Saturday’s clash with Newcastle was a frustrating watch for Villa fans. The first half in particular felt flat — we offered little in the way of rhythm, intensity, or spark. Newcastle, by contrast, looked sharper and more purposeful, carving out the better openings. Fortunately for us, their lack of a natural striker meant those chances went begging, and Marco Bizot was rarely troubled. The real frustration came from the fact that Villa failed to muster a single shot on goal before the break.
The second half brought a brief rally. For a short spell, Villa began to find a foothold, moving the ball with a touch more urgency and finally asking questions of Newcastle’s defence. Just as it felt like the tide might be turning, Ezri Konsa saw red for a rash challenge, leaving us down to ten men and hanging on.
From that point onwards, it was all about survival. Newcastle pressed, pushed, and probed, but still lacked that decisive cutting edge. In truth, we were fortunate to come away with a point. Had Newcastle fielded a recognised striker, hmmm, the outcome may well have been different.
In the end, it’s one of those results you file under “better to draw than lose.” But there’s no denying that Villa will need far more intensity and invention in the season ahead. UTV