Post by Macmoish on Mar 16, 2013 18:25:16 GMT
OBSERVER - STUART JAMES
Aston Villa come from behind to deflate Queens Park Rangers in six-pointer
Paul Lambert's celebrations on the touchline said it all. Jumping up and down and climbing all over his assistant, Ian Culverhouse, the Villa manager exuded a mixture of joy and relief when Christian Benteke registered his 17th goal of the season to vanquish Queens Park Rangers and lift the Midlands club six points clear of the relegation zone.
An absorbing game swung one way and then the other as Villa recovered from a dismal first-half performance, when they fell behind to a goal from Jermaine Jenas, to secure back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since May 2011. Gabriel Agbonlahor's equaliser on the stroke of half-time change the complexion of the match, with Villa unrecognisable in the second half. The outstanding Andreas Weimann put the home side ahead and also had a hand in the winner, after Andros Townsend had hauled QPR level.
While Villa have taken a huge step towards survival with this victory, QPR remain anchored to the foot of the table and will rue their failure to turn their first-half superiority into more goals. Jenas's opening goal had been coming. After a bright start, Villa faded and QPR began to take control of the game. Christopher Samba twice came close to a breakthrough only to be denied by a couple of excellent saves from Brad Guzan. The first stop was particularly impressive, Guzan stretching every sinew to claw Samba's looping header, from José Bosingwa's free-kick, around the post.
Villa never dealt with the corner that followed and when the ball dropped to Samba, on the edge of the area, the central defender struck a right-footed shot that Guzan once again repelled one handed. Already losing their way, Villa's cause was not helped by the sight of Nathan Baker heading down the tunnel with concussion after clashing heads with Samba.
Joe Bennett, Baker's replacement, has been an accident waiting to happen for much of the season and he did nothing to later that reputation here.
Two minutes after coming on, the left-back carelessly gave the ball away, gifting possession to Jenas in the centre of the pitch. The midfielder, whose season-long loan at Villa last season amounted to 108 minutes of football before he succumbed to an achilles injury, charged forward before releasing Zamora in the inside left channel. Zamora's angled drive was blocked by Guzan's left boot but Jenas pounced on the loose ball, stabbing home from close-range as Bennett desperately tried to get back.
QPR were dominant and it seemed a matter of time before they added a second. Loic Remy's curling shot was heading for the top corner until Guzan, who felt like he was keeping QPR at bay on his own at times, tipped the ball over. There was another reprieve for Villa in the 45th minute, when Bosingwa's superb free-kick came back off the upright.
Villa's attacking threat had been close to nonexistent in the opening 45 minutes but the home team produced a goal out of nothing in first-half injury time. Matthew Lowton delivered a diagonal centre from deep, and with Samba preoccupied with picking up Benteke and Bosingwa marking space at the far post, Agbonlahor ghosted in unmarked to head home. The Villa forward was inside the six-yard box when he made contact with the ball, raising questions about Júlio César's decision to stay on his line.
The goal galvanised Villa, who looked a different team at the start of the second half. A barnstorming run from Benteke led to Barry Bannan floating a deep cross that Weimann met with a header only for Cesar to turn the ball over. It was, however, only a temporary reprieve for QPR.
With Ji-Sung Park only half-clearing the corner that followed, Bennett stepped forward and picked out Weimann on the edge of the area. Afforded far too much time and space, Weimann was able to turn and shift the ball onto his left foot before drilling a low, powerful shot that beat Cesar for pace.
Matthew Lowton should have added a third in the 65th minute but, after swapping passes with Benteke, the full-back dragged the ball wide with only Cesar to beat. The significance of that miss became clear moments later when QPR, looking much more threatening following the introduction of Adel Taarabt from the bench, equalised courtesy of Townend's deflected drive.
Villa, to their credit, roused themselves again. Weimann wriggled clear in the area, after clever player from Charles N'Zogbia, and cut the ball back for Benteke to sweep home with Cesar stranded. Loic Remy could and should have equalised seconds later but the striker profligately headed wide.
