Source: Daily_Mail
Andy Townsend's boot room: Long and short of what Aston Villa do best
Aston Villa will not be going to Fulham today to play long-ball stuff, despite what Arsene Wenger accused them of this week.[LNB] The world and his wife, quite rightly, eulogise about the quality of Arsenal's play but it was a bit unnecessary of Wenger to infer that Villa just launch it and chase.[LNB] Arsene should bear in mind that lots of managers have spoken very highly about the way Arsenal go about their football.[LNB] Wide of the mark: Aston Villa's Ashley Young[LNB] Villa are certainly not long-ball merchants. They are an attack-minded team. How many sides in the Barclays Premier League play with two out-and-out wide men?[LNB] They have always got an out ball on both flanks and they are very quick to counter- attack. Physically they can stand up to most, so it is no surprise to me that Villa are a decent side away from home. You are entitled to say Villa get it forward quickly into danger areas but they can also get it down and play. They are not crude. They play the sort of game that suits their personnel the best. That is sensible tactical football.[LNB] O'Neill's side will not be lacking in confidence, having already won at Old Trafford and Anfield. Going to Fulham is certainly not like an away game at Plough Lane or The Dell on a wet Tuesday night.[LNB] You haven't got a slope to deal with or a blasting wind. In fact, a trip to Craven Cottage was one I always enjoyed as a player.[LNB] It is far from being one of the most intimidating places to go and play but there are certain teams that, when they get a bit of home form going, really welcome playing on their own patch.[LNB] Fulham have the joint best defensive record in the division at home and have already beaten Manchester United and Liverpool, so getting a result will be no mean feat for Villa.[LNB]Roy Hodgson has allowed players to express themselves in the right areas, so confidence has grown. The crowd are a realistic bunch and they realise Roy has moved the team on. It is not so long ago that Fulham were simply concerned with avoiding relegation.[LNB] Experienced managers, when they come into a club, simplify things. Too many of the younger managers are looking to rewrite the coaching manuals.[LNB] Sometimes, at the top level, the players frown on that kind of thing. Roy has brought an effectiveness to the team and they are proving very difficult to break down at home. Mark Schwarzer is a good goalkeeper and in Brede Hangeland they have a dominant centre half. Danny Murphy is enjoying the responsibility that goes with the captaincy.[LNB] With those three players, Fulham have got the right blend of quality and experience where they need it.[LNB] Up front, Bobby Zamora has certainly benefitted form his manager's influence.[LNB] He is a talented player who I have watched a lot. But too often he has played in areas where he is never going to get his quota of goals. If a striker is not scoring, his confidence is going to drain away. But he is playing with confidence under Hodgson and, while he is never going to top the scoring charts, he has certainly got a better return than before.[LNB]Head to head[LNB][LNB]Hart (Birmingham).........v.....Gomes (Tottenham) [LNB]21..........................Appearances.........................17 [LNB]1,890..................Minutes on pitch.................1,457 [LNB]22.......................Goals conceded......................13 [LNB]86.............Minutes per goal conceded...........112 [LNB]8............................Clean sheets......................7 [LNB]72................................Saves...........................51 [LNB]3.4......................Saves per game...............3.0 [LNB]38.................Saves from inside box............30 3[LNB]4.............Saves from outside box..........21 [LNB]77%...........Saves to shots ratio...........80% [LNB]29........................Punches.......................16 [LNB]37.......................Catches..............................39 [LNB]1...............Dropped catches.......................1 [LNB]99%.......Catch success......................98% [LNB]259.....Long kicking distribution.....186 [LNB]42%........Kicking success ............65%[LNB]Joe Hart has kept eight clean sheets this season, only Cech, Friedel and Reina have achieved more. Only Friedel has a better saves to shots record than Heurelho Gomes, who saves four out of five on-target shots.[LNB]One to watchJunior Hoilett Classy moniker, did his dad name him after the legendary Brazilian, Junior, then? [LNB]No, his dad named him after himself. The 19-year-old Blackburn striker is actually David Hoilett, and is called Junior to avoid confusion with his dad, er, David Hoilett. [LNB]Seems to me all the confusion could have been avoided when they named him. [LNB]Where is he from? Brampton, Ontario, and he is described as Canadian/Jamaican on his website, which he shares with his equally talented 17-year-old brother Jaineil. [LNB]Sound like a couple of child prodigies. [LNB]These boys could be football's answer to the Williams sisters. Both are represented by dad and Junior took up 'soccer' at five. His website biog includes the modest description: 'At the age of 10 he played at the highest level of soccer. He did a scissors-kick goal that sparkled all the spectators' eyes.' [LNB]Is he still that good? [LNB]He's been on Rovers' books since he was 13 and, after a period in Germany, he is racking up the Premier League appearances. He scored his first goal in the Carling Cup against Gillingham last August. [LNB]Match of their daysSunderland v Stoke1900 [LNB]Sunderland's record 6-1 victory over Stoke helped the Mackems finish second in the First Division. It's not often the Sunderland fans celebrate a Geordie goal, but they did in this game, after Geordie Livingstone hit one of the goals in the rout. Billy Hogg (2), Colin McLatchie, Bill Raisbeck and Alf Common, the first £1,000 footballer, scoring the rest. Freddie Johnson hit Stoke's consolation goal.[LNB]1932 [LNB]Stoke won this FA Cup tie 2-1 at Maine Road in the second replay. Joe Mawson, on his way to a 20-goal season, hit both Stoke goals and Patsy Gallacher hit back for Sunderland. 2007 [LNB]Daryl Murphy hit an injury-time equaliser as Roy Keane's men headed to the Championship title. Darel Russell put Stoke in front but two minutes later Dean Whitehead, now at Stoke, levelled it. Carl Hoefkens fired Stoke into the lead but Murphy made it 2-2. One point instead of three for Stoke and they missed the play-offs by just two![LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Do Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa really play long-ball game, Arsene Wenger?Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0: Wenger's 'long-ball' dig after Vermaelen breaks leg [LNB] [LNB] [LNB]
