Aston Villa - A Fresh Start

Aston Villa played their first game of the 2011/2012 season by kicking off in Asia for the Barclays Asia Trophy. The Pre Season tournament saw Chelsea, Villa and Blackburn from the Premier League take part along side local side Kitchee. The first round of games to be played were Aston Villa v Blackburn and Chelsea v Kitchee, the winner of both games would play each other in the final for the trophy whilst the two losers would play each other in the 3rd/4th place play off.



So the game started, and straight away it felt very much like a Premier League fixture with crisp, flowing football and then in a instant changed to scrappy and feisty, tackles flying in at any given opportunity, it was obvious both teams wanted to win. And that's how the game was played out. A very well contested game in which only one goal was scored, and it had to be of course, Darren Bent, the last time we saw him in action he missed a sitter against Switzerland for England, but the strikers confidence was flying high after that game, and for new boss too, Alex McLeish, his first competitive game in charge the pressure was off 4 minutes after half time when Bent bagged his goal.

And a nice goal it was too, an inviting cross from Barry Bannan saw Bent dart across in front of his marker and the slightest of touches sent the ball past Blackburn 'keeper Paul Robinson. However not much else happened in the game except for a fine say from new signing Shay Given who just about got his fingertips to a Brett Emerton shot. Towards the end of the game Robinson made another great save to keep out Marc Albrighton. Villa were winners, a tight fought out game against Premier League opposition was a decent start for McLeish and Aston Villa who would play either Kitchee or Chelsea in the final.