Video West Brom 0 - 0 Aston Villa

West Brom 0-0 Aston Villa: Ref has a hand in denying Baggies

Alan Hutton clearly used his arm to block a goal-bound header but ref Mark Clattenburg controversially refused spot-kick appeals
Firing blanks: West Brom and Aston Villa failed to trouble the scorers Firing blanks: West Brom and Aston Villa failed to trouble the scorers
PA

Nine weeks ago Roy Hodgson declared his West Brom team were already safe on 32 points in the glowing aftermath of a win over Sunderland.

Last night Alex McLeish sat in the same press room chair with 37 points... and looked a man who knew Aston Villa were anything but secure of their Premier League future.

A relieved McLeish had seen his side scratch their way to point thanks to a ludicrously bad decision by referee Mark Clattenburg, and an incredible injury-time save by Shay Given.

Nerves? If it is squeaky bum time at the top of the table then don’t even think about the pressures at the bottom, especially when, like ­McLeish, the fans are not on your side.

Yesterday Big Eck kept an unusually low profile, letting his assistant Peter Grant do most of the shouting from the touchline while his players fought for the club’s future.

A banner held by West Bromwich Albion fans
Clive Mason/Getty


“We didn’t want to be frantic in the technical area,” he said. “My seat was in the middle so I let Peter pass the messages.

“I normally like to stand out on the touchline, but it didn’t seem appropriate today. Was it a good point? Well, it was better than none. I thought the boys gave everything.”

Villa’s big slice of luck came just after the break when Liam Ridgewell’s goalbound header was turned over the bar by Alan Hutton’s arm. Referee Clattenburg gave a corner when it should clearly have been a penalty – and a red card.

A few moments later Clattenburg ducked another big call, declining to give Stephen Warnock a second yellow card when the Villa man kicked the ball away in protest at an offside flag.

“It should have been a penalty,” said Hodgson. “Maybe the referee couldn’t see through bodies in the way but the linesman should have seen it.”

Villa are at least fighting, and their spirit was typified by Richard Dunne, who forced his way back a week before he was scheduled to return from a shoulder injury.

Peter Odemwingie is challenged by Aston Villa's Richard Dunne Peter Odemwingie is challenged by Aston Villa's Richard Dunne
PA


Dunne put some spine into the back four and won most of the important headers. But Villa’s problem remains goals – they have just 36. And yesterday they found keeper Ben Foster – who won McLeish the Carling Cup with Birmingham last year – in defiant form.

Foster saved twice at the feet of Gabby Agbonlahor then pulled out an even better stop from Charles N’Zogbia.

That set the scene for a nailbiting finale as the impressive Carlos Cuellar headed off the line from Baggies’ hotshot Peter Odemwingie.

Then, deep into injury time. Odemwingie seemed certain to score from a Jerome Thomas cross until Given somehow got into the right place to keep it out with his knee. That might yet be the save that keeps Villa in the top flight – but there are still some nails to be bitten.



szólj hozzá: WBA Aston Villa 0:0 HIGHLIGHTS