Aston Villa Review
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 42 - relying on Arsenal?
With one game to go in this Premier League season, Aston Villa are still in the brown stuff. It's been clear for some time that this might be the case, but given the team's mid-campaign form it's possibly a minor surprise that we're in the best position of the three teams still under threat from the drop. Wigan Athletic's game in hand against Arsenal might well seal the deal for the FA Cup winners, but if it all goes to the last game then Sunderland's trip to White Hart Lane could be Villa's...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 41 - relegation six-pointer
Aston Villa are learning a little bit about the concept of the relegation six-pointer this season, but Paul Lambert's team redefined the phrase's meaning with a stellar week. A stunning 6-1 demolition of Sunderland dragged the Black Cats into the supposed two-horse relegation battle and even took Villa above Newcastle United. A win at Norwich City ignited chaos. Chris and Steve saw the action at close quarters and report back in this week's show. We assess the two victories, the performances...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 40 - now or never?
Squeaky bum time. Aston Villa are two points above the dreaded Premier League dotted line, and have just four matches left to play. The first of those is at Villa Park this evening and if Villa can beat Sunderland then they will go level on points with the Black Cats and their Tyne-Wear foes Newcastle United. In this week's show Chris and Steve look back over Villa's defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford last Monday - the result that confirmed United as the Premier League's new...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 39 - two points dropped...
Aston Villa hosted Fulham in their latest Premier League fixture, and for 45 minutes looked every bit a team capable of avoiding relegation. A goal at either end in the second half left Villa with a point, drawing level with Stoke City, but vulnerable to any success Wigan Athletic can put together in their difficult games in hand. Chris and Steve get together this week to discuss another game-of-two-halves Villa performance and whether the team dropped two very winnable points against...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 38 - relegation run-ins
Aston Villa have six games remaining in the 2013/14 Premier League season and will need to pick up a healthy return of points in order to avoid relegation. With Reading and Queens Park Rangers seemingly already doomed, Chris and Steve take the time to discuss the overall relegation battle and ponder just which team might fill that final place. In this extra show, we look through the run-ins of the Premier League's bottom eight sides. Which games are the six-pointers, which are against the...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 37 - Villa in control of...
Three wins from the last four Premier League matches have dragged Aston Villa out of the relegation zone six games before the end of the season. The latest victory was sealed by late goals by Matt Lowton and Christian Benteke, who turned 1-1 into 3-1 inside the last five minutes at Stoke City on Saturday. Avoiding the drop looks eminently achievable all of a sudden, and this week's show sees Chris and Steve convene for a review of the Stoke win and an optimistic look ahead to the next crunch...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 36 - crunch time for Villa
Aston Villa's task is simple: ignore Wigan Athletic, ignore Reading, catch Sunderland. Villa's safety is still in their own hands but the room for error is shrinking. Seven Premier League matches remain and in this week's show we discuss exactly how many points Villa need to win in that time in order to avoid relegation. We revisit Villa's latest match, the home defeat to Liverpool, and look ahead to next weekend's game at Stoke City with some degree of optimism. Enjoy. Listen to the show:...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 35 - Liverpool preview
It's another international break for Aston Villa, coming on the back of two massive wins. Yes, yes - "massive" is over-used in football, but seriously. MASSIVE. Anyway, next up on the fixture list is Liverpool, who come to Villa Park on Sunday looking to take revenge for the schooling handed out to them by Christian Benteke earlier in the season. In this week's show Chris and Steve talk through an extended preview of the upcoming game but also take the opportunity to answer a few listener...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 34 - Villa sabotage Harry...
Three points became six on Saturday as Aston Villa followed up a crucial win over Reading with an even more important one against Queens Park Rangers at Villa Park. Villa remain outside the relegation zone with only Wigan Athletic in easy striking distance below them. Hoops are so last season. Chris and Steve are in optimistic mood now that Paul Lambert's boys are in fighting form and have their fortunes in their own hands, and in this week's show we follow up our review of the result and...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 33 - victory at the Mad Stad
Chris and Steve took the week off last week and return to the virtual airwaves with three points to celebrate. Three points! Aston Villa recovered from a home defeat against Manchester City to pick up a potentially vital win against Reading at the Madejski Stadium. This week's Aston Villa Review revisits the City match as well as mulling over the Reading game and what it may or may not mean for Villa's fight for Premier League safety. It's not "survival", folks. Get a grip. Listen to the...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 32 - no bonus point at...
