Villa Squad and Results 2002/03
Click Here to see all the Managers our beloved Chairman Doug Ellis has sacked
Last updated
13-May-2003
Transfers.
Out
April 02 - Peter Schmeichel thank Heavens to Man City how they will regret this. How they will come to fear the phrase 'following a blunder by Peter Schmeichel'. He started great for us, but ended up spoiling it. No fee was involved, it turns out he was guaranteed No1 goalie status and the only way Taylor could drop him was to allow his contract to lapse.
2 July 02. George Boateng to Middlesborough, thought to be for £5 million. I guess eventually they will rename Boro to We-Used-To-Be-Villough.
6 July Paul Merson, free transfer to Pompey. Its OK, Paul would not have been a regular and a big salary to get off the books, hopefully giving GT some scope to look at others to bring in. A few more senior staff leaving wouldn't do any harm - I'm thinking of Alan Wright, Dion, Steve Stone.
20 Dec Steve Stone free transfer to Pompey. About £20k a week saved, hopefully to be redeployed somewhere come next months transfer window. We'll see a few more of the older bit part players depart yet.
Jan 03 - Michael Boulding, back to Grimsby for a 'nominal fee' after less than a year. Not one to stick around and fight for a place, then.
In
27 March 2002. Peter Crouch. A six foot seven 21 year old striker from first division Portsmouth, costing a remarkable £4.5million. Peter has scored 18 for Pompey so far this season.
May 5th. A new No.2 Goalie in Stefan Postma (I bet he can deliver) from famous (?) Dutch side De Graafschap. £1.5 million and a 4 year deal. Stefan is 25 years old.
May 17. Marcus Allback, a 28 year old Swedish striker from Heerenveen, a club with lots of e's in it. Said to be pretty handy, and available for £2million because of some clause in his existing contract. Just the sort of man for Doug, then. He's signed for 3 years.
July 8th. Michael Boulding, an 26 year old out of contract winger/striker from Grimsby. He should light the place up, then. Only signed for one year.
July 26th. Ulises De La Cruz. A 25 year old defender from Hibernian, £1.5million on a contract of undisclosed length.
Aug 23rd. Mark Kinsella, a 30 year old central midfielder from Charlton, for 750k. Heaven knows what we want a 30yr old 750k midfielder from Charlton for, expect that its one week to the end of the transfer window and we just sold Merse and Boateng.
Aug 30th. Two Signings just before the transfer window, those easily distressed look away now. Ronny Johnsen, 33, a central defender from Blackburn, and Oyvind Leonhardsen, 32, a midfielder from Spurs - both Norwegians and both free. Just when we want to get shut of some ageing bit part players, Taylor goes and buys two more. Oh dear.
Oct 18 Finnish 17 year old 'striking sensation' Mika Aarialto for an undisclosed fee. Its a 3 year deal that can't be concluded until the transfer window in January, and even then I don't suppose he'll make it out of the reserves before we sell him.
18 Jan 03. Looks like our only transfer window signing, Johanes Gudjonsson comes in on loan to the end of the season 'with a view to a permanent move. He's a 22 year old midfielder, out of favour at Real Betis.
Squad Numbers
G=Goalie D=Defender M=Midfield A=Attack R=Right L=Left C=Central
1 Peter Enkleman (G) 2 Mark Delaney(DR) 3 Alan Wright(DL) 4 Olof Mellberg(DC) 5 Alpay Ozalan(DC)
6 Gareth Barry (D/ML) 7 Ian Taylor(MC) 8 Juan Pablo Angel(A) 9 Dion Dublin(A)
10 Darius Vassell (A) 11 Steve Staunton(DC) 12 Thomas Hitzlespurger (MC) 13 Stefan Postma (G)
14 Marcus Allback (A) 15 Ulises De La Cruz (MR) 16 Peter Crouch(A) 17 Lee Hendrie(CM) 18 Steve Stone(D/MR)
19 Bosko Balaban(A) 20 Moustapha Hadji(MR) 21 Jlloyd Samual (DC) 22 Hassan Kachloul (ML)
23 Michael Boulding (M) 24 Liam Ridgewell 25 Stefan Moore(A)
Fixtures/Stats/ Match Reviews
Aug 18 Villa 0 - 1 Liverpool In the absense of quality in midfield, Taylor opted for quantity instead, with a 3-5-2. Enkelman in goal for the first time in his new No1 shirt. A back three of Delaney, Mellberg and Alfie who surprising did not get a boo from the crowd following his transfer request this week. In midfield we used Staunton, Hitz and Hendry with Barry and Ulises wide left and right. Vassell was up with Crouch, but the latter was substituted by Allback in the second. Lets face it, Peter Crouch is not going to make the grade. Villa played quite well in the first half making some useful chances, of course Liverpool were dangerous breaking. Liverpool started the second half with a goal from Riise. Liverpools players took it in turn to go to ground, needing help from the trainer many times and this was a successful if disgraceful tatic for breaking up any glimmer of Villa getting spell going. Barry conceded a penalty which Owen took, but Peter pulled off a fine save. Villa failed to rally the rousing finnish we so desparately wanted to see. Over 41,000 turned up.