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/16/aston-villa-qpr-premier-league
Table
www.sportinglife.com/football/live/league-tables
Aston Villa come from behind to deflate Queens Park Rangers in six-pointer
Paul Lambert's celebrations on the touchline said it all. Jumping up and down and climbing all over his assistant, Ian Culverhouse, the Villa manager exuded a mixture of joy and relief when Christian Benteke registered his 17th goal of the season to vanquish Queens Park Rangers and lift the Midlands club six points clear of the relegation zone.
An absorbing game swung one way and then the other as Villa recovered from a dismal first-half performance, when they fell behind to a goal from Jermaine Jenas, to secure back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since May 2011. Gabriel Agbonlahor's equaliser on the stroke of half-time change the complexion of the match, with Villa unrecognisable in the second half. The outstanding Andreas Weimann put the home side ahead and also had a hand in the winner, after Andros Townsend had hauled QPR level.
While Villa have taken a huge step towards survival with this victory, QPR remain anchored to the foot of the table and will rue their failure to turn their first-half superiority into more goals. Jenas's opening goal had been coming. After a bright start, Villa faded and QPR began to take control of the game. Christopher Samba twice came close to a breakthrough only to be denied by a couple of excellent saves from Brad Guzan. The first stop was particularly impressive, Guzan stretching every sinew to claw Samba's looping header, from José Bosingwa's free-kick, around the post.
Villa never dealt with the corner that followed and when the ball dropped to Samba, on the edge of the area, the central defender struck a right-footed shot that Guzan once again repelled one handed. Already losing their way, Villa's cause was not helped by the sight of Nathan Baker heading down the tunnel with concussion after clashing heads with Samba.
Joe Bennett, Baker's replacement, has been an accident waiting to happen for much of the season and he did nothing to later that reputation here.
Two minutes after coming on, the left-back carelessly gave the ball away, gifting possession to Jenas in the centre of the pitch. The midfielder, whose season-long loan at Villa last season amounted to 108 minutes of football before he succumbed to an achilles injury, charged forward before releasing Zamora in the inside left channel. Zamora's angled drive was blocked by Guzan's left boot but Jenas pounced on the loose ball, stabbing home from close-range as Bennett desperately tried to get back.
QPR were dominant and it seemed a matter of time before they added a second. Loic Remy's curling shot was heading for the top corner until Guzan, who felt like he was keeping QPR at bay on his own at times, tipped the ball over. There was another reprieve for Villa in the 45th minute, when Bosingwa's superb free-kick came back off the upright.
Villa's attacking threat had been close to nonexistent in the opening 45 minutes but the home team produced a goal out of nothing in first-half injury time. Matthew Lowton delivered a diagonal centre from deep, and with Samba preoccupied with picking up Benteke and Bosingwa marking space at the far post, Agbonlahor ghosted in unmarked to head home. The Villa forward was inside the six-yard box when he made contact with the ball, raising questions about Júlio César's decision to stay on his line.
The goal galvanised Villa, who looked a different team at the start of the second half. A barnstorming run from Benteke led to Barry Bannan floating a deep cross that Weimann met with a header only for Cesar to turn the ball over. It was, however, only a temporary reprieve for QPR.
With Ji-Sung Park only half-clearing the corner that followed, Bennett stepped forward and picked out Weimann on the edge of the area. Afforded far too much time and space, Weimann was able to turn and shift the ball onto his left foot before drilling a low, powerful shot that beat Cesar for pace.
Matthew Lowton should have added a third in the 65th minute but, after swapping passes with Benteke, the full-back dragged the ball wide with only Cesar to beat. The significance of that miss became clear moments later when QPR, looking much more threatening following the introduction of Adel Taarabt from the bench, equalised courtesy of Townend's deflected drive.
Villa, to their credit, roused themselves again. Weimann wriggled clear in the area, after clever player from Charles N'Zogbia, and cut the ball back for Benteke to sweep home with Cesar stranded. Loic Remy could and should have equalised seconds later but the striker profligately headed wide.
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/16/aston-villa-qpr-premier-league
Table
www.sportinglife.com/football/live/league-tables