Match Report: Aston Villa 0-1 Southampton

Aston Villa's miserable season suffered another damaging blow as a controversial penalty - converted by skipper Rickie Lambert - earned fellow strugglers Southampton a 1-0 victory at Villa Park.Villa defender Enda Stevens appeared to make no contact on Saints player Jay Rodriguez before he went to ground just inside the box but stand-in referee Mark Halsey - a late replacement for the ill Chris Foy - thought otherwise.Lambert made no mistake with his 34th minute spot-kick to move Nigel Adkins' side above Villa and complete a double. The harsh reality is Villa have now taken only one point from their last five league games and look set for a season-long battle to stay up.Although the penalty award was highly debatable, Villa were well below par in the opening 45 minutes and looked vulnerable on the counter-attack. They improved during the second half with Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann posing a threat.
Benteke looked sharp in the early stages and had a shot on the turn blocked by Jos Hooiveld at the expense of a corner. But Villa were almost caught-out on the counter-attack after Lambert's first time pass found Rodriguez in yards of space. He cut into the box and slid the ball across Brad Guzan but Villa skipper Ciaran Clark was on hand to clear.

Southampton were looking dangerous and Rodriguez glanced a header just wide of the far post from Jason Puncheon's cross. Puncheon then created space for himself inside the Villa box after a a neat turn and shot over when he should have at least tested Guzan.

But then came the hotly-contested spot-kick which put the Saints ahead. Stevens appeared to make no contact on Rodriguez before he went to ground just inside the box. Villa protested in vain and Lambert sent Guzan the wrong way from the spot for his ninth goal of the season.

Luke Shaw was finding plenty of space to venture forward and Guzan blocked his shot from a narrow angle. Villa boss Paul Lambert brought on Barry Bannan for Holman at the start of the second period and his side showed more purpose.

Artur Boruc parried Andreas Weimann's left-footed effort and then Benteke hooked the ball over the bar after Artur had denied Stevens. Guzan was relieved when Puncheon crashed a fierce low drive against the post.

Villa staged a late rally and Boruc kept out Benteke's header. But he was powerless to stop Nathan Baker's header which crashed against the bar from substitute Barry Bannan's corner. Benteke then shot wide after Boruc had bravely saved at the feet of Gabriel Agbonlahor as Saints survived to seal their second away win of the season.

Liverpool closing in on Fiorentina Winger

Liverpool are set to launch a summer transfer swoop for Fiorentina winger Juan Manuel Vargas, according to his agent.Jorge Cyterszpiler claims a number of clubs are eyeing the signature of the 28-year-old, although the Italian outfit may have to drop their £12m asking price for a deal to happen.Aston Villa have already ruled themselves out of the running as a result of Fiorentina's valuation of the Peru international, who struggled for his best form last season.Liverpool have been tracking the 28-year-old for some time after originally coming up against him in the Champions League during the 2009/2010 season.He is under contract with the Viola for another season, but he is thought to be keen on a move away from the Serie A side.
Cyterszpiler told www.tuttomercatoweb.com: "There is the possibility that he (Vargas) will leave Fiorentina.
"But at this time it's just a rumour and there is nothing official. He didn't have the best best of seasons and he needs to make up for it next season."Liverpool is an option, but there is also Malaga that has the fascination of playing in next season's Champions League. Does he have a preference with regards to playing the Premier League or the Primera Liga? Vargas likes both leagues as well as the Serie A."

Lambert set to raid old club for duo

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is understood to be in pole position to snap up Kyle Naughton from Tottenham in a £4million deal.Lambert, who is also understood to be keen on signing last season's top scorer Grant Holt and defender Daniel Ayala, is keen to snatch Naughton from under the nose of new City boss Chris Hughton.The Spurs defender, 23, made 32 appearances for City last season and was one of Lambert's priority signings this summer before he left to take over the Villa Park hotseat.Norwich boss Hughton will also have to fend off interest from the Scotsman in Holt, who scored 15 Premier League goals last term before putting in a transfer request, and Ayala - who hardly played because of injury.But Lambert handed the young Spaniard a four-year deal at City when he snapped him up from Liverpool last summer and clearly rates the centre-back very highly.

