Villa Squad and Results 2003/04
see all the managers our beloved chairman Doug Ellis has disposed of
Last updated 7-July-2004
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Out
Alan Wright - released, Alan was at the end his contract. Contributed his fair share over 8 seasons, but lately dropped to role of rarely used squad player. June 30th
The Only One Ian Taylor Villa Player - released, Ian was at the end of his contract. In 9 seasons at Villa Ian contributed very much more than his share and we'll all be sad that he eventually had to leave us. Best wishes to him for the rest of his days. Surely this is one player we can cheer if he ever comes back playing for someone else (for instance, just to pick a name from the air, Wolves). June 30th
Oyvind Leonhardsen - the first piece of good work done by David O'Leary. Oyvnind was brought in by GT last year, an over the hill player of the type we should be selling, not buying. In fairness, he did play some decent games for us, but I still quite happy to see the contract extension offer made by GT withdrawn, and Oyvind released. June 30th (nb, while these three releases were announced in May, most player's contracts end at the end of June).
Steve Staunton, free transfer to Coventry 15th August
23 Oct Alpay Ozalan. Alpay was hounded out by the press and the Villa Boo Boys following a string of management arguments capped by a spat with David Beckham at the England Turkey euro qualifier. One of our better defenders of recent times, if hot-headed. This was one of the few occasions that I believed the story that his contract was terminated 'by mutual consent'.
4th December. Bosko Balaban (contracted terminated). It remains a complete mistery why a talanted international striker was bought by JG and never played, and overlooked by two successive managers, while the nonesense that is Peter Crouch continues to be given chances.
7 Jan. Peter Enckleman, for an undisclosed fee (but you can be sure it wasn't much) to Blackburn Rovers. Tragically vilified for one tragic mistake (see last season's Brum Vs Villa) and he's been relegated down our rankings to the point where he'd rather be No 2 somewhere else. Shame.
14 Jan Mark Kinsella. Bought by Graham Taylor who followed a plan of buying past their sellby date cast offs that other clubs were happy to unload. Mark came over from Charlton where he was no longer commanding a first team place, and that should tell you enough. He joins first division West Brom who are smart enough to contract him to the end of the season only. No fee was involved.
3 Feb Mustapha Hadji. A useful right winger that Villa didn't want to play any more because then they'd have to pay Coventry the final installment on his transfer fee. So instead paid up his contract and he's off to a new job in Italy someplace. Strange times indeed. Moos's contract was up in the summer, anyway.
In
24 July Gavin McCann, and 'England' midfielder from Sunderland, £2.25million. 25 year old Gavin played 45 mins for England in a friendly under Sven.
7 Aug Thomas Sorensen, a goalie from Sunderland signs on a 3 year deal for £2.25 million. I guess that means the end for either Enks or Postman, although we have also released Boaz Myhill on a loan someplace.
21 Aug. Vassel signs new 3 year contract.
29 Jan 04. All these outs, finally an in. 29 year old Nolberto Solano, joins for £1.5million 2 and a half year deal . A useful right sided midfielder who has spent over 5 years at Newcastle
Squad Numbers
G=Goalie D=Defender M=Midfield A=Attack
1 Sorensen(G) 2 Delaney(D) 3 Samuel(D) 4 Mellberg(D)5 Alpay(D)
6 Barry(M) 7 Hendrie(M) 8 McCann(M) 9 Dublin(A) 10 Vassell(A)
11 Staunton(D) 12 Hitzlsperger(M) 13 Postma(G) 14 Allback(A)
15 de la Cruz(M) 16 Crouch(A) 17 Whittingham(A) 18 Angel(A)
19 Balaban(A) 20 Hadji(M) 21 Davis 22 Kachloul(M) 23 S.Moore(A)
24 Ridgewell 25 Enckelman(G) 26 Kinsella(M) 27 Johnsen(D)
28 Jackman 29 Edwards(D) 30 Cooke 31 L.Moore
Fixtures/Stats/ Match Reviews
Portsmouth 2 - 1 Aston Villa 16 August 2003. Certainly not the start we hoped for, Barry scoring a late goal and being the subject of an even later sending off.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Liverpool 24 August 2003. Both goalkeepers kept busy, including of course Villa new boy Sorenson. Best chance was probably Angels 60th minute curled free kick hitting the upright.
