Tim’s timing is perfect for Villa
TIM SHERWOOD inspired an Aston Villa turnaround with a dramatic half- time team talk. The new Villa Park manager watched from the stands but dashed to the dressing room to address a poor fi rst- half display. His words of wisdom paid off instantly as goals from Leandro Bacuna and Scott Sinclair sent Villa into tonight’s FA Cup quarter- fi nal draw with a 2- 1 win over Leicester.
“Tim came in and made a couple of points, it was a couple of bits and pieces for everyone,” said caretaker Scott Marshall. “The lads then used that in the second half.
“He was in the dressing room briefly and gave good information to the group. There was some football knowledge there that comes from a life in the game.”
Marshall was on the bench at Villa Park yesterday in place of Paul Lambert, who was sacked last week, due to the appointment of Sherwood only being confi rmed on Saturday.
“I put across my points from the game and then he had a bit of input,” said Marshall. “Tim gave a few suggestions to try.”
FOR 45 minutes of this tie, it was the same old Aston Villa and it looked as if the sacked Paul Lambert was still at the helm .
Once again, no goals and little invention. Incoming manager Tim Sherwood sat in the directors’ box yesterday mostly stern- faced. Whenever the camera was off him he appeared to be tearing his hair out.
He was probably wondering just why he had agreed a three- and- a- half- year deal to replace Lambert.
But suddenly the fears turned to hope as Villa – inspired by some half- time words from Sherwood – produced a much- improved second- half display and the former Tottenham boss was able to raise his arms aloft in triumph.
He watched as a stunning strike from Leandro Bacuna and a fortunate second for Scott Sinclair handed Villa victory, although Andrej Kramaric’s late header briefl y raised Leicester hopes .
Caretaker manager Scott Marshall had spoken to Lambert, who had given him some pearls of wisdom before the game on how to beat Leicester. “Getting into the quarter- fi nal of the cup is a good achievement,” said Marshall. “It’s good for the boys to get a win. They have been very professional and delivered on the pitch.
“I spoke to Paul Lambert before the game. I’d rather leave what was said between us but he gave a bit of encouragement. He wanted the team to do well.”
Leicester should arguably have been ahead at the break with Marcin Wasilewski’s glancing header from Matty James’ corner hitting the far post, while a superb drive from James was spectacularly saved by Villa goalkeeper Shay Given, who rolled back the years at the age of 38.
Villa struggled to fashion any chances against Leicester’s fi ve- man defence, although the returning Christian Benteke did put the ball in the net before the break but was ruled offside.
The hosts were a different side in the second half, with Fabian Delph heading over from a Bacuna cross, before Leicester goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved at the feet of Benteke following an Alan Hutton header .
Benteke then headed a Hutton cross wide as Villa continued to press, and they were rewarded in the 68th minute. Bacuna received the ball from Ron Vlaar before unleashing an unstoppable 18- yard drive to bring the Holte End, and Sherwood, to its feet.
Leicester did offer a response. It took a bold double save from Given to foil substitute Leo Ulloa from Riyad Mahrez’s cross and then Kramaric on the rebound.
But Villa wrapped up the game with a minute of normal time remaining when Sinclair scored his fi rst goal for the club, helped in no small way by Schwarzer embarrassingly spilling his shot into the net. Leicester pulled one back a minute later through Kramaric’s fi ne header from Schlupp’s cross but the result piled more pressure on Foxes manager Nigel Pearson . The 6,000 visiting fans chanted “Pearson, sort it out” and “What a load of rubbish”.
Pearson said: “People are entitled to their opinions. It was frustrating. We did not manage the ball well enough in the fi rst half.
“We grew into the game and looked nice and solid. But in the second half there was too many unforced errors.
“There were too many careless mistakes when we had the ball. I never thought it would be easy but we are not making life easy for ourselves.
“To go out in the fashion that we have done today is not something that I’m particularly happy with.
“We are chasing too many games at the moment and that makes it diffi cult.”