Solskjaer Set for Aston Villa Job

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has officially opened talks with Aston Villa about becoming the club's new manager.
Solskjaer is currently in charge of Molde, a club where he spent two years prior to joining Manchester United in 1996 with whom he made 366 appearances, scoring 126 goals in 11 seasons.A statement on Molde's website read: "Molde Football Club is aware of interest and contact from Aston Villa, and is aware that Aston Villa and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are holding talks."Solskjaer's odds on taking up the post vacated by Alex McLeish on Monday following the Scot's sacking were slashed on Thursday down to 6-4 from 25-1, with the Norwegian now odds-on favourite.Lerner's private jet flew into Solskjaer's home town of Kristiansund on Thursday to collect the 39-year-old and fly him to Birmingham to begin negotiations.
Solskjaer is seen as the young, progressive manager required by Lerner after first failing with Gerard Houllier and then McLeish in the wake of Martin O'Neill's departure in August 2010.After quitting playing in 2008, Solskjaer took charge of United's reserve team for two-and-a-half years before guiding Molde to their first Norwegian league title in 100 years last October at the end of his debut campaign in charge.Solskjaer, however, is just one year into a four-year contract, and can look forward to Champions League football next season.Another consideration for the man who earned the nickname of 'the baby-faced assassin' during his United days is his family of wife Silje and three children and whether to uproot them given they have only just settled in Norway.However, the lure of Barclays Premier League football and going head to head with old mentor in Sir Alex Ferguson, as well as reviving Villa's hopes following a woeful season, is likely to prove irresistible.

Villa Set To End McGeady's Nightmare

Aston Villa have been linked with a move to end former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady's nightmare spell in Moscow this summer. Villa are understood to be an option on the table for McGeady, who cost Spartak almost £10million when they signed him from the Glasgow club in 2010. The Republic of Ireland international, a friend of Villa keeper Shay Given, has endured a torrid time in Russia and was recently substituted at half-time by Spartak boss Valeri Karpin. Reports have claimed the player's wife, Clare, is also unhappy in the city and would welcome a move back to Britain. Villa are likely to be one of a number of clubs interested in the Irishman, 25, with reports in Scotland today suggesting boss Alex McLeish will push the boat out. Big Eck knows McGeady well from his time as Rangers boss and is a long-time admirer of the Republic of Ireland star. McGeady could also provide McLeish with an answer to the frustration he has felt over the performances of winger Charles N'Zogbia, who plays in the same role but is currently injured.

Guzan Ponders New Villa Contract

Alex McLeish has confirmed that keeper Brad Guzan is pondering the offer of a new contract to stay at Aston Villa beyond this season. The Villa chief is looking to keep the 27-year-old American shot-stopper, who has been at the club for the past four years, at Villa Park when his current contract expires in the summer. And, while a deal for Guzan is now on the table, McLeish is well aware that the player might feel his future lies elsewhere given that he has been restricted to just eight first team appearances for Villa due to being behind Brad Friedel and then his replacement Shay Given in the pecking order. McLeish, who was impressed by Guzan's performances over the turn of the year when he stepped in to deputise for the injured Given, insists he will give him plenty of time to make a decision. He told Skysports: "We will give Brad time. It depends on how long though. We have certainly made the offer and we respect that Brad needs time to mull it over. "I understand the dilemma he is facing, yes, but at the same time it is not like he is second in command to Joe Hart who is only 24. "Shay is 35 now and, when Brad has come in, he has proved himself to be a Premier League keeper. Now we know he is Premier League class. "Brad probably realises that if Shay has a niggle or a problem, or we are going to do anything in the cup competitions, we are going to put him in."