Arsenal 2 - 0 Aston Villa 27 August 2003. Villa did a fair job of keeping Arsenal under control using a busy midfield and JPA as sole striker and it was well into the second half before the first goal. Villa had some chances but a second goal on 89 minutes left the score looking like a comfy win for the opposition.
Aston Villa 3 - 1 Leicester City 30 August 2003. Villa 3 up in 15 minutes with an own goal from Leicester under pressure from Darius, followed by a header and volley both from Juan Pablo, and both from crosses supplied by the sensation that is Peter Whittingham. Leicester pulled everyone back after that, and managed a goal themselves in the second half. Can Peter remain a sensation - it'll get harder for him yet.
Manchester City 4 - 1 Aston Villa 13 September 2003 A hardworking Villa side went in 1 - 0 at half time thanks to a goal from JPA. But in the second half a quite different side emerged - the change quite possilbe sparked by an early injury to Olof and his replacement by the out-of-practice Alpay. City ran riot although a huge question mark has now appeared next the name Sorenson. Why do we need him, when we have two good goalies already?
Aston Villa 2 - 1 Charlton Athletic 20 September 2003. Alpay was booed onto the field by some misguided Holte Enders, who were left wondering what to do when he opened the scoring with his first Villa goal - Alfie popped down to the Holte with finger on his lips - shhhhh you booers, is what he was saying. Yeah, sssshhh. A reasonably well organised Villa side then went two up with a first goal for Villa from JLloyd - well done my son. Charlton pulled one back, but thankfully the three points move Villa up to a more acceptable looking 11th place. But look what's coming.
Chelsea 1 - 0 Aston Villa 27 September 2003. Fresh from a their 0-5 midweek league cup win over Dinamo Wycome (including a first goal from Whittingham and a first hat-trick from JPA), Villa created a host of chances, JPA unusually missing two gilt edged ones, and more besides. But they dominated for long periods, and Chelsea's £100million side were very lucky not to slip to their first defeat.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Bolton Wanderers 05 October 2003 A good first half from Villa and a goal to the good from JPA, but Bolton equalised with an equally positive second half. JPA missed a last gasp penalty, but it was one of the dodgiest decisions of all time, so we would have been very fortunate to get three from that.
Birmingham City 0- 0 Aston Villa 18 October 2003. A scrappy game of pitifully few chances, correct summed up by Brum manager Steve Bruce as one in which both sides were desperate not to lose.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Everton 25 October 2003. A completely unnacceptably terrible Villa peformance, and just one person to blame. O'Leary claimed the formation was 4-3-3 but to 36,000 people it was plainly 4-5-1. The lone Angel left alone most of the time by a packed defence and midfield who appeared to have instruction not to attack at any time. And its not like we don't have choices - Marcus and Ulises spent all afternoon jogging up and down the touchline. Coupled with the picking of the appalling Kinsella, McCann and Sorenson, this was a miserable afternoon. The only bright spot being another fine central defensive display from Dion Dublin.
Newcastle United 1 - 1 Aston Villa 01 November 2003. By all account a much less depressing affair than last weeks abomination, with Dion scoring from a corner early in the first half - although he was on as central defence. Villa put on a fairly spirited performance and held on until well into the second half. Newcastle had a late chance to win with a penalty, and you'd have bet on it with the pitifully inept Sorenson in goal for Villa. But it was saved! I presume Thomas must have tripped and fallen in the path of the ball. Graeme Souness tried to sign Enkleman this week, but its outside the window and he was not allowed by the FA - think hard Mr O'Leary, why would Blackburn want our 3rd choice goalie?
Aston Villa 0 - 2 Middlesbrough 08 November 2003. Its hard to see what's going on. At least DO'L set out with a 4-4-2 using Angel and Allback, and that's what I wanted him to do. But another lifeless performance from the team on the field. Under John Gregory we were always short of goals, but we were top six with a squad no better than this one. 15th again, pah!
Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 1 Aston Villa 23 November 2003. Villa took a first half lead through Marcus Allback, who played up front with Darius today. A pretty positive first half fell to pieces when an Alback gaff gifted Spurs a second half equaliser, and three minutes later a Robbie Keane effort gave them the lead. But at least Villa showed spirit, in the final 15 minutes Stefan Moore came on for Hendrie, and with Dion forgetting all about being a defender Villa played something approaching 3-3-4 but failed to find the net. On the dark side, this result leaves us 3rd bottom, relegation candidates. Off the field Chief Exec Mark Ansell walked out this week, after even he, a long time part of a terrible duo with Doug, finally fell out with the old bugger. Doug is now chairman and chief exec, although in a stock exchange statement he said a new puppet CEO would be in by January. He might not have said the puppet bit, but lets face it.
