Aston Villa 1 Newcastle United 2: Relegation worries loom for Villa

 
Paul Lambert following yet another defeat for Villa
Getty Images
Kevin Garside29 January 2013

The table offers little encouragement. Aston Villa slipped into the relegation zone after three more points went the way of the opposition. One league win in two months, two points from the last 21 tells a woeful tale. And for the opening 45 minutes they were full value for that statistical nosedive.

But as we know, statistics tell only half a tale. The answer to Aston Villa’s woes is to deliver the half-time address before a ball is kicked. Whatever Paul Lambert said at the break transformed his team. Newcastle left with the points, but at least Villa go forth with a renewed sense of hope that was entirely absent in a dreadful opening.

Villa were shelled peas for 45 minutes, flicked about their own manor not just by a better team but a side playing a different game. Bolstered by two of last week’s four French signings, Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran, and the rehabilitation at the back of Steven Taylor and Fabrico Coloccini, Newcastle justified the club’s £17 million outlay on five players in the January window. Villa did all their spending, £21m, in the summer, and for too long were a side less than the sum of its parts.

Newcastle set out as if they were expecting Barcelona to emerge from the tunnel. James Perch and Yohan Cabaye were deployed in front of the back four, which seemed unnecessarily defeatist. Darren Bent is striker of last resort in this Villa set-up and Christian Benteke a forward short of goals. Villa barely escaped their own half in the opening 20 minutes, as Newcastle fizzed the ball about with assurance.

Benteke did break out and brought from Coloccini what looked like a handball as he stretched across to cut out the cross. The referee had a good view and waved play on. It was a momentary reprieve for Villa, who fell behind in the 19th minute to Papiss Cissé’s cool finish. Debutant Sissoko was the architect, splitting the Villa defence with a superbly weighted pass. Cissé galloped on and slotted expertly beneath the advancing Brad Guzan.

Charles N’Zogbia flashed a defiant effort against a post, but there was nothing systematic about the engineering of the chance. Villa were crying out for shape and leadership. Newcastle had both in abundance, typified by the boundless exertion of Jonas Gutierrez at the heart of midfield and the calm authority of captain Coloccini behind him. About them the French additions revelled in a licence to play. It was an older French hand Cabaye who doubled Newcastle’s advantage, a snorter of a volley from 25 yards that had Guzan beaten before he moved. There was a hint of fortune perhaps in the creation, a defensive header from the high cross of Gutierrez might have landed anywhere. Providence directed it to the willing right boot of Cabaye. Once that cannon is loaded no keeper is safe.

Villa were fortunate to escape the half only two down and perhaps even more so to nick a goal back four minutes into the second. Half-time substitute Gabriel Agbonlahor went down, but it was not clear either that Mathieu Debuchy was the cause of his tumble, or whether any infringement took place in the box. Referee Mike Dean was emphatic in his award of a penalty as was Benteke in the dispatch. Thus ambushed and with the Holte End dragging the rest into song, Newcastle were hanging on. N’Zogbia went close a second time. Andreas Weimann, a second half replacement for full-back Joe Bennett, forced Tim Krul into a sharp reaction save. Villa were once again the team that won at Liverpool and gave Manchester United the hurry-up. Newcastle became increasingly fractious as Villa tore into the m. Gutierrez was booked for taking the law into his own hands after a heavy challenge from Matthew Lowton.

With 20 minutes to go Newcastle manager Alan Pardew replaced Perch with Shola Ameobi to give his team fresh impetus up front. Minutes later Vurnon Anita replaced Gouffran and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa came on for Sissoko, which seemed more an attempt to break the visceral rhythm established by the home team, than a comment on the debutants.

It failed. On came the Villa. Nathan Baker thought he had levelled with his header with eight minutes left but the remarkable Gutierrez flung his torso full length to keep the lead alive.

As the game moved into added time so the crosses rained down on Krul. A keeper, who could have done The Independent crossword in the opening half, was a windmill of flailing arms. It perhaps should not have come to that. Newcastle had this game in the bag. They were hanging on at the close. But this morning they stand four points clear of Villa, and if they continue as they started this match, there will be no more talk of relegation at St James’s Park.

Man of the match Gutierrez.

Match rating 7/10.

Referee M Dean (Wirral).

Attendance 30,334.

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