Aston Villa

ASTON VILLA 0-1 WATFORD - DAN MATTHEWS AT VILLA PARK: A first goal, a first win and, who knows, the first signs of life in Roy Hodgson's attempt to drag ...

Even after the game grew bitty, Watford carried a threat. But it was Watford who mustered the first half’s only effort on target. Ings and the home crowd were incensed. They created two of the game’s clearest chances even before Dennis scored. Instead, Hodgson heaped more misery at the foot of his former England captain. They had sat through 441 minutes without seeing the right net bulge.

Frustrated boss Steven Gerrard has demanded Villa's attacking players "stand up and be counted" to help halt their team's worrying slide.

I needed more people in the box and more goal threat. “But after the last two I need to demand more from the players in the final third. “I didn’t think we needed a holding midfielder in that position at the time.

Football Insider understands Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has made Joe Gomez his number one priority summer signing after January swoop.

Gerrard is said to be a “huge admirer” of Gomez and was hopeful that a deal could be reached in January. The defender has made just one Premier League start all season among 13 appearances in all competitions after missing most of last campaign with a knee injury. A Villa source has told Football Insider that Gerrard is already plotting another swoop for Gomez going into the main window.

The 36-year-old is in the final months of a three-year contract signed during the 2019/20 season and would be available to leave Anfield on a free transfer ...

He sets the right example to the other players and the players coming through because he’s got a wealth of experience." He might be happy with that and it’s his choice. I assume it’s going to be less than he’s earning now.

Here's Ashley Preece's talking points from Villa's fifth defeat from their last eight matches as Steven Gerrard desperately looks for answers to arrest the ...

Then there was Gerrard who pulled Emi Buendia to one side and whispered in his ear. At half-time on Saturday and, prior to coming out for the second half, the players were such an intriguing watch. There's 14 fixtures remaining to make sure Villa build up some much-needed momentum ahead of what's looking like a pivotal new season come August. "We are aware we can’t build Rome in a day," Gerrard said on Friday. "We've got to be patient, keep learning on the job, keep analysing where we're at, learning a lot about the players and we'll do everything we can to improve it as quickly as we can but, sometimes, you've got to be patient. "We've had 19 shots at goal today but have only managed one on target and that, for me, tells me it's a quality issue," Gerrard said. It is a medium to long term job that we're in.

There was hope for a bright new start when Steven Gerrard arrived on the back of a dismal run of defeats that cost former manager Dean Smith his job, but after ...

In isolation, a defeat to Watford, the team Villa have so often struggled against in recent years, would be excused. Villa were not as bad as the reaction on the final whistle suggested. In isolation, a defeat to Watford, the team Villa have so often struggled against in recent years, would be excused.