Aston Villa 1 - 0 Southampton 29 November 2003 A match that started with another round of Ellis Out banners and chants, only marginally silenced by a half creditable performance with a solitary (if spectacular overhead kick) goal from centre half Dion Dublin. Villa made a few other decent chances, while not a fat lot was seen from a Southampton side many places higher up the table.
Manchester United 4 - 0 Aston Villa 06 December 2003 Not much to say.
Aston Villa 3 - 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 13 December 2003 A first half brace from JPA set Villa on the way to a nervous win. We were 3-1 up before allowing Wolves back into the game - must learn to kill of games when two up. JPAs form is a ray of light, though.
Blackburn Rovers 0 - 2 Aston Villa 20 December 2003. Better news as Villa manage to play two halves in the same match! A strong first half performance failed to produce a goal and so many times this has ended in defeat. But the newly motivated Villa team came out again and goal from Stefan Moore and JPA sealed a good win. [This followed a 2-1 Worthington Cup quarter final win over Chelsea mid week]
Leeds United 0 - 0 Aston Villa 26 December 2003. Struggling Leeds contained Villa well and few efforts for either side resulted.JPA did have a goal dissallowed for handball, though I havn't seen any footage of the incident. This result pulls Villa up to 12th.
Aston Villa 3 - 0 Fulham 28 December 2003. Fourth placed Fulham were well beaten today with a first half goal from JPA being followed by two second halfers from Darius - his first league goals this season. Villa up to 10th - but there's a couple of tough games on the horizon.
Aston Villa 2 - 1 Portsmouth 07 January 2004 JPA scored in the first half and Villa looked clear favourites against struggling Portsmouth. But they came out the stronger in the second half and equalised early. After that it was a nervous and scrappy Villa who benefited from a fluke by Darius with 5 minutes left. A cross from Barry was met by Mellborg who whacked it in, and a parry by the Keeper bounced in off Darius. Moves Villa up to 6th, although very temporarily as the rest of the prem play tommorow night.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Aston Villa 10 January 2004. Villa Held on pretty well and deserved a draw, but an own goal by Mark Delaney was enough to settle this tie. After the luck of the last game, I guess we can hardly complain.
Aston Villa 0 - 2 Arsenal 17 January 2004. Villa pretty much held their own against top of the table Arsenal, but a quickly taken free kick and a nonesense penalty finished us off.
Leicester City 0 - 5 Aston Villa 31 January 2004. After a 0-0 first half, Villa came alive in with all 5 goals coming by the 64th minute. First Vassell, then lanky beanpole idiot Peter Crouch. Another from Vassell, and one for Dion before the happless beanpole fluked another. Even with two goals, Crouch is not the kind of guy we need up front, he ain't no premiership class striker - Allback is, so why is he jogging up and down the touchline? Solano put in a decent debut, and Hitz continued his run of good form - three of the goals were his assists. JPA is injured, in case you were wondering. [Villa are 11th]
Aston Villa 2 - 0 Leeds United 07 February 2004. Villa had the best of this game with a good collection of chances, but bottom of the table Leeds were not without spirit and some chances of their own. Villa were fortunate on 45 mins to be awarded a penalty as Darius was brought down in the box, seeing as he had aleady played and lost the ball. Still, no less than Arsenal got against us three weeks ago, so there it goes I guess. Angel converted, and Ronny Johnsen scored his first goal for us to make it two. Villa move to 8th, heading the right way in the table for once.
Fulham 1 - 2 Aston Villa 11 February 2004. Well, Mr O'leary is building a problem for himself. At this rate he'll have us expecting to win every game! Fulham scored in the first minute, but it was only 10 minutes later when JPA popped in the equaliser from Tommy's pass. Hits obliged again in the first half with a corner that Darius popped in, and this was a lead Villa held on to. The second half was reletively uneventful except for a nasty tackle on Delaney which will probably keep him our for several weeks.
Aston Villa 2 - 2 Birmingham City 21 February 2004. Disspointing after such a good run, and made worse by the fact that Villa dominated for an hour and were 2 - 0 up. Would have been 4 at least had JPA and Darius had their scoring boots on. But Villa went to sleep for the last 30 mins, Brum pulled on back and then an equaliser dropped Villa hearts into their boots with just 20 secs remaining of the 4 minutes added on.