Aston Villa returned to Premier League action on Saturday after a break enforced by their FA Cup exit, and a visit to the Emirates was on the bill. An otherwise solid performance was littered with the usual trappings of a poor quality squad, and Villa succumbed to a 2-1 defeat despite fighting their way back into a game that might easily have been lost early on. In this week's show Chris and Steve review the Arsenal defeat and also look ahead to Villa's next Premier League fixture, the small...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 31 - Arsenal preview
It's been a quiet week at B6, with the transfer window no longer open and Aston Villa's FA Cup interest ended. As such there's no game to review this week so the focus is on looking forward. To be precise, Chris and Steve preview the upcoming Arsenal game in the Premier League. To fill the rest of the time we take the opportunity to invite some questions from our listeners, most of which get thrown at Steve without much warning and relate to the 'what ifs' of next season, a significant...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 30 - a Villa win!
Do not adjust your screen: this week's Aston Villa Review assesses a win. A win! Paul Lambert's slowly improving side picked up three crucial points against West Ham United on Sunday with a 2-1 win courtesy of goals from Charles N'Zogbia and Christian Benteke. And with the Belgian proving himself in the Premier League, Chris and Steve take advantage of next weekend's FA Cup break by pointlessly rambling about exactly where Benteke fits in the ranks of great Villa strikers in the Premier...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 29 - collapsing like a house...
13 Premier League matches to go and Aston Villa's inability to see out a game is starting to see the team cut adrift in the relegation zone. On Saturday, a 3-1 lead wasn't enough to secure all three points at Everton, but Villa's counter-attacking potency was again encouraging. But the 2-1 home loss to Newcastle United was another against a close rival and showed once again that this team only plays for 45 minutes. Next up for Villa is a home match against West Ham United, and Chris and...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 28 - go again, yeah?
For those to young to remember the bad old days, the last week is arguably the worst in a generation for supporters of Aston Villa. A (late) 2-1 win over Bradford City wasn't enough to get Villa past them in a two-legged CapitalOne Cup semi-final, an embarrassing loss to fourth-tier opposition. To put a rotten cherry on that steaming turd Villa then lost to Millwall in the FA Cup. Results like that inevitably bring the manager's ability into question, and in this week's show Chris and...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 27 - up for the cups
We said it would be a rollercoaster, and while the ups are brief and the downs linger, it seems we were right on the money. Aston Villa's season continues to bring stress and surprises, and this week's Aston Villa Review majors on the team's 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion. A point gained or two points lost? Find out within. Premier League form won't matter a bit for this week's two games. On Tuesday night, Villa attempt to overturn a 3-1 defeat when they face Bradford City in the...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 25 - back on track?
Christmas didn't go Aston Villa's way but the dawn of 2013 saw the team unbeaten in their two matches and still very much in both domestic cup competitions. On New Year's Day, Villa rode their luck to come within a whisker of a win at Swansea City in the Premier League, securing a valuable point that nevertheless felt like a loss. Four days later they beat Ipswich Town in the FA Cup, drawing Millwall in the next round. Chris and Steve reconvene to discuss Villa's two most recent matches, and...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 26 - end of the road for...
Week by week, Aston Villa's season seems to be tailing off into inevitable disaster. With that in mind, this week's show takes a slightly different tack to usual and focus on the biggest talking point among Villa fans in the aftermath of the defeat to the divers of Southampton: is it time for owner Randy Lerner to find himself an escape route? If Southampton was a low point, Villa's result in the CapitalOne Cup semi-final first leg at Bradford City left us in the gutter. 3-1 is not an...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 24 - Black Christmas
Aston Villa failed to provide the desired response to their thrashing at Stamford Bridge, instead delivering a sack full of beautifully wrapped humiliation for their supporters. Chris and Steve celebrate the new year by looking back over the last two embarrassments of the old one, namely a 4-0 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur and a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic. Unfortunately, the games are now coming thick and fast. To that end, we discuss two forthcoming matches in this...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 23 - Stamford Bilge
Aston Villa celebrated Christmas - sort of - on the back of an 8-0 beatdown at the hands of Chelsea in the Premier League, a result that brings more humiliation than genuine damage, so long as the team bounces back immediately. With that in the front of their minds, Chris and Steve talk through the Chelsea pummeling and look ahead to the remaining festive matches. On Boxing Day, Villa host Tottenham Hotspur needing to pick up the pieces of the Stamford Bridge massacre. After that they take...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 22 - goals from the gods
Two away games, two wins and seven picture perfect goals. It's been a brilliant week for Paul Lambert and Aston Villa, and that's why this week Chris and Steve are brimming with positivity. It all started at Carrow Road, where Norwich City were seen off in the quarter-final of the League Cup thanks to four stunning strikes against Lambert's old club. And on Saturday, Villa steadied themselves after a ropey start at Anfield to go 3-0 up against Liverpool, eventually taking three points from a...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 21 - we shall not be moved
On the back of a goalless weekend, Chris and Steve look back on a hard fought Aston Villa point but lament the inability to turn it into three. Nevertheless, our young team dealt effectively with a physical and organised Stoke City team in a run of good form. And Villa aren't on a terrible run themselves, having gone four games unbeaten for the first time in living memory*. This week sees Villa face two difficult away games, both previewed in this week's show. On Tuesday it's a CapitalOne...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 20 - four points from six...
