John Terry is the famous claret and blue. Wasn’t that a sight.
For some Aston Villa fans it needed a day like this for the reality to really sink in.
Terry, one of the most decorated centre-halves of his time, leading out the Villa.
Well get used to it because he’s the new club captain and it looks like his troops will need him.
All-square when Terry departed on 61 minutes after a solid if not spectacular debut, Villa crumbled to pieces without him.
The centre-half partnership of Alan Hutton and Micah Richards was breached, first by a header from Zak Jules and then soon after by a fine strike from Arthur Gnahoua. Those goals gave the League One side a convincing victory and clearly Villa still have a lot to do in the following three weeks before they get it right for the Championship opener at Hull City.
Henri Lansbury’s penalty in the last minute was a consolation that reduced the deficit but it’s important to remember that this was only a pre-season friendly.
Nothing was lost here at the Montgomery Waters Meadow and, if anything, it will fire Villa into life by reminding them how much needs to be done to get them ready for the season ahead.
Johnstone, Hutton, Chester, (Richards, 61) Terry, (Tshibola, 61) Taylor, (Amavi, 61) Bjarnason (Lyden, 80) Veretout, (Gardner, 61) Hourihane (Lansbury, 61) Green (Bree, 61) McCormack, (Davis, 61) Hogan (Agbonlahor, 61)
Not used: Sarkic, Bunn. Samba.
More to follow…
Source : BirminghamMail