BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX © All written site content is copyright ComeOnBoro.com 2004-2007, unless otherwise stated, and is not to be used without prior permission.	MIDDLESBROUGH 1 ASTON VILLA 3, FA Premier League, Saturday 14th April 2007 Middlesbrough were forced into fielding a weakened team against fellow mid-table side Aston Villa at the Riverside, although Jonathan Woodgate did return from injury, replacing Chris Riggott at the back. Woodgate partnered Robert Huth as Emmaunel Pogatetz still had one game of his three match suspension to serve. Abel Xavier and Andrew Taylor played on the right and left of defence respectively. James Morrison was also missing through ill-discipline whilst Fabio Rochemback enjoyed another rare start in the centre of midfield. He was to partner George Boateng, with Adam Johnson earning a place on the right in front of Lee Cattermole. Cattermole, who was eligible for this game after being suspended in recent weeks, only made the bench. Stewart Downing completed the midfield line-up. Julio Arca was ruled out with a groin injury. Malcolm Christie also earned a rare start after Mark Viduka was ruled out with a stomach bug. He was to partner Yakubu up-front in a 4-4-2 formation. Schwarzer, Xavier, Huth (Riggott 52), Woodgate, Taylor, Johnson (Cattermole 52), Boateng (Lee 82), Rochemback, Downing, Chirstie, Yakubu, Jones, Parnaby THE FIRST HALF Boro started the brighter of the two sides, with a Downing cross in the second minute almost falling to Yakubu. A minute later a cheeky flick from Yakubu set up ex-Villa man George Boateng but Thomas Sorensen was up to his long-range shot. Villa then came at Boro. A Huth mistake allowed Olaf Mellburg to have a headed effort at goal that Schwarzer comfortably caught. Thirty seconds later Boro's inability to push up into midfield almost cost them dear again but Schwarzer was once more up to the attack. On six Yakubu received the ball twenty-five yards out. Seeing Sorensen off his line, he checked in from the right and tried a delicate chip over the former Sunderland keeper. It did not defeat the stickman however, who, peddling back like a trout on a bicycle, tipped the ball over the bar. On nine, Shaun Maloney left Rochemback for dead, turning round him as if he were a maypole before rasping a drive at Boro's Australian keeper. He parried the ball round the post for a corner - a corner with which Villa did little. On fourteen a Fabio Rochemback free-kick from twenty-five yards out caused Sorensen to spill more easily than a WAG in a Cannes nightclub. The shot was strong but he should have done better, catching the ball only to spill it over the line. MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Rochemback, 14) ASTON VILLA 0 Boro now had their metaphorical tails up, whilst Roary was so excited he probably had his actual one raised. This was probably only added to when Adam Johnson strode into the Villa penalty area some thirty seconds after the goal, but he only managed to blast the ball wide from some twenty yards out. Ten minutes of pointless twiddling ensued - with Adam Johnson reaching thirty yards out the enviable highlight. This gave me time to ponder on the fate of poor Roary who was, of course, carted off from the pitch last week after eating a programme seller. Well ultimately he escaped from the zoo and went back to work for the club - my flight of whimsy being killed by reality - and a Stewart Downing cross that eluded everyone. On thirty-two Downing got the ball and cut in, inside-left. He tried a shot himself but was blocked. He therefore chose to pass to Christie, who instinctively took a shot that unfortunately went wide. On thirty-five Johnson dragged the Villa defence towards him before taking the ball on to his favoured left foot. Aiming for the top-right hand corner, he delicately chipped the ball towards goal but it curled narrowly wide. A Stiliyan Petrov shot that wickedly deflected off Robert Huth's head for a corner was the highlight of the next five minutes as it had largely consisted of flowing moves that broke down when a penetrative pass was sought. The game was end-to-end but the passing quality simply wasn't there. On forty-one a Mellburg recovering challenge after Malcolm Christie had been set up on a one-on-one with the keeper. At a slight angle, the Boro striker tried to set up Yakubu but the Villa defender recovered superbly, conceding a corner. Sorensen easily caught this. Two minutes later Boro flowed faster than aa lava as Rochemback played in Johnson who in a one-on-one situation hit the ball with little power and accuracy. The ball drifted easily to Sorensen who quickly released Ashley Young down the right. The winger, largely unimpeded passed the ball to Gabriel Agbonlahor, who crossed the ball into the Boro box for a loitering Craig Gardner. He made no mistake from twelve yards out. For the second time in as many matches, Villa had scored on