Barry Bannan suspended by Aston Villa

Aston Villa have confirmed they have suspended Barry Bannan while carrying out an inquiry after the midfielder was involved in a motorway car crash on Sunday. The Scottish international will not be considered for selection for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash at Sunderland. Bannan was arrested by police on suspicion on drink driving - along with Shrewsbury striker James Collins, a former Villa player - and subsequently bailed. Villa boss Alex McLeish, in a media statement, said: "Barry Bannan has been suspended while the club carries out internal enquiries into allegations which arose last weekend. He will not be available for this weekend's game at Sunderland." The accident occurred on the M1 at around 5.30am on Sunday, near junction 26. Villa confirmed on Monday that they had launched the investigation and have now opted to suspend Bannan. The 21-year-old is regarded as one of Villa's brightest prospects and has made an encouraging start to the current campaign. He has already won nine caps for his country. Collins joined Shrewsbury from Villa during the 2011 January transfer window. Police had already confirmed that two men had been bailed after being arrested in connection with the accident involving a Range Rover on the southbound carriageway.

Gabriel Agbonlahor Linked With Spurs Move

Harry Redknapp is reportedly keeping an eye on Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor with a view to a possible move in January. The Spurs boss has been linked with one striker after another and the Villa man is just the latest in a long line of players who have been linked to the club. The 25-year-old has still got four years left on his current contract at Villa park and they are unlikely to be in a rush to allow an England international move on unless the offer is too big to turn down. Reports suggest Villa would be prepared to do business at around £20m, that is unlikely to be forthcoming from Spurs.

Match Report: Aston Villa 0 Wolves 0

Both sides might feel they could have won this local derby but the two share the spoils after a goalless 90 minutes. Aston Villa pressed for much of the second half but failed to find an opening against an organized Wolves side. Wolves' best chance of the game came after just 20 minutes as Stephen Ward crossed from the left hand side. Stephen Hunt arrived at the back post to meet it but his header didn't have the power to beat Shay Given. Five minutes later Villa might have scored as Gabriel Agbonlahor got to the byline and cut the ball back for Emile Heskey who turned the ball inches wide of the near post from close range. After the break Villa were in the ascendancy and Agbonlahor forced a save from Wayne Hennessey after striding past Roger Johnson and shooting low across goal. Hennessey got down to his left to make the save and kept the rebound way from Bent on 51 minutes. Just shy of the hour mark Stilian Petrov's corner picked out Richard Dunne who powered a header at goal from twelve yards but Hennessey again made the save. Three minutes from time Barry Bannan crossed from the left for Darren Bent but his looping header landed on the roof of the net with the keeper well beaten. Wolves weathered the storm though to remain unbeaten this season, as do Villa who now have five points from three games.

Aston Villa Sign Shay Given

Aston Villa handed 35-year-old Shay Given a five-year contract — weeks after letting Brad Friedel go partly because they were concerned he was approaching his 40th birthday.New Villa manager Alex McLeish finally completed his first major signing to bring the Republic of Ireland international from Manchester City in a £3.5million deal.McLeish is convinced his new signing has years ahead of him as his No 1 keeper.
‘The quality of the player is not in doubt,’ said McLeish. ‘He lost his place last season because of the emergence of Joe Hart, rather than loss of form.‘Shay has come here probably with something of a point to prove and that won’t do any harm at all.‘Everybody who has watched him perform over many years in the Premier League will know his pedigree, so we believe we have secured the services of one of the best goalkeepers in the business.’Given has taken a 25 per cent pay cut from the £80,000-a-week he earned at Eastlands in exchange for the longer deal.He said: ‘Aston Villa is a huge club and I’m really excited to be joining. Everyone knows that I didn’t play enough football last season, so I’m really pleased that I’ll be able to put that right here.
‘Hopefully, this move will get me back to where I was before in the Premier League, which is where every player wants to be — playing. It’s also a new challenge and one I’m eager to embrace.’

