Aston Villa chalked up a comfortable 2-0 win against largely a FC Dallas reserve side in a game most notable for a bright performance by Jack Grealish, a couple of water breaks and two smartly taken goals, the best of the bunch a Charles N’Zogbia freekick.
Joe Cole missed the game due to injury (he didn’t wait long to visit the medical table in his Villa career) and Shay Given was the only player to play the full 90 minutes, with the complete outfield team changed at half-time. Flags from the Aston Villa supporter clubs of Kidderminster, Cannock, California, Chicago and Seattle were amongst some of those spotted in the crowd.
Overall a decent night’s work.
The Aston Villa team
First half AVFC line-up – Given, Hutton, Okore, Stevens, Baker, Herd, Bacuna, Gardner, Weimann, Bent and Grealish.
Second half AVFC line-up – Given, Lowton, Senderos, Clark, Bennett, Westwood, El Ahmadi, Delph, N’Zogbia, Agbonlahor, Richardson.
The highlights below are courtesy of FC Dallas. UTV
It wasn’t a complete reserve team as they played a decent amount of their starters but not all together at the same time.
Why am I deluded? I know exactly what Villa have and what has happened to them. I simply said FC Dallas did not play their reserve team. Terry where did I say full strength team… I did not. They played their 1st team squad and mixed it up just like Villa did. I have just counted 9 of their starters last night that played or were on the bench in their last league game. Another 1 played after coming back from an injury. How does that equate to a Reserve team? Sure they gave playing time to everyone, as did Villa. By your logic Villa played their reserve team…..Did Villa play a reserve team?
Why are these games a useless exercise? Is it a useless exercise for all the other English teams that are playing over here or Asia or wherever? Show me where they advertised it as reserve game. They did not. It was promoted as an International Friendly between FC Dallas and Aston Villa.
I despair at people like Terry that moan their life away. I want Lerner gone and I want money and a better direction for the club but I won’t take cheap shots at my club. I can’t wait to go to Houston and watch another useless exercise!
Mike – FC Dallas did create an ad that said, ‘Aston Villa vs ‘FC Dallas Reserves’, which then got withdrawn, as their marketing team took some heat for it. When I said ‘reserve team’, I’m talking about it not being their proper team. That’s all.
They were resting players as it’s in the middle of their league week. Not pointless though, obviously about fitness, tactics, trying things, looking at players etc. It’s good to win, when they write these games down in the record books, but it doesn’t matter for much.
I don’t know who makes this stuff up but it was not against a reserve team. It was basically FC Dallas 1st team squad vs, Villa;s 1st team squad. Both teams swapped players but kept the a competitive team out there, For example, 3 defenders plus the goalkeeper (that is 4 out 5) started their last league game and started this game. The 5th player was subbed on in the 2nd half. I can’t be bothered to go into anymore detail because some people just want to find a negative spin on things. Now I am off to Houston and look forward to comments about us playing their youth team next….
BTW, this is a Dallas team that was unbeaten in 8 and is 3rd in their division. How about opening the story with that fact!!!!.
Keep your hair on. You’re being a bit sensitive here. This game is midweek match in-between two important fixtures for FC Dallas and yes, it was a much changed first XI for them. It’s not ‘negativity’, it’s just fact. You’re the one who’s looking for negativity. FC Dallas even advertised it as a ‘reserve team’ and the commentators (who commentate on FC Dallas all the time) went through the team changes and said the same thing
I’m not putting any bullshit positive spin on it as you suggested (what do you want us to write? That it evoked memories of Germany’s 7-1 win against Brazil?!). Don’t get deluded. It is what it is, it’s just a friendly. Decent workout etc, etc. You’re looking for something that isn’t there. We’re just being realistic. WE ARE NOT THE OFFICIAL CLUB SITE.