Aston Villa Football Club - California Supporters: December 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

Swansea Match Critical

After reaching a confidence "high" following the win at Anfield, the Villa has reached a new low. I wouldn't call the Swansea game a must win, but a result would certainly help the lads regain some traction. Confidence is subtle, but very powerful. I get this funny feeling that we may have been a little too confident following Liverpool (incl. all of the supporters). When the going gets tough - players begin to press, which can easily turn into an accelerated fall. The free-flowing confident play has turned tentative, but I know that this can be turned around. The lads need the supporters more than ever - lets stay behind them no matter what. We need the 12th man effect like they have in Seattle for the Seahawks.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Happy "Claret and Blue" Christmas!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Villa 1-3 Win at Anfield

OMG! That was the best Villa performance in the League this year. A complete team effort. The defense remained solid despite being pummeled with shot after shot from Liverpool. Brad Guzan made some great saves. Christian Beneteke...what can you say? HE IS MASSIVE! The entire midfield played amazingly.

listen to ‘Villa goals in Liverpool win’ on Audioboo

First Benteke goal from range

Goal #2 Andreas Weimann

(above) Weimann on the break

(above) Weimann finds Benteke on the wing

(above) Benteke back heels it ... return to Weimann

(above) Weimann SCORES

Goal #3 Benteke

(above) Benteke battles thru 2 Liverpool players to score an unassisted goal

Friday, December 14, 2012

Fuel TV

Our informed California Lion's membership told me today that tomorrow's match vs. Liverpool will be broadcast "live" in the U.S. on the Fuel Channel. I had never heard of this channel before (it is available through Direct TV and ATTUverse). It is an affiliate of Fox and focuses on what they call "adrenaline" sports, but I guess drops in a Premier League match into their schedule too. You learn new things everyday.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

On to the Semifinals of the League Cup!

What a match vs. Norwich City this past week. Villa played the their best game of the season and took the League Cup match victory 1-4 at Carrow Road. Goals from Brett Holman, Christian Benteke, and Andreas Weimann (2x).

How Did You Become a Villa Supporter?

"I wonder how many fans are actually originally from Birmingham or surrounding area. I am and I'm always interested if someone isn't from near Villa Park, why did they pick Villa as the team to follow." .............................................................................................. "I like Rick's story, he picked Villa as they were 'sponsored' by Acorns Children's Hospice at the time, a cause close to Rick's heart."..................................................................................................................... "I was born in Solihull (12 miles south of Villa Park) and my older bro turned me into a Villa supporter"................................................................................................................ "I am originally from Vauxhall (Birmingham B7) and have followed the Villa since my dad took me to see a game at Villa Park on my 4th birthday. I was a season ticket holder at VP from 1968 until I moved over here twelve years ago."........................................................................................................................"I am from Halesowen which is right next to the black country. Which is tesco carrier bag territory. However my dad is from the city and he always took me and my brother to villa games. I was a season ticket holder in the holte untill 2007 when I moved out here."......................................................................................................................."So why do I support Villa if I've never been to Birmingham? That's a very good question that I've asked myself many times over the years. When I started following the league almost everyone was a Liverpool fan for the same reason almost everyone now is a United, City, or Chelsea fan. Not being someone who follows the crowd I wanted to support a team that was unique and different. When I was a kid, Andy Gray was one of my favorite players and I used to read his columns in Shoot magazine about playing for Villa and thought a lot of the things about the team were unique: the team name, colors, and specially the history."..................................................................................................................."Born just a couple of miles from Villa park, with my father, mother, grandparents and more than half of my extended family with claret and blue blood (you can work out who the rest of that motley crew supported SOTC) it was written in the stars that I was going to be Villa through and through."...................................................................................................................I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. Played the game for 30 some odd years and have been a Villa fan all my life. I have seen 2 live games(both losses, but a great atmosphere none the less). My grandfather was a steward at Villa Park for many years. My father and brother are members of the Canadian Villa fan club in Toronto. I'm here in the central valley, and know of couple of villa fans here in Fresno................................................................................................................