Aug 24 Tottenham 1 - 0 Villa Kinsella started in midfield with Hendrie, Crouch and Vassell at the front. Spurs took a first half lead, though Villa had enough chances to score, particularly after half time when JPA and Allback came on for Crouch and De La Cruz. Alan Wright played instead of Alfie, which is crazy. OK, Alfie has a transfer request in, but play your best player surely. I think Villa have goalies, defenders and attackers, what we don't have is class in the middle of the park - the likes of Kinsella will do nothing to address that. GT has been complaining this week that JG spent (wasted) all the money - this the man who bought Alpay, Mellborg and Angel we're talking about. Words spoken by the guy who bought Peter Crouch. I think not.
Aug 28 Villa 1 - 0 Man City Villa in goal scoring shock. Darius Vassell. (some very brief reviews coming up coz of my hols)
Sep 1 Bolton 1 - 0 Villa Normal service has been resumed.
Sep 11 Villa 2 - 0 Charlton In a surprise move villa played 3-5-2, which I think is the best way to play when you have three strong central defenders (which we do). The difference compared to when we last played this system is better strikers, so maybe this could see a sustained improvement. Starting with Angel and Allback up front, we later (75min) saw the surprise introduction of Stefan Moore for Allback - and it was only a few minutes before he rewarded us with a second goal.
Sep 15 Birmingham 3 - 0 Villa To become known as the game in which Olof took a throw in back towards Peter Enkleman who failed to control it, gifting Birmingham a second goal. But it didn't really affect anything, because Villa were shite. Again Taylor picked defenders in the midfield also sticking with over-the-hill new boys Johnsen and Kinsella. I hoped to wake up the next morning to hear of Taylor's resignation, but no luck. Dreadful
Sep 22 Villa 3 - 2 Everton A goal from Lee Hendrie early in each half and Villa looked to be coasting. But they lifted off the gas and Everton came back to 2-2 before substitute Dion Dublin mis-hit a shot that became the winner on 85. On the plus side, Enkleman was in good form, keeping his place after last week's bizzare goings-on. This win leaves Villa 9th, which just shows how many dodgy teams there must be in the premiership.
Sep 28 Sunderland 1 - 0 Villa Dublin and Vassell up front today, and a fairly feisty Villa side produced a decent number of chances, but failed to convert any. Sunderland had pretty much just the one. So now we got lots of strikers but the perennial problem remains - we don't score goals
Oct 6 Villa 0 - 0 Leeds Nil Nil maybe but not all that dull - Villa for a change creating lots of chances (18 shots to Leeds 6), but still failing to convert. At least something to give a guy hope, though. We had good men on the wings with Ulises and JLloyd, plus Dublin and Vassell up front. Luckily Johnsen came off injured and GB had to drop back to defence, then later when GT took the hapless Leonardsen off and brought Angel on in forward midfield position (hooray, hooray, how did it take him so long to think of that!) and for the first time this term we had a pushy kind of side on the field.
Oct 21 Villa 0 - 1 Southampton I could write oh so much, but I'll try to show restraint. Villa's lowest ever premiership crowd of 22,000 saw this horribe spectacle. The goal came right after the restart when a foul by Alpay led to the sending off of Enkleman (you tell me) and Stefan Posta was delivered onto the field for the first time, but just failed to collect the penalty. Kinsella was taken out of midfield in the substitution that brought on Postma, but it didn't matter because the midfield were non-existant only. Speculation about how long Taylor can stay manager is already rife, what with David O'Leedsy being out of work.
Oct 26 Man Utd 1 Villa 1A considerably better performance that saw Villa take first half lead with an Olof Mellborg goal (his first?), and with several chances to increase that lead before Forlan scored his long awaited fist goal for ManUre to level matters. Stefan Moore given the start up front today with Dion, and he looked quite handy. Plus the return of Ian Taylor gave us some midfield presence for the first time in a while. Cross fingers very hard.
Nov 2 Blackburn 0 - 0 Villa Villa's non scoring partnership today was Dublin and Angel, both woefully unable to hit the target even in the face of begging opportunities. Blackburn were having better luck with their shooting, but found Peter Enkleman on top form to deny them repeatedly.