Aston Villa Bid £13m for South American Star

Aston Villa are leading the chase to land Fiorentina winger Juan Manuel Vargas, though they will have to fight off competition from Juventus for the Peruvian’s signature. Tuttomercattoweb.com claims that a bid of around £13m has already been placed,Just yesterday, Vargas sealed Peru’s place in the Copa America final with a fantastic strike in the second half of extra-time to give his team a 2-0 victory over Columbia. The goal was just the latest in a growing list of great goals the midfielder has scored. He began his career as a left-back, Vargas’ long-range shooting ability led him to be push further forward into a midfield role.Coupled with his outstanding crossing ability, Vargas represents the perfect replacement for Stewart Downing who joined Liverpool this week. Vargas is fond of dribbling and will provide excellent service for Darren Bent.
Rumours in Italy had suggested that Liverpool were to bid for the Peruvian but Downing’s arrival signals the end of any interest from the Anfield. Juventus however do pose a serious threat to Villa’s hopes. After reports of a £45m bid for Tevez, Fiorentina will be confident of receiving an inflated fee from their Serie A rivals, if their interest is indeed serious.
Having played in Serie A for five years now, it is possible that Vargas would fancy a move to the Premiership. With Liverpool out of the picture, it seems his best hopes rest with Villa.
Charles N’Zogbia’s alleged preference for a move to Everton to avoid relocating his family who are settled in the North West area, represents an obstacle in that transfer. It seems new boss Alex McLeish will have to look elsewhere, and Vargas is at the top of that list.

Liverpool Get £20m Downing

Stewart Downing has joined Liverpool after Aston Villa agreed a £20 million deal to sell their star of last season.Downing handed in a transfer request yesterday and a fee was reached between the two clubs during a series of late night telephone calls.Villa chief executive Paul Falkner "I can confirm that we have reached an agreement with Liverpool following an improved offer received earlier today and the submission of a formal transfer request by Stewart Downing and have subsequently given them permission to speak to the player."
The LFC website stated: "Liverpool have now been granted permission to discuss personal terms with the player and arrange a medical."Liverpool are currently in the Far East on a pre-season tour.Villa have already turned their attention to replacing the England winger and have now decided to step up their interest in Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia.Alex McLeish has also earmarked Aiden McGeady as a possible target with reports the former Celtic winger is unsettled at Spartak Moscow.


Downing will leave Villa just two years into a four year contract after a complete U-turn over his prospects of signing a bumper extension.

The 26-year-old winger hinted he was willing to commit his future for longer after picking up a series of player of the season gongs at Villa’s annual awards dinner in May.


But Downing’s growing desire to quit Villa Park for Anfield was such that he submitted a formal written transfer request yesterday to try and force the issue.

However, it was Kenny Dalglish’s willingness to meet the claret and blues’ £20 million asking price, rather than the player’s actions which forced Villa to relent on their previous ‘not for sale’ stance and cash in.

McLeish was reluctant to sell the left-footed midfielder just weeks after Villa lost their other wide player Ashley Young to Manchester United for £16 million.

But the impending deal will give the new boss much more scope in the transfer market. Villa do not wish to spend much more than half of it on a replacement for Downing, freeing up spare funds to strengthen other areas of the squad.

Meanwhile, McLeish is hoping to bring out the best in players like Stephen Warnock and Stephen Ireland, who were cast aside during the Gerard Houllier era.

“I think you’ve got to understand that we’ve got to pay respect to the boys that are here,” he said.

“I think we have to move forward with what we’ve got. I said in the dressing room, we have some players who have probably not done justice to themselves or a club of this magnitude, and I have to find the reasons for that.

“Going by what I’ve seen in training, there has been a lift in the spirits of some of those individuals on training.

“I can’t just say to Randy Lerner, there’s a bunch of guys that have not been doing it, get them out and get another six in. In these days if careful trading it’s not easy to just go an decimate a whole squad and start again.”

Villa join Chase for Rodallega

Aston Villa are ready to join the chase for Wigan’s £15million-rated striker Hugo Rodallega, 25.
Manager Alex McLeish has drawn up a list of targets with Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given his priority while Rodallega’s team-mate Charles N’Zogbia, West Ham midfielder Scott Parker and Tottenham right back Alan Hutton also figure.McLeish is awaiting a renewed offer from Liverpool for winger Stewart Downing, 26, with Villa maintaining their stance that unless their £20m valuation is met he will not be sold. Arsenal are also interested in the England man.
Rodallega, who is playing for Colombia in the Copa America, revealed at the weekend that Arsenal had also asked about him, while Everton maintain an interest.
He said: ‘There are many teams interested, it’s true. Villarreal, Sevilla, Arsenal also have some interest, and Everton. There is a lot of speculation but my future at this moment is at Wigan.