Everton 2 - 0 Aston Villa 28 February 2004. Big letdown after the last few results.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 - 4 Aston Villa 13 March 2004. Bottom of the table Wolves had little answer to Villa today as goals from Hitz, Mellberg and Angel in the first 25 minutes, and another in the second half from JPA. A much better performance.
Aston Villa 0 - 2 Blackburn Rovers 20 March 2004. Villa seem to be on some kind of Jekyl and Hyde mission, as while we obviously have a team on the field that can deliver, the consistency is sadly lacking. We can but hope DO'L will get some summer funds to shape us up - it certainly looks like he's the man for the job.
Charlton Athletic 1 - 2 Aston Villa 27 March 2004. A nervy start for Villa as Carlton Cole gave Charlton and 8th minute lead, but a goal in each half for Vassell and Barry set us on the way to a useful away win, keeping our current rock and roll performce record intact. Thomas Soreneson gave away late penalty, only to see Jensen balloon his shot high over the bar.
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Manchester City 03 April 2004. Vassell started despite limping off for England on Wednesday night (following a challenge by Olof Mellborb), and we were also surprised to see Juan Pablo on the field after his transatlantic round trip to play for Columbia in midweek. But it was the lacklustre Villa who turned up, and we were fairly fortunate to go in with a 1-0 half time lead thanks to JPA's sweet downward header. But my heat dropped into my shoes as Crouch came out instead of Angel after half time, with Vassell soon subbed for Luke Moore. There were few Villa chances after that and City got the inevitable equaliser - although there were chances for Anelka and Hendrie to grab winners.
Bolton Wanderers 2 - 2 Aston Villa 10 April 2004. With Angel unavailable through injury Villa had to rely on Crouch and Vassell. Lanky beanpole idiot Crouch surprised us all with a goal to put Villa ahead. Bolton equalized before Villa went ahead again from a Hendrie lob. Sadly a great opportunity missed as Bolton popped up with a late equaliser.
Aston Villa 3 - 2 Chelsea 12 April 2004. We were all woried when the Chelsea abromvich all stars took the lead after 10 minutes, but a Vassell penalty brought the scores level before half time. Hitz and Hendrie gave Villa a great lead with two fine goals in the second half, and Chelsea's reply was very late. A great win.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Newcastle United 17 April 2004. Villa still sniffing for 4th spot and a miraculous champions league spot, but couldn't get the result today, even with Newcastle reduced to 10 men after 10 minutes. Vassell had a perfectly good goal dissallowed, but as the game progressed the result looked more and more inevitable.
Middlesbrough 1 - 2 Aston Villa 24 April 2004. Boro hit first but Villa came back through Tommy Hitz to go in at 1-1. Peter Crouch scored a late winner to keep Villa in the european hunt. Nobby was sent off though, and will miss the rest of the season through suspension, and that could be a problem.
Aston Villa 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur 01 May 2004. An early goal from JPA was the only thing officially separating the teams, but it could so easily have been more. Good Villa performance.
Southampton 1 - 1 Aston Villa 08 May 2004. Southampton set out to frustrate Villa and indeed they did, with the game never looking very likely to yield a result. Villa were very lucky to get a 40th minute penalty (what was it for?) and JPA slotted home. The lead only lasted 3 minutes though, and that was the end of that.
Aston Villa 0 - 2 Manchester United 15 May 2004. Villa were 2-0 down after just 10 minutes after goals from Ronaldo and Van Nistelroy, and it could have been more as the Villa team held back and gave them room to play. Only Lee Hendrie was desparate to hassle and get into them, with Gavin MCann the worst offender. The Villa that came out in the second half were much keener but United got everyone behind the ball and easily kept the score where it was. Villa could have got into europe today if results had gone right, but as it is ended 6th missing out to Newcastle for the EUFA by just goal difference. Still, 6 months ago we would have taken it with open arms. There were some good moments. As expected, DO'L brought Dion on with 20 mins to go, we already know his contract will not be renewed. He received a generous applause from all around the ground including the red end. Our youth team came out with the FA Youth cup, again they were cheered from all around the ground - would we do that at Old Trafford if they did the same? Hmmmm. Also, and best for me, was the visit of the One And Only Ian Taylor who was on the field at half time presenting something to somebody. As soon as we realised who it was, we all started singing you-know-what. Ian ran over to pay homage to the Holte, it was a great moment - well, rather more than a moment. Thankyou Mr Taylor. There is but only one.