Nov 9 Villa 3 - 1 Fulham A slight change of fortune following on from Wednesday nights 3 nil win over oxford in the worthington cup. Today Angel opened his seasons account in the first half, only to be replaced by Marcus Allback at half time. Musn't grumble though, because then Allback opened his account after Fulham had equalised. Then he headed a parried Barry shot back accross goal for Leonhardsen to open his account. What are we a bank or a football team? Will these accounts stay open, or be closed again. Bet you can't wait.
Nov 16 West Brom 0 - 0 Villa Starting with Allback and Dublin, the switching Allback for Vassell in the second half, still seeking that elusive scoring striker. Even a penalty wasn't a good enough chance for Dion. Saw the return of Hitz in midfield, where Ian Taylor seems to be our best player at present.
Nov 23 Villa 4 - 1 West Ham Villa scored 4 goals in the premier league for the first time since September 2000. A jubilant home crowd saw Villa scrape the first half with Hendrie's goal splitting the teams. Villa went two up through Leonhardsen before Di Canio pulled one back and it looked like it could be tense afair. But Villa went up a gear and goals from Dublin (his 100th premier league goal) and Vassell finished the job the way we would so much liked to see it done more often.
Nov 30 Arsenal 3 - 1 Villa Actually a decent performance by Villa. Arsenal led by 1 at half time, and then two early in the second half. But a prolonged spell of pressure from Villa terminated in a wonderful long range strike from Thomas Hitzlespurger. But that was as close as we got, a late and doubtful penalty wrapping up the points for the Arse.
Dec 7 Villa 0 - 1 Newcastle Quite a dissapointment after the 5-0 thrashing of Preston in the midweek worthington cup game (5 great goals all from open play). A fairly even first half contest, but Newcastle putting on a strong second half show capped by a late goal from Shearer.
Dec 14 Villa 2 - 1 West Brom An early goal from Darius looked to have set Villa on their way but at half time it was 1-1. Villa pushed hard all through the second, with only a string of good saves keeping the score down. Staunton was sent off half way through the half for a second yellow, and it wasn't until the 90th minute that Hitz sent one of his long range screamers on its way. It took a small deflection, but was going in anyway (so I say, anyhow).
Dec 21 Chelsea 2 - 0 Villa Following a dramatic 3-4 midweek Worthington Cup defeat to Liverpool, Villa were lively in the first half here but came through at 0 - 0, Mellbergs hit onto the bar perhaps our best effort. But Chelsea stepped up the pace in the second half and Villa failed to respond. Still no wins away from home.
Dec 26 Man City 3 - 1 Villa Half time was 1-1 thanks to a Dion Dublin Goal in the first half. I think we can feel agrieved to lose two goals in a closely fought second half.
Dec 28 Villa 1 - 0 Middlesbrough Half time it was 1 - 0 thanks to a Dion Dublin goal, if indeed its credited to him and not an OG - it was real hard to tell who's touch. Boro also went down to 10 with a 30th minute sending off. The score stayed at 1 despite a queue of Villa players waiting to score, most notably Gareths firm strike of the bar. Villa also survived a late scare when one Mr Ehiogu hit the bar also.
Jan 1 Villa 2 - 0 Bolton (h) A goal from Dion Dublin, from an Alan Wright cross (Alan in for the first time in a while due a string of defensive injuries) after 8 minutes set Villa on the way in a game where Bolton failed to trouble us much. Darius added a second after 80 minutes, and it was no more than we deserved.
Jan 11 Liverpool 1 - 1 Villa With Liverpool in the depths of a terrible run, Villa fancied that chances and came very close. Owen scored near the end of a first half that say Dion let two great chances pass him by in a good first half Villa performance. Soon After the break Gareth was fouled in the box and this time Dion converted. That was the end of the scoring, but no the end of Villa's assualts and we really should have done better.
Jan 18 Villa 0 - 1 Tottenham Graham Taylor has been begging the players to stick at it and get a decent league position now we are out of all the cups. Villa are around 14th in the league but looking safe from the relegation battles 8 points or so below us. This match fought out between two sides neither able to produce many chances. Anyone who could score likely to get 3 points, but it was Spurs who came up with the goods. Central midfield is where we failed most obviously to create. Neither Barry or Taylor were really no the case. Where's Hitz?
Jan 28 Middlesbrough 2 - 5 Villa Before this game boro were unbeaten at home, Villa hadn't won away and only scored 4 away goals in total, so this result was only to be expected I guess. Villa led 2 -0 with goals from Vassell and a long free kick from new boy Gudjohnsen, but boro were back at 2-2 by half time, oooeeerrrr. But Villa inexplicably came to life, with goals from Barry, Vassell and Dublin making it a second half party - the ecstatic Villa supporters all asking Georgie Boateng if he knew the score (neither Ugo or GS were playing). I suppose its too much to hope this might be some sort of corner, sort of turned? Pleeeaase.