Arsene Wenger ‘set to steal Downing from Liverpool’

With Arsenal's top players seemingly in open revolt, manager Arsene Wenger is hoping to pull off a coup of his own by pinching England international Stewart Downing from under the nose of Kenny Dalglish.
Downing, who joined Aston Villa after Middlesbrough's relegation two years ago, has become an established feature on the national scene, notching up 27 caps for England since his debut in 2005.
The midfielder has been pursued by Liverpool in recent weeks – but according to the Mail on Sunday Arsenal hope to "hijack" him before any deal is signed with the Reds.Wenger is having a torrid summer, with the youthful team he has carefully cultivated over recent seasons suddenly disintegrating before his eyes.
Gael Clichy has left for Manchester City and is expected to be joined at Eastlands by fellow Frenchman Samir Nasri any minute now.Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal captain and perennial Barcelona target, is widely tipped to be returning home to Spain after the Arsenal board made it apparent they'd be wiling to sell the 24-year-old.The cloud does have a silver lining, however: Wenger is expected to make around £70 million from the three deals – money that can be spent rebuilding the squad.
As well bidding for Downing - believed to be priced at around £15m – Wenger has reportedly offered double-figure sums for Lyon's Gervinho, Bolton's Gary Cahill and Everton's Phil Jagielka.
Arsenal fans will take heart at the news. Their manager has been notoriously unwilling to spend big in previous transfer windows, preferring instead to invest in youngsters, resulting in a silverware draught stretching back to 2005.
Yet Wenger's apparent determination to reinvest any money from summer sales, combined with his willingness to take on rivals Liverpool in the battle for 26-year-old Downing, suggests the Frenchman still hopes Arsenal can seriously compete for the Premier League title next season.
His transfer movements also suggest a wider change in approach.
In Downing, Jagielka, and Cahill, Wenger has chosen the best of England's next generation to replace the departing Europeans. Downing especially has a preference for getting to the byline and crossing that is markedly different to Arsenal's traditional obsession with keeping the ball on the ground through the middle.
The potential transfers suggest that Wenger is changing his policy in a bid to finally return winning ways to north London.

Aston Villa close in on N'Zogbia

Skysports.com are reporting that Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia.
Villa boss Alex McLeish is a big fan of the Frenchman and tried to sign the player when he was in charge of Birmingham.Wigan are resigned to losing N'Zogbia with Latics chairman Dave Whelan admitting they will not stand in his way if they receive a suitable offer.The Frenchman is entering the final year of his contract at the DW Stadium and the player is ready to move on to play at a higher levelMcLeish has identified N'Zogbia as one of his top summer transfer targets and he is keen to win the race for his signature.
The likes of Liverpool, Newcastle and Sunderland have all been linked with a move for the winger, but Villa are thought to be favourites for the 25-year-old.

N'Zogbia could help fill the void left by Ashley Young's departure to Manchester United last month

