Damn American Goalkeepers.

By: Stephen | October 27th, 2009

0,,10281~7524919,00 Ugh. Why did Aston Villa start Brad Guzan? Couldn’t they have found someone in the academy like so many teams do during the Carling Cup? Why did they have to take this cup seriously? WHY???????? Sunderland needed, no had to have this cup. The lack of silverware around the SOL is alarming to me.

Oh and my boy Kenwyne? Try a little harder on your shots please? We need goals. Just because we beat Liverpool, doesn’t mean we can start acting like we don’t want to put the foot on the ball. Yes I know it’s hard to score, but still it should be a tad bit easier to put a couple passed a second choice keeper. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGh.

SAFC: Gordon, Da Silva, McCartney (Ferdinand, 79), Turner, Nosworthy, Murphy (Reid, 73), Campbell (Malbranque, 95), Henderson, Cana (C), Richardson, Jones.

Subs Not Used: Healy, Reed, Meyler, Fulop.

Booked: Henderson (71), Ferdinand (82).

Sent Off: None.

Aston Villa: Guzan, Dunne, A Young, Milner, Agbonlahor, Heskey (Carew, 78), Petrov (Sidwell, 116), Reo-Coker (Delph, 90), Cuellar, Warnock, Collins.

Subs Not Used: Friedel, L Young, Shorey, Beye.

Booked: Warnock (15), Petrov (45).

Sent Off: None.

Penalties:
1 – SUNDERLAND – Andy Reid – Missed
1 – ASTON VILLA – John Carew – Scored
2 – SUNDERLAND – Lorik Cana – Missed
2 – ASTON VILLA – James Collins – Scored
3 – SUNDERLAND – Steed Malbranque – Scored
3 – ASTON VILLA – Gabriel Agbonlahor – Missed
4 – SUNDERLAND – Jordan Henderson – MIssed
4 – ASTON VILLA – Ashley Young – Scored

And now a word from our amazing, super manager Steve Bruce: (as always credit SAFC.com)

“It simply wasn’t our night – it’s a cruel way to go but in terms of the performance I thought we were terrific from start to finish.

We deserved it but we had to take our chances at this level and against a team like Aston Villa. A penalty kick with four minutes to go, Kieran Richardson in extra time; it was all there for us.

Unfortunately, whether it’s through luck or bad play on our part, we’re out of the Cup. I couldn’t fault the performance, though, make no mistake. Villa are a top-six team and we should have beaten them on the night.

The lads are disappointed because they were so close to getting to a quarter-final, but it wasn’t to be.

I’m not going to say anything about the Jordan Henderson penalty incident in the first half [with Richard Dunne]. If we’d have got that we’d have probably missed it as well, the way the night was going.”

Well at least the Black Cats get to play a walkover team in West Ham on the weekend. Oh wait, I could have said that about Birmingham City, but we won’t get into that.