Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Sunday November 11 2007
Time: 4:37PM
UK time is: 16:37:00
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MON 'Its About More Than 3 Points'
Martin O'Neill, interviewed on Sky Sports 1 after the 2-1 victory over Birmingham City was asked if he'd enjoyed his first derby game. He said not really!
'I didn't really enjoy it. I'm delighted we've won. The game could have gone either way. I thought the early exchanges all went to Birmingham. I felt we just about merited it at half-time. When Birmingham equalised I felt the next goal wins the game obviously, I'm delighted it was us. The game was in the balance. It could have gone either way.'
Adding, 'I'll enjoy the result. I'm delighted for this team and our fans and deep down relieved to get out of it.'
He also said he was too far away to really see either of the penalty claims but Steve Bruce apparently wasn't as he said:
'At the time and I'm convinced they were penalties. As usual Mr Bennett, we never seem to get those decisions. You need them to make decisions which are right. In a big game today we've been harshly done by. He's got them wrong. I hope he comes out here and admits he's wrong. We needed those decisions to go for us.' Adding that a draw would have been a fairer result.
To be fair, from the replays, the first was a hand ball, the second was a difficult decision, the player was harshly treated to be booked, whether a penalty or not, it didn't look like a dive.
Meanwhile, O'Neill on the official site said it is great to get the three points (our first away win since last April) but agreed the derby matches are about 'more' than just the points.
He was also pleased with the spirit in the team, 'I thought that was one of the most encouraging aspects for me. When they came back to 1-1 and we were under the cosh a little bit, we responded greatly.'
And just to show that he does live and breath the game, 'The winning goal was terrific and now I've experienced this derby. I was concerned about the game all week and wanting to do well. We've won the game and got the three points on the board, but it's about more than that. There's always more at stake in a derby game and the Villa fans have gone home delighted.'
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Your Comments
I understand where MON is coming from, however, I felt that we looked the better team over the ninety four minutes and fully deserved the win. What was most pleasing to see (apart from the opening five minutes or so) was we managed to keep the tempo up right to the end. Great result and fully deserved.
Nigel-not-Reo
It was a very very even game and it took a minute of brilliance from Gabby at both ends to swing it our way.I dont think the penalties looked clear cut especially De Ridders.In real time it must have been even harder to call.
Pking
Think MON was spot on, could have gone either way, just glad it went our way, we deserved the luck!
The Fear
Ok, ok...congrats then....eventho I had a tenner on a draw there....You lot actually looked like you wanted to win that one. Good game.
Blue is the colour
The result was everything. Manu, Liverpool and Newcastle all struggle against their fiercest rivals. We came up trumps again. Expecting to drill them away was ridiculous.
tarzan
26,539 was a pathetic attendance for a game of this magnitude! Just really hope we kick on now and start turning more draws into victories and really move up the league. Great Result. Think Petrov deserves some praise as well some clever passes and wasn't scared to get stuck in UTV!!
JeffBeck-TheLeftSide
Fair play to Blue is the colour
Pking
I think MON is a lucky manager, you make your own luck I guess. But I always thought, DOL, GT & JG didn't have the motivational skills for the high ressure games
tarzan
All of the players today looked like they really wanted it. Some were better than others but they ALL fought for it today. Well done to Stiliyan Petrov - thought he was excellent at times today and fair play to him for maintaing a first-class attitude throughout the last few months. I've been fiercely critical of him in the past but he's conducted himslef with real credit and is now starting to make an impact. Still has a lot to do but I think the signs are good.
Alec
Nice one BITC, good of you to come along and be civil, had we been on the wrong side of a derby day, I don't know if I'd be that gracious in defeat.
I'm not even that gracious in victory either, so have some of that bluenose!
The thing is, it was never really going to be about skill etc, it's a derby, it's about guts. Both teams had, and Petrov showed more than his fair share of them too, which was nice. But, it was about skill in terms of the points, just for a moment, Young showed that he had more skill that 50% of the players on the pitch put together, and whipped in a beauty, Agbonlahor showed he's not just about pace too.
I'm a very happy chappy this evening.
lorenzo
Yes fair play to Blue us the colour.. I think there was a different spirit evident this afternoon from the Villa boys and even when the blues equalised it looked like we still 'wanted it more'. Also think Young is becoming a marked man just hope one of these wild tackles don't actually connect! He does appear to be getting some treatment lately. A great rendition of we are the boys from the Holte Army in the last few mins! Sky+ is a great invention have replayed the last 5 mins at least 10 times already. Rewind play rewind play GET IN.. Savouring this ever so sweet victory
JeffBeck-TheLeftSide
26,539 is a dreadful attendance for the biggest game of their season. Maybe Mr Gold needs to look at his pricing structure for tickets. I noticed that the Villa allocation was snapped up even at the rediculous price of £45!! Maybe our prices were so high to soften the blow of 8,000 Bluenoses not bothering to show up!
Brilliant win for the lads today, another time in my life I'm glad my Dad brought me up properly!!
godzvilla
empty seats my lord...empty seats.....empty seats my lord empty seats..... that chant really did make me laugh along with a couple of others but Im glad we've got that game out the way and bloody hell look at the table three points off fourth where we deserve to be.
villabikes29
oh lord...empty seats!!!!