Aston Villa chasing Czech Under-21 star

Aston Villa are among  clubs chasing Czech Under-21 star Borek Dockal.
The Slovan Liberec midfielder's reputation is higher than ever following a string of impressive displays for his country at the Euro Under-21 championships earlier this month.The 22-year-old midfielder is rated highly in his homeland and he showed just what he can do as he scored both goals in their opening 2-1 win over Ukraine.Dockal is primarily a winger, but he can also play behind a striker with relative ease.Dockal began his career when he was spotted by Slavia Prague aged just 10 and he was lured to the Czech capital.He progressed well through the youth ranks and in 2006 he was handed his first-team debut.But just half-a-dozen games into his career he was snapped up by Slovan Liberec, who he impressed during a loan spell.
Since moving to Liberec, Dockal has continued to impress and this has been recognised throughout by the national side as he has been picked all the way through each age level.In 2010, having previously been linked with a move to English side Middlesbrough, he was signed by Turkish side Konyaspor as they snapped him up along with team-mate Andrej Keric.A three-year deal was in place for Dockal, but he did not settle in Turkey and returned to Slovan halfway during the season.Upon his return to Slovan, Dockal settled in again and he was always in line to be one of the Czechs possible stand-out performers.And he really hit the ground running in the opener with both goals, with two quality finishes, showing how technically good he is.
And, according to reports in the Czech Republic, Villa have joined Bundesliga sides Hamburg and Schalke in the race for his signature.
Slovan Liberec insist they are not actively looking to sell Dockal but it is understood that a bid of around £1m will be enough to test their resolve.

Aston Villa and Newcastle Chase Wayne Bridge

Aston Villa and Newcastle United are interested in former England international Wayne Bridge, according to the Express.England international Bridge has more than 30 caps, Bridge made his Three Lions debut in February 2002 against Holland and he has one international goal to his name, ironically coming at the City of Manchester Stadium during the 6-1 thrashing of Iceland in 2004.Bridge is currently contracted to Manchester City following a loan spell to West Ham United in the 2010/11 campaign.Bridge made eighteen appearances in all competitions for West Ham before his loan ended. The player isn’t a part of Manchester City’s long-term plans and Roberto Mancini is keen to trim his squad.However, City’s asking price of £5m and Bridge’s £90,000 a week wages are thought to be a stumbling block for both Aston Villa and Newcastle who aren’t prepared the respective fees.

Newcastle are likely to be in the market for a left-back this summer with the expected exit of Jose Enrique.

Ashley Young Completes Manchester United Medical

Ashley Young is nearing the completion of his move to Manchester United.He has passed his medical at their training facility and is awaiting the finalization of paperwork and personal terms.The deal should be done in the next 24 hours United will not release the transfer value but it is thought to be around £15m.Young's arrival will give Sir Alex Ferguson more variety in attack, with the 25-year-old capable of playing as a two-footed left-winger or operating as a centre-forward.He will be United's second summer signing following the arrival of Phil Jones earlier this month from Blackburn Rovers in a £16.5m move, possibly rising to £20.5m. A deal has also been put in place for the Spain Under-21 international goalkeeper David de Gea to join from Atlético Madrid, taking United's spending to about £50m and marking them out as the major movers in the transfer market so far this summer.

Young, who began his career at Watford before signing for Villa in 2007, had also attracted strong interest from Liverpool but decided, much like Jones, that he would rather move to Old Trafford

DJ set for Aston Villa

Aston Villa are emerging as the favourites to land Blackpool's DJ Campbell for a cut-price £1.25million.

Alex McLeish has been handed a transfer kitty of £35m and is ready to compete with Sunderland for Manchester United defender Wes Brown as well as fighting Liverpool for Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam. But the new Villa boss has identified a few cheaper targets, including striker Campbell.Campbell started his career at Aston Villa as a trainee, but was not offered a professional contract.

The 29 year old has told Blackpool manager Ian Holloway that he wants to leave the club this summer should a Premier League club bid for him, and it has been rumoured that DJ has a release clause in his contract that would let him leave Bloomfield Road for less than £2 million.The player had previously been linked with a move to Fulham, but this has been denied by the London club, with a source close to Martin Jol allegedly saying that the Dutch manager was 'embarrassed' to be linked with DJ.

Manchester United Defender linked to Aston Villa move

Manchester United defender Wes Brown has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for new Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish.McLeish was confirmed as the new man at the helm at Villa Park on Friday and has already begun making plans for his moves in the transfer market. Manchester United stalwart Brown has been tipped to leave Old Trafford this summer after 15 years with the club. The versatile defender made just 15 appearances last season and has already been linked with a switch to Sunderland under former United star Steve Bruce. McLeish believes that the 31-year-old former England international could be a useful addition to his Villa squad and is considering an approach