Brentford left Villa Park on Wednesday night with a well earned 1-1 draw – John Egan’s late equaliser cancelling out Jonathan Kodjia’s excellent first half strike.
Villa fans, some of whom had dubbed Brentford ‘a shower of **** pub team’ and ‘no marks’, booed there side off the pitch at the final whistle, while Bees fans celebrated a spirited result against their illustrious hosts. A win at Brighton, and a draw in Villa, is an excellent haul from two very difficult trips in recent days.
The match stats show that The Bees were the more dominant overall, especially in an improved seconds half, in which the home side were put under the cosh towards the end – but Villa, despite being way off the form their fans expect, still had enough about them to concern Dean Smith’s defenders.
Jonathan Kodjia repaid a small slice of his £11m transfer fee by scoring a stunning first goal for his new club, the former Bristol City striker smashing home an unstoppable shot after breezing past Andreas Bjelland who stood in at left back for the second game. It was undoubtedly a quality finish – arguably the only piece of genuine class Roberto Di Matteo’s side produced all match.
Over all, it really was impossible to tell which of the two clubs had just lavished £50m on bolstering their squad, and although the trip to Villa Park was undoubtedly one of the season’s highlights for Brentford fans, their players were completely unfazed and proved they are in the top ten of this decision on merit, not just on a glorified cup run.
Ryan Woods had another excellent game for Brenrford – he was central to mounting the second half recovery – as the game progressed The Bees’ confidence started to grow and it was no real surprise when they grabbed an equaliser – Egan’s back post deflected shot finding the net after Sullay Kaikai’s cross found him unmarked with just two minutes remaining.
Fans of both sides, speaking after the game on the Beesotted Pride of West London Podcast (click link above to listen), thought a point was no more than than Brentford deserved, with many feeling that if we’d equalised a little sooner, there was a real chance we’d have gone on and won as the pendulum had well and truly swung our way in the closing stages.
Still, a point at Villa, on the back of the weekend win on the South Coast, is an impressive haul and further underlines the club’s credentials as a quality Championship outfit, no matter if some Villa fans do feel we are just a tin pot pub team not fit to grace their pitch.
Dave Lane
@beesotted100
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Don’t tar all villa fans with the same arrogance. I think most fans are in panic mode now, and feel we have the right to just turn up and win. Brentford were the better team and deserved the result.
The worst thing about watching last nights game was watching brentford celebrating a 1-1 all victory,have some self respect,you didnt win.
Would have thought watching your very average team would have given you more cause for concern.
That was the worst thing? Not seeing your team, which had £50M spent on it over the summer, draw with Brentford at home? Of course when Villa equalise in the 88th minute you clap politely, right? Have some self respect.
Nor did you win……all that gob about five or six, how low we’ve sunk we are playing Brentford for God’s sake, if we don’t win this we really are shit, they won’t bring a thousand (if we didn’t less than a thousand of us make more noise and create more support than thirty odd thousand of you lot), more mouth about how Brentford are a pub side we’ll demolish and get back on the road to where we belong. Arrogance at it’s highest. It’s always worth celebrating when you shut arrogance like that up, especially last minute.
From Aston Villa to Aston Portacabin, you have no divine right to anything, you’re in the Championship for a reason, get over it, after last nights performance you’re going to have to get used to it.
Eric, you have put it so well.
Any football fan knows a late equaliser seems like a win, and a late winner sends you into absolute ecstasy.
I guess Villa fans have not been used to either recently, hence their failure to appreciate. Maybe this season will bring them down to earth.
Regards
Gordon