Feb 1 Villa 3 - 0 Blackburn Peter Enkleman had just one save to make in this very positive Villa display which also gave us a chance to ask another old boy the score - Dwight the lucky recipient today. Dion scored after 2 and 40 minutes through the driving rain of the first half. Several chances came and went in the second period before young Gareth put away his second in two on 80 minutes. Villa move up to 11th, and it shows what a crap season its been that this seems like good news. Oh, there's some other good news, the average age of the Villa Squad today was 24. Villa were Enks, Delaney, Mellborg, Johnsen, Staunton, Hitz, Gudjohnson, Samual, Vassell, Stefan Moore, DD.
Feb 8 Fulham 2 - 1 Villa Villa took a lead on three minutes with Barry's third goal in consecutive games but dissapointingly this failed to herald Villa's third straight win as Fulham came back with two more first half goals.
Feb 22 Charlton 3 - 0 VillaGraham Taylor said afterwards that it will take him some time to come to terms with the score. This closely fought contest was only really decided by 90th and 93rd minute goals from Charlton. Villa saw the return of Alpay who finally seems to have resolved his spat with the club, and of the hapless Peter Crouch in what hopefully will be his last run out of the season covering for Dion's suspension. Taylor kept faith with his 4-3-3 with Vassell and Stefan Moore making up the effective part of the attacking trio. But we can hardly complain about the ambition, and with a capable looking middle three of Barry, Gudjohnnson and Hitz. It'll come right one day.
Mar 1 Villa 0 - 2 Birmingham Well, Villa showed the passion GT complained they didn't show in the fixture at St Andrews, but it came out all wrong with Dion being sent of for head butting Mark Savage (he really did it, too) and Jeoy sent off for two violent challenges. And in the end, Brum were the more constructive with their passion - Villa your gonna have to fix this, we don't want a trend started here. Villa supporters also lost the moral high ground we had when the brummers invaded the pitch at their place, lots of villains doing the same thing here, many were arrested although reports vary about how many.
Mar 15 Villa 0 - 1 Man Utd A familier story as Villa failed to create any goals from many chances having pinned united back for much of the second half.
Mar 22 Southampton 2 - 2 Villa Villa took a two goal lead with strikes from Vassell and Hendry, but failed to hold on to that lead as a last minute strike for saints brought memories flooding back of what it used to be like every week in the latter stages of the Gregory administration.
Apr 5 Villa 1 - 1 Arsenal Graham Taylor's plan was pretty obvious when we started with a formation of 3-6-1 with just Darius up front - this Arsenal side have taken plenty of sides apart this seasona and we weren't going to be one of them. Arsenal led 1-0 at half time, and half way into the second half Gt decided to chance it and put another striker on - Marcus Allback who had scored two for Sweden in their midweek European championships qualifier. He managed a good strike which some Arsenal player turned into his own net.
Apr 12 West Ham 2 - 2 Villa Both team really wanting a win - West Ham to get out of the bottom three and Villa to avoid any risk of dropping in to it. Villa led by 2-1 after a penalty from Vassell and another goal from Leohnardsen, West Ham equalised with a long spell of pressure, Villa finnished strongly with Vassell coming closest to winning it.
Apr 19 Villa 2 - 1 Chelsea A goal in each half from Marcus Allback saw Villa get the result they deserved from an excellent all round display, creating plenty of chances and certainly can count themselves unlucky to have converted only two of them. Why we've had to wait a whole season to see Marcus play I can't imagine. All we really need is for Villa to convert a more respectable percentage of the chances they create, and we'd be right up near the top of the table with this Chelsea side who were flattered by this scoreline following an 89th minute consolation.
Apr 21 Newcastle 1 - 1 Villa Another creditable performance in this game of two halves. Newcastle were in full control of the first half, coming in 1 - 0. But Villa made lots of second half chances with Marcus Allback once again the man on the spot. But we may lose him in the outseason, not least because of the fact that he spent most of the season in the reservers. Heaven knows why.
Apr 26 Everton 2 - Villa 1 Dissapointing to let the point slip in the 91st minute after briefly holding a second half lead following a goal by, can you guess, Marcus Allback.
May 3 Villa 1 - 0 Sunderland Villa made their stay in the premiership safe with this unconvincing win, the goal scored by who else, Marcus Allback. Lets hope he stays and we give him a full season at the front. Its a poor show that it last but one game before we're sure, lets hope it never gets worse than this.
May 11 Leeds 3 - 1 Quite an improvement over last week, with Villa putting on a good show that deserved a point at least - but then that's been the story for so much of the season - Villa are still missing at least one key piece. Gudjonnsen scorer of an impressive first half equaliser - but can his signing be made permanant this summer?