the stroke of halftime. MIDDLESBROUGH 1 ASTON VILLA 1 (Garnder, 45) Disillusioned and bloodied, the Boro bench was confused as the halftime whistle blew signalling the end of a very mediocre first half. THE SECOND HALF The second half started tepidly, making me want Roary to come on and throw a season ticket at Southgate. Alas, after last week's tranquiliser fun, he did not and the game continued in its own turgid style. Boro's wingers had been more sedate than Roary in a "The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe" play and Boro would have to involve them should they want to win the game. At the other end, Villa weren't doing much better, as we were excitingly informed that on the touchline, Chris Riggott was drinking some juice. On fifty-two the impressive Johnson was replaced by Lee Cattermole whilst Robert Huth was tactically replaced by Chris Riggott. Some of the crowd booed these decisions, probably because Cattermole is not as attacking as Johnson. He is also not a right-midfielder. Yakubu had a good turn and strike in the D on the edge of the area but the ball blazed wide on fifty-four. Villa broke and Andrew Taylor was called to the rescue, conceding a corner to thwart their attack. Villa were starting to get the upper hand, which Roary had probably ripped off some poor lad at half-time after he had refused to give him a cut-price programme. On the pitch meanwhile there were lots of balls being cut out as Villa were often stuck in the centre of midfield. Neither side could find a cutting edge. We were all hoping that one would - as we could then invite Tony Hart to front a poor children's art show that involved the showing of grotesque drawings of Abel Xavier interspersed with poor plastercine "Morph" cartoons and that annoying doo-dee-doo-dee-doo-dee-doo music. Still, anything is better than Pigbag. At this stage I was seriously thinking of throwing my season ticket at Steve Round before I realised that Steve Round was no longer at the club and I didn't have a season ticket. I still endeavoured to do it in the future however, hoping a season ticket chuck would prevent Boro from chucking away the match. Stewart Downing had a shot that flashed across the goal on sixty-six - this writer euphemistically dressing up an attempt that went ridiculously wide. On sixty-nine Boro's poor defending cost them dearly once more - a Luke Young free kick causing problems in the box. Xavier was beaten by Mellberg in the air and the ball fell to Luke Young who was free and a mere six yards out. He made no mistake burying the ball beyond Schwarzer. Villa had come from behind to lead. MIDDLESBROUGH 1 ASTON VILLA 2 (Young, 69) Boro were in disarray - not just because of the goal but also because they did not represent a cohesive unit. Indeed they were everywhere, with as much penetration as a poorly-endowed panda in a cold snap. The thought of Dong-Gook Lee stripping off tipped my nauseating state over the edge as the Korean came on for Boateng on seventy-five. And with that inspired substitution, Villa tore through Boro's midfield with simple one-touch football. Gareth Barry played in Petrov and the defence opened up wider than a birthing hippo at a dentist. This allowed the Villa frontman a free shot from eighteen yards out and he made no mistake, burying the ball into the bottom right hand corner. The game was over. MIDDLESBROUGH 1 ASTON VILLA 3 (Petrov, 75) A looping header by Yakubu on eighty-three sent most Boro fans to the exits in frustration. Having said that I'm surprised that they'd stayed that long - the second half display here being one of the most abject of the season. In fact it was nothing short of hopeless - misshapen, clueless and woefully impotent. Pretty much like a Chernobyl lab technician. On eighty-eight Villa cut through the Boro side with aplomb once more. The move terminated in a Gareth Barry shot that Schwarzer managed to grab. Most of the Boro players had already given up however, and had done for some time. In many ways it was disgraceful - as yet another embarrassing home defeat to Aston Villa beckoned. There were plenty of empty seats in the stands but that was nothing compared to the empty space between the Boro centre backs. Villa were stroking the ball comfortably around midfield as Boro were like a senile Roary hopelessly chasing his tail. The away side were well worth the win as the Boro limped to another dismal result. Only Liverpool and Manchester United to come - by which time we could be flirting with relegation again. FULL TIME REACTION "Doesn't mean that we should be worried - I'm extremely annoyed about the substitutions today" Mikelinho7 "We were rubbish today. We won't go down though and can rebuild for next season - in order to finish 10th" Marktheborofan "Didn't listen, don't care. Bring on the summer holidays!" Deeno SEND THIS TO A FRIEND BACK TO BORO v VILLA MATCH PROGRAMME INDEX
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