27th June 2020
By Adam Holt
Aston Villa 0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 (Dendoncker '62)
In yet another crucial game in the fight for survival, Villa did not rise to the occasion - chances are running out for Villa to secure survival. Luckily for Villa, sides around them continue to lose, meaning they remain in hopes of survival - but Villa have to take an opportunity to take a step towards safety soon and cannot rely on other teams. Villa need to start winning!
First the line ups...
Aston Villa:
25 - Orjan Nyland (GK)
18 - Matt Targett
40 - Tyrone Mings
30 - Kortney Hause
15 - Ezri Konsa
14 - Conor Hourihane
11 - Marvelous Nakamba
6 - Douglas Luiz
10 - Jack Grealish
20 - Mbwana Samatta
39 - Keinan Davis
Subs: 29 - Pepe Reina (GK), 3 - Neil Taylor, 27 - Ahmed Elmohamady, 4 - Danny Drinkwater, 7 - John McGinn, 17 - Trezeguet, 21 - Anwar El Ghazi, 23 - Jota & 36- Indiana Vassilev.
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
11 - Rui Patricio (GK)
15 - Willy Boly
16 - Conor Coady
27 - Romain Saiss
2 - Matt Doherty
8 - Ruben Neves
19 - Jonny
28 - Joao Moutinho
32 - Leander Dendoncker
9 - Raul Jimenez
18 - Diogo Jota
Subs: 21 - John Ruddy (GK), 29 - Ruben Vinagre, 49 - Max Kilman, 59 - Oskar Buur, 6 - Bruno Jordao, 10 - Daniel Pondence, 17 - Morgan Gibbs-White, 7 - Pedro Neto & 37 - Adama Traore.
As mentioned earlier, this was yet another huge game for Aston Villa, whose fight for survival rages on but with little sign of a change in fortunes, this was a must win game - to take advantage of any slip ups from relegation rivals and to inject a bit of much needed optimism and positivity into the club and its fans. Some, like me remain cautiously optimistic, thinking that at some point Villa must take the initiative and take advantage of any slip ups from relegation rivals. This game, as previously mentioned was a great chance to make a statement of survival intent.
This was a game that was dominated by Wolves, possession wise anyway, as neither side really broke forward with too much venom in the first half, with perhaps one shot at most on target for both sides through most of the first half. Jimenez had Wolves's only real chance of the half, which was a low header straight at Orjan Nyland from a Moutinho set-piece, whereas Villa's only real chance in the first half came from a shot from outside the area from Villa captain Jack Grealish. So in a first half of few chances for either side, you would think that nothing really substantial happened in the first half of the match - but you would be wrong. As at the end of the first period of play, Villa keeper Orjan Nyland almost gifted Wolves an opening goal, when the Norwegian stopper messing up a throw to his defenders that landed at pace to the feet of Diogo Jota, with the Portuguese winger blasting the ball over the bar. Big opportunity for Wolves. Massive let off for Aston Villa.
Wolves started the second half of this clash at Villa Park with some venom, with lots of attacking momentum, with the most eye-catching moment being when a powerful ball was fizzed across the Villa penalty box, but unfortunately for Wolves, no-one could get on the end of the cross as it went straight out of play for an Aston Villa throw in. Wolves held most of the attacking initiative in the second half with Villa's resistance standing strong until the 62nd minute, when a ball from Jonny came to the feet of Traore, who laid the ball off the Raul Jimenez, with the Mexican striker putting in a great curving ball into the Villa box to Jonny, who gave it to Dendoncker, who scored a powerful effort past Nyland, and a body blow to Villa's Premier League survival efforts. Aston Villa had very little chance of scoring through the entire game, not just in the second half which leads to questions of where are the goals coming from?
This was a game that was dominated by Wolves, possession wise anyway, as neither side really broke forward with too much venom in the first half, with perhaps one shot at most on target for both sides through most of the first half. Jimenez had Wolves's only real chance of the half, which was a low header straight at Orjan Nyland from a Moutinho set-piece, whereas Villa's only real chance in the first half came from a shot from outside the area from Villa captain Jack Grealish. So in a first half of few chances for either side, you would think that nothing really substantial happened in the first half of the match - but you would be wrong. As at the end of the first period of play, Villa keeper Orjan Nyland almost gifted Wolves an opening goal, when the Norwegian stopper messing up a throw to his defenders that landed at pace to the feet of Diogo Jota, with the Portuguese winger blasting the ball over the bar. Big opportunity for Wolves. Massive let off for Aston Villa.
Wolves started the second half of this clash at Villa Park with some venom, with lots of attacking momentum, with the most eye-catching moment being when a powerful ball was fizzed across the Villa penalty box, but unfortunately for Wolves, no-one could get on the end of the cross as it went straight out of play for an Aston Villa throw in. Wolves held most of the attacking initiative in the second half with Villa's resistance standing strong until the 62nd minute, when a ball from Jonny came to the feet of Traore, who laid the ball off the Raul Jimenez, with the Mexican striker putting in a great curving ball into the Villa box to Jonny, who gave it to Dendoncker, who scored a powerful effort past Nyland, and a body blow to Villa's Premier League survival efforts. Aston Villa had very little chance of scoring through the entire game, not just in the second half which leads to questions of where are the goals coming from?
Player of the Match: Leander Dendoncker (Wolves) - He fought well in midfield throughout the game, and scored the goal that secured the three points for Wolverhampton Wanderers and renewed their rival's relegation worries.
One last thing...
As Wolves' fight for the Champions League gathers a head of steam, has the flame that signalled hope for Villa's survival been extinquished by their Midlands rivals? Maybe, but results elsewhere mean that Villa still stand a chance of survival, if a bit slim considering the next few games in the Villans's schedule - continued slip ups from relegation rivals may mean that Villa still have a chance of survival. One point must be made clear though - we cannot keep on relying on other teams to keep our fight for survival on for another week, we need to take the initiative and win a game - to not only restore confidence, but also to show that Villa are well in for a chance of beating relegation. We may seem to be falling at every hurdle that presents a chance to break free from the bottom three, but there is still a chance - and whilst there is a chance, we must continue to fight for survival.