Aston Villa 1 v 1 Leicester City
Report by Stuart Dawkins
It says something about this memorable season that a result which takes Leicester, temporarily at least, to the top of the Premier League should result in a feeling of disappointment, yet a below-par City could and should have done better at a cold Villa Park.
It was a largely shapeless match, with neither side playing particularly well. Both managers kept faith with the same players who had won mid-week. City, in their all-white away kit, started better than Villa. The home side looked lacking in spirit – losing far too many 50:50 balls in midfield, and Leicester looked in no danger.
City, however, were having one of those days where everything only nearly worked. We have been spoiled this season: there have been matches where every time City attacked they looked like scoring, and often did – for this match, however, they often got to the edge of Villa’s box only for the final pass or final decision to be not quite right.
For the first half hour, Villa contained City largely by committing petty fouls in midfield, particularly on Mahrez. After the winger had been bundled over for the fourth time, the referee called the Villa captain over – presumably to tell him that he had noticed.
Despite City looking comfortable, they very nearly went behind in the 18th minute when a dreadful, and unnecessary, Huth back pass put Villa through on Schmeichel. The keeper saved well at his near post and Villa failed to make anything from the cross which followed.
It was all a bit scrappy – then suddenly City scored. Schmeichel kicked the ball long, Vardy chased and lofted a first time volley, which Villa keeper Bunn did well to get a hand to; the ball rolled slowly towards the Villa goal and Okazaki shot home from a few yards. Even then Bunn managed to get a further hand to it, but the ball had clearly crossed the line and the goal was given.
It’s good to see Okazaki getting his share of the limelight. He has really progressed as a striking threat, having always been a persistent ‘first line of defence’. It’s also fun to have a striker who, to the best of my assessment, has scored all of his goals from well within the six yard box.
A few minutes later, the match really should have been over as a contest. Excellent work by Vardy resulted in a fierce shot by Mahrez from close range, which was charged down by a Villa defender. The linesman flagged for handball, and a penalty was given.
The decision was harsh: there was no time for the defender to have deliberately handled, and the only defence for giving it was the concept of ‘using your hand to make yourself bigger’, a concept that had caused much schoolboy humour on Match of the Day during the week.
Mahrez stepped up to take the kick, and for the second time in a row, it was a very poor penalty – which Bunn saved with his feet. Given Villa’s recent record and lack of confidence, I doubt they could have rallied from two goals down, but the penalty save seemed to give them more hope, and in the remainder of the half it was Villa who threatened more than the visitors.
Neither side made any changes at half time and the second half was a more entertaining and open affair. Villa dominated possession: one of their shots on goal followed what must have been well over 20 consecutive passes. Whilst we have become accustomed to City conceding possession in this way, it was a great contrast to the first half when Villa had seemed incapable of holding on to the ball for any period of time.
Huth, who had an unusually poor game, was lucky not to concede a penalty in the 55th minute when he seemed to take Kozak out from behind in a clumsy challenge that included the use of his arm: to use the over-worked cliché “I’ve seen them given”.
Ranieri made an interesting substitution, bringing on de Laet for Okazaki who, in my opinion, had been one of City’s better players. I can only assume that the choice of de Laet was to counter the threat of Cissokho on the left flank, who had been the source of much of Villa’s threat. A few minutes later, Ulloa came on to replace Mahrez, who had been largely ineffective. Garde also brought on Gestede for Gil, to provide more focus for Villa’s attack.
Both sides had decent chances: Ulloa being most culpable when failing to control a cross which found him unmarked in a good shooting position.
In the 75th minute, the hand ball controversy raised its head again. Gestede received the ball 20 yards out; the ball clearly bounced up and hit his arm, which took him past the city defender; he shot well and Villa had equalized. I would have given hand ball for this (there was more time for the player to react) and not for the City penalty (when there was not), but I’m not a Premier League referee!
The equalizer gave the home fans hope of a victory; their team continued to have more possession, but City also created further chances – notably a Vardy break where he shot over from a difficult angle.
Ranieri made his final change, bringing Gray on for Albrighton (who had been generously applauded by Villa fans who must wonder why their club let him go in the first place).
The Villa fans sensed a possible win, but by making a substitution in the 94th of 95 minutes, their manager clearly signalled that he was happy with a point, and the game ended at one-all.
Taking account of the lowly league position of their opposition, this was arguably City’s least impressive performance of the season. Mahrez had one of those days when his decision making was poor – the kind of days he had a number of times last season but, to his credit, had largely eradicated this.
Vardy created his usual three of four chances, but did not convert any. Considering his recent operation, he seems to be in good form but I suspect he may not quite be back to 100% fitness and speed. He did manage to get his fifth booking of the season, in an inconsequential spat with Bacuna which resulted in both players getting a yellow card.
Still, as I write, City are top of the Premier League, so it who be harsh to be over-critical of a team doing so very well this season.
Aston Villa: Bunn, Bacuna, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Veretout, Gueye, Westwood, Gil, Kozák, Ayew. Subs: Guzan, Richards, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Gestede
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Kanté, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy. Subs: de Laet, King, Gray, Ulloa, Wasilewski, Schwarzer, Inler
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation