Tim Sherwood knows when he’s wrongI criticised his freaky substitutions against Leicester but the gaffer deserves credit this time for quickly correcting a peculiar team selection.
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Robbie Savage has told The BBC that Aston Villa’s substitutes were the game changers against Birmingham City.
The arrests were in relation to violent disorder, breaching banning orders and invading the pitch during Villa’s 1-0 victory in the third round of the competition.
While Blues, with a budget dwarfed by Villa’s, had to settle for bringing two unproven rookies off the bench – both Viv Solomon-Otabor and Nicolai Brock-Madsen acquitted themselves well, Villa had the luxury of adding £9m Jordan Ayew and hot prospect Jack Grealish at half-time.
And, following his second-half header, Gestede believes downing their second-city rivals will help lift the club. They knocked the ball around confidently and it must have been startling for Sherwood, however he attempted to dress it up, to see the inability of his players to gain any early momentum.
Villa are still petrified of playing at home, appear lightweight in key areas, and you have to wonder where the goals are going to come from following the sale of Christian Benteke to Liverpool.
Sherwood said in television interviews after the match that Villa’s original game-plan was to hit the ball long in the first half and then change formation at half-time to open up the space in midfield.
The Villa Park faithful haven’t had much to cheer so far this season – they have won just one league match – but this win has delighted their fans and Tim Sherwood will hope his side can carry the momentum gained into the next match at Anfield on Saturday. I know the fans are interested in wins.
Gestede, Ayew and Veretout will come goodSeveral of our summer signings have yet to properly bed in, but three of them can go to work with a smile on their face today. It was after Sherwood changed his side at half-time that the team from the Championship could not cope and it was no coincidence that was when the talented Jack Grealish entered the field.
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He said: “There shouldn’t be one of our players with their heads down, they should be really proud of what we’ve done. Even though that’s how I wanted them to play”.