Aston Villa's daunting November is over and went better than expected. After good performances against Manchester United and Arsenal but just one point picked up in three consecutive tricky league games, it was imperative for Villa to pick up a win at home to Reading. They did, but it was a nervous performance and a dicey evening in the rain at Villa Park. As well as looking back on that win, Chris and Steve examine Villa's ropey away draw against Queens Park Rangers and look ahead to...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 19 - crunch time
With a tricky run of fixtures now in the rear-view mirror, it's down to business for Aston Villa. Two matches in a week pit Paul Lambert's team against the two teams below them in the Premier League table. In this week's show, Chris and Steve preview the home game against Reading (Tuesday) and the trip to Queens Park Rangers (Saturday), as well as discussing Villa's last game. In Saturday's late kick-off, the boys put in another solid performance and were rewarded with a point. But was this...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 18 - supporting Stan at...
From the relative satisfaction of a good first half performance against Manchester United, Aston Villa lurched to a 5-0 defeat - with more than a little help from an assistant referee who would be struck off had his decisions been given against our hosts - to Manchester City. Villa's fragility raised its ugly head once more, and the drubbing at the Etihad forms the backbone of this week's show. For the first time, Chris and Steve host Aston Villa Review in the same room (well, the same car)...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 17 - you ain't no Kevin...
After Aston Villa's defeat to Manchester United - described by the official website as "brave" - it would be easy to be negative. 2-0 up at home with 40 minutes remaining should be a defendable lead, but Saturday's Premier League game showed just what United are all about. Nevertheless, Villa's magnificent first half should be cause for optimism. In this week's show, Chris and Steve talk through the brilliant first half and the disappointing second, as well as campaigning for Javier...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 16 - Villa finding their...
With a tricky spell of fixtures ahead of Aston Villa, winning at Sunderland on Saturday took on added importance. The show is out in the middle of the week because Chris went to Guernsey at the weekend for a football match that didn't happen, but it's worth the wait because cautious optimism reigns as Chris and Steve pick over two consecutive away wins. Before Gabriel Agbonlahor's goal secured three points at the Stadium of Light, Villa overcame a very disappointing second half collapse at...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 15 - the blame game
More points dropped on Saturday mean that Aston Villa remain right in the thick of it at the bottom end of the Premier League. Joe Bennett's sending off had a fundamental effect on the home game against Norwich City, and in this week's show Chris and Steve discuss that game, Villa's current situation and some of the central issues around the club. We also talk about Villa's forthcoming fixtures: on Tuesday, we face Swindon Town in the CapitalOne Cup, a game followed by a visit to former...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 14 - buckle up!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this week's Aston Villa Review arrives on the back of another troubling weekend. A 1-0 loss at Fulham highlighted yet more concerns for Paul Lambert, whose job at the moment is akin to some kind of hellish Whack-a-Mole game. On the agenda along with picking apart the Fulham performance are the next game - Lambert's old side Norwich City visit us at Villa Park next weekend - and the appointment as a community coach of Scommessopoli whistleblower...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 13 - should Aston Villa...
It's a busy week for Roy Hodgson and England, but Chris and Steve are already switching their attention back to the Premier League and Aston Villa's stuttering fortunes. Fulham are our next opponents and the trip to Craven Cottage is unlikely to be an easy one. In this week's show, we preview that game and also briefly cover the international break and England's games against San Marino and Poland. With no game to look back upon, we also discuss an article on Vital Villa that puts forward a...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 12 - a long season ahead
As Aston Villa welcome the October international break, the results on the pitch continue to be a matter of significant concern. A 2-0 Premier League defeat against Tottenham Hotspur was characterised by sloppy defending and a midfield with plenty of energy but no presence and a lack of bite. In this week's show, Chris and Steve talk about the result and performance at White Hart Lane and usher in the international week with a quick analysis of the season so far, and how the rest of the...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 11 - Bent blocks Baggies
After the disappointment at Southampton, it was vital for Aston Villa to find a win in the week that followed. Unexpectedly, that win came in the CapitalOne Cup at the Etihad, where Manchester City were seen off to the tune of 4-2 after extra time. A fine Villa performance was capped by Gabriel Agbonlahor's finish to round off a brilliant team goal and make it 2-2. In this week's show, Chris and Steve discuss the cup win and the Premier League draw against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 10 - limes to the slaughter
Another week, another Premier League switch in fortunes for Aston Villa. After success against Swansea City, confidence was high ahead of our visit to Southampton. Wrongly so, it turns out: Nigel Adkins' Saints staged a second half comeback to win 4-1, although Chris and Steve's discussion about Villa's performance would suggest we had more than a hand in our own demise. We also look ahead to the next two fixtures, both of which will be played before the next show. The third round of the...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 9 - Vorm is temporary
Positive. Mental. Attitude. It's not about believing things will happen for you, it's about going out there and getting it done. Aston Villa's short order turnaround under Paul Lambert this season has the supporters in ebullient mood, watching in wonder as Ron Vlaar leads a team that appears on first viewing to be capable of exceeding Villa's mediocre expectations for the season. In this week's show, Chris and Steve look ahead to the Southampton fixture in the Premier League and discuss...
