner. I assume the club don't agree as he only has a one year contract I think? He's certainly got much quicker feet and a more nimble style. Seems to get a few goals too