AND BRUCE IS CRYING OUT FOR TERRY
TIME to send out another SOS to John Terry as Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce once again found himself in the line of fire.
Bruce was already under the cosh as far as some Villa fans were concerned following a 4-1 hammering at Sheffield United a fortnight ago.
And he was forced to suffer chants of “We want Bruce out” by some of the 4,000 travelling fans.
But a brilliant free-kick from substitute Conor Hourihane in added time at least gave him some valuable breathing space.
With Villa in desperate straits, they were awarded a free-kick just outside the box which Hourihane curled around the wall and past Rovers keeper David Raya.
But nothing less than a promotion charge will be accepted this season with Villa under new ownership. After the Bramall Lane battering and with Terry’s move to Russia falling through, Bruce admitted he would have the defender who spent last season at Villa Park “back in a heartbeat”.
Wages of £60,000 a week have been the stumbling block. But the message came over loud and clear at Ewood Park – pay up for the former Chelsea man.
Villa’s reshaped defence had lived dangerously and they were finally punished 14 minutes from time when in a hectic goalmouth scramble Bradley Dack celebrated his return after injury with a clever backheel from Danny Graham’s shot. No wonder Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray turned down a £7million offer from West Brom for the forward in the last window.
Villa were also left ruing some missed chances from on-loan striker Tammy Abraham.
Bruce admitted the international break had been a nightmare and it came perilously close to worsening after just 10 minutes as Villa switched off at the back,
After dominating from the kick off, they suddenly found themselves on the back foot as Charlie Mulgrew pumped in a cross and Corry Evans headed downwards only for keeper Orjan Nyland to scramble the ball off the line.
Bruce then experienced elation and frustration in quick succession. A Dack header was disallowed for offside and when John McGinn went tumbling in the opposite box, Villa’s penalty appeals were waved aside.