JeffBeck-TheLeftSide
One of my daughters asked what was ment by "empty seats my lord" so i had to break out a rendition of "Paul McGrath my lord" to witch she PHSL. Have to say it was nice to here our away support all the way through the game, not like the, "only sing once we've scored" mob from the sty.
Mutt_Man
Its always enjoyable to watch a fierce local derby as a neutral so why make one of the most card happy refs in the premiership the referee. Steve Bennett did his best to spoil the game.
dazza71
Great result, I had the whole family around today and we just got p!ssed and had a great time.This could have swung either way and shows if we get a proper right back and right wing of the quality of Ash, who is just getting better and better we will be a real threat.Hat's off to Stan, the last time I posted I was furious at his application and contribution, but he was the difference
today in my eyes.Was always there, never went hiding and mixed it well.So Mr Petrov, you have come back to show your true qualities( although ability wise they were never in doubt) and helped us beat the old enemy.Good man yourself, so onwards and upwards.One extremely happy Villa teddy bear here today.UTV
OneloveVilla
After vital blues site said Potatoe head did better in the transfer market than mon and calling liam as the proof of the pudding. Would you like salt and vinegar wih your hat? Potatoe head got roasted! Motm was not Liam, Imho Steve bennet and Stan should share it.
morky13villa
Happy with the result, but is everyone really that happy about the way we played? The defence just clear it long, and it comes straight back more often than not. The first touch of many of our players leaves something to be desired - how many times was possession lost this way? And Barry excepted, our passing is not great. Thought Gabby and Young got battered and the Ref did little to stop it - so sod the fact that he may have made a couple of mistakes that helped us. Agree that Stan had a good game - he looked up for it. 3 points well earnt though, so got to be happy with that.
CLVilla
Actually Cl, I thought the defence was composed for most of the game without much panic from Scott or the boys at the back. In a local derby its about the result not how well we pass the ball. UTV.
morky13villa
Bragging rights for you lot then!
merlin
"Blue is the colour" is a Ruskii from Fulham (AKA a Chelsea fan.)Still, he made a good point. I was expecting a second from the Blouse or worse, still having sleepless nights after the Spuz comeback.UTV
Villan444
Morky - I know what you mean, but it has been a problem all season - plenty of time to clear and yet it is just hoofed. Even Brum managed to play out of defence a few times. Especially early on, we just seemed to be trying to hit Carew. Surely we can pass the ball? There just don't seem to be many options for the player on the ball. Movement is everything if we want to get to the highest level.
CLVilla
oh well fair play to him anyway.
Pking
Agree CL, remembering previous encounters I thought much better composure especially in goal. However, not your normal match and would hope for better distribution next game.
morky13villa
Am I the only one who never saw us losing ?
When you see the number of shots on target and Carews awful misses we were always going to score again and I'd have been amaxed if Blues would.
Forcell made a big difference but otherwise they looked pedestrian at best, especially in defence.
avfc48
Carew and Hokey Cokey were the only 2 players to have a bad game, the rest of the lads did us proud!
DeanoVilla
No avfc48, your not the only one. I seen the same thing too! It was a scrappy affair, which is expected for a local derby. However, I thought we always looked the more comfortable side and the quality was clearly the deciding factor.
Nigel-not-Reo
Lets hope Boro is our next away win so we can finally get the Villa Bandwagon rolling rather than stuttering.
col8
Poor old liam ridgwell, just didnt see that coming. Dont they usually score against you, in the right net that is?
will it ever happen
luke moore hatrick up north once more! Have it!
The Usual Suspect
I agree with CLVilla, there is a worrying tendency to just hoof the ball upfield out of defence. Yet, when we keep the ball on the floor, we can play flowing penetrative football and, above all, we have the players to do it. We got away with it yesterday but the better teams will punish us if we persist in using this wasteful tactic which seems like a DOL legacy. Apart from that small worry a wonderful result.
Obediah
IMO that de ridder did dive, there was minimal (if any) contact and he knew exactly was he was doing, fortunately for us so did the ref. Its a real shame when professional footballers dive to not only win a pen but to get a fellow professional penalised.
As for the win, I look like a cheshire cat. Up the Villa!!
young_jonah
Surrounded by blues fans at work and owed a tenner from one of them....what a day!
KSarge1
I was delighted too see Shearer state the obvious on motd that De Ridder incident didnt look a foul,how biased were Apeman Keys and Alan Smith I wonder if their Coventry and Leicster connections clowded their judgement.As for the handball,I saw Carragher blatantly handle the ball last week and most of the pundits were afraid to say it was a handball.Zat did handle it though.
Pking
Must admit, the two derby games against BCFC are the only times that the manner of our performance is way down my list of priorities. All I'm concerned about is the result. I still haven't seen the two supposed penalty incidents on t.v., so I'll stick by my initial reaction to the incidents as viewed from the Railway End, and say that the ref got it right, both times. Great result, memorable day.
glensider
after being locked in for 80 minutes after the game i got to thinking they was trying to keep us there for the next bloose match so the ground wont look so empty. what a week this is going to be heads held high...... up the villa
claretandblue
Glad that wasn't the intention claretandblue. We saw enough of that eye-sore to last us a few seasons now.
glensider
Great atmosphere there though. But such bad vibes in and around the ground.
glensider
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