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Aston Villa Review: Pilot
Welcome to the very first Aston Villa Review. This is our pilot episode (not that it will stop us getting a full run, such is the democracy of the internet), so apologies in advance for the sound quality in parts. That's the kind of thing we intended to identify by doing a pilot episode, so we'll be working on that ahead of our first show proper. In this episode, Chris and Steve discuss the appointment of new Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert and the personnel he's brought in to the club so...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 1 - Alex McLeish is back
In this week's episode, officially the first of Aston Villa Review, Chris and Steve take stock with Paul Lambert and his players two-thirds of the way through their tour of the United States of America. With Philadelphia Union and Chicago Fire beaten, and Portland Timbers still to play, we discuss the performances so far and ask whether Lambert might just have discovered his strongest midfield. We also chew over comments made in the past week by Lambert's predecessor, Alex McLeish, who has...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 2 - Vlaar, Vlaar, VLAAAAR!
Three pre-season matches left to go and the Aston Villa squad is really beginning to take shape. Mercifully, the end of James Collins' time at the club appears to be nearing its end thanks to the imminent capture of monstrous Feyenoord centre half Ron Vlaar. In this week's show, Chris and Steve talk about Vlaar's expected signing along with the forthcoming sale of the Cleveland Browns NFL team to Jimmy Haslam. Why is Randy Lerner selling up, and what does it mean for Villa? On the field,...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 3 - We need a hero
It was a mixed week for Aston Villa on the pitch but the good news keeps on coming. Two friendlies resulted in a win over Peterborough United and a defeat to Nottingham Forest - our first of the pre-season - but there were positives to take from both performances. Randy Lerner has sold his Cleveland Browns NFL outfit as was reported last week, and James Collins has gone. Gone, I tell you. On this week's AVR, Chris and Steve discuss the two most recent friendly matches and also ponder the...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 4 - counting down the days
With just days to wait for Aston Villa's 2012/13 Premier League kick-off, Chris and Steve switch into season mode to preview the first fixture. Villa began in East London, where West Ham United have returned to the Premier League and bolstered their line-up by bringing Mohamed Diame and Alou Diarra in midfield, as well as replacing goalkeeper Robert Green with Jussi Jaaskelainen. There's also the small matter of a 3-3 draw at Werder Bremen in the final pre-season friendly, with Darren Bent...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 5 - the day of the Sabbath
Aston Villa's Premier League season began badly in East London, and Chris and Steve pick over the bones of the team's opening day defeat to West Ham United. The chance to strike back arrives on Saturday, when Everton come to Villa Park looking to build upon their win over Manchester United. It never rains... There's also a brief discussion about the club's entrance music vote, a swift dismissal of Robbie Savage's entire existence and a warm welcome to Birmingham for Michael Henke, Villa's...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 6 - Toffees turning point
Saturday's Premier League defeat at home to Everton wasn't just an embarrassing afternoon out in Aston, it was a wake-up call for new Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert, the supporters and - most importantly - the owner. With the transfer window closing at the end of this week, Chris and Steve discuss where the most urgent work needs to be done in the final days of transfer action. There's also a downbeat postmortem of the match against David Moyes' team. Remarkably, it contains no swearwords...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 7 - sentiment doesn't live...
One week on and the mood has changed at Villa Park. After a woeful Aston Villa performance against Everton, Chris and Steve regroup to discuss an altogether more positive few days. Villa dealt professionally with Tranmere Rovers in the second round of the CapitalOne Cup and followed up by bringing in four players in the last two days of the summer transfer window. In this week's show, we talk about the Tranmere game and the new signings, as well as covering Villa's Premier League draw...
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Aston Villa Review: Episode 8 - killin' time
There was no Aston Villa game over the weekend, so after taking in varying amounts of international football and non-league, Chris and Steve reconvene with time to spare. We begin the show with a discussion about our favourite ever Villa players - bear with us, we haven't reached 30 yet - and, more importantly, what 'favourite' even means. You can have your say too: answer the question on our new Facebook page. Then it's back to business, and Villa's upcoming Premier League fixture against...
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