I have good news and bad news. The good news is that we finally won a game thanks to goals from Kyle Walker, who made one of the most impressive debuts we’ve seen in claret and blue in recent memory, Marc Albrighton and Stiliyan Petrov.

The bad news is that the scoreline flatters us; it wasn’t pretty at times, and we finished the game with ten men after Ashley Young was dismissed for what was a very soft second booking, meaning that we’ll be without both Emile Heskey and Young for the Birmingham game now.

The game could hardly have started any better, Reo-Coker moved the ball from the centre circle out to Marc Albrighton on the right who volleyed the ball back to Walker. His first touch opened some space in front of him and he galloped off, running directly at goal (remember that concept?), the Sheffield players backed off him, a little jink as he entered the box and he set himself up to slot in with his left foot from about 15 yards out.

Of course, he couldn’t really celebrate as one should celebrate such a goal on a debut being an ex-Sheffield player and lifelong fan, but he must have been as delighted inside as the away support were outside. Can we keep him please, ‘Arry? Please?

Although the home side were giving a good account of themselves, it was Villa who scored again just after the half hour mark with Albrighton displaying superb technique to volley home Young’s cross from the left.

Job done at half time, 2-0, looking reasonably comfortable, the only real concern being Robert Pires clearly off the pace in the advanced play maker role ahead of Barry Bannan and captain Nigel Reo-Coker in the middle. Not exactly living up to his own hype.

2nd half

Sheffield came out for the second half in fighting mood and it was disconcerting to see Villa reverting to recent type, looking disjointed and lacking in confidence despite being 2-0 up on a Championship side.

The almost inevitable collapse looked likely when Carlos Cuellar was adjudged to have tripped Lee Williamson just three minutes in and referee Mike Jones pointed straight to the spot. Personally, I saw Cuellar toe poke the ball away and very little, if any contact, afterwards, but Jones was convinced and that’s about how our luck is going right now.

Jamie Ward, who is an ex-Villa trainee, sent the ball right now the middle from the spot and Sheffield were right back in the game.

Ashley Young picked up a petulant booking for putting an arm across the face of Ellan Parrino in an attempt to win the ball back after the defender failed to fall for silky skills on the edge of the box. It would prove hugely significant minutes later, but was entirely symptomatic of what appeared to be a pretty sour attitude from the start of the game.

After a comical mix up with the electronic board, Houllier finally made a double switch in the 65th minute, Stewart Downing coming on for Pires and Petrov replacing Bannan. If only the manager had made the switch he seemed to try initially with Young trotting over to the sideline, before the number on the board being switched to Bannan’s 25.

Downing took up position on the left, Petrov dropped into the middle alongside Reo-Coker and Ash moved into his now familiar central role behind Gabby.

Petrov, of all people, found himself with a fantastic opportunity to restore the two goal cushion sent though one-on-one with keeper Simonsen via a lovely through ball from Downing. The keeper was quickly off his line though, as he had been all through the first half to snuff out several opportunities falling Gabby’s way.

In the end, Petrov took one touch too many as he looked to pick his spot and fired his shot into Simonsen’s ankle. It was one of those chances you don’t want to see falling to either Petrov or Reo-Coker, neither being much of a finisher under pressure.

The writing appeared to be on the wall in the 77th minute when Ashley Young was harshly shown his second yellow in a clumsy effort to win the ball back from behind, attempting to make amends for being easily dispossessed. Conveniently, the incident was right in front of the tunnel, so he didn’t have far to storm off to.

The final throes of the game, plus four minutes of stoppage time, then, set up for a ‘batten down the hatches and hang on’ job under pressure from a home side determined to get back on terms.

Injury time

But a weird thing happened. Under the cosh, down to ten men, into injury time, we actually scored. Even more amazing, it was Stiliyan Petrov firing it emphatically into the top corner! Superb!

Again, Kyle Walker at the heart of the move, winning possession in our own half, beating a couple of Sheffield players before setting off on another surging run through the middle, this time sending the ball out wide to Gabby exploiting space down the left.

Gabby fed it inside to Albrighton, back to Gabby, back to Albrighton, up to Petrov, quick one-two with Albrighton running into the box and it’s back with Stan turning toward goal. A little jink to his right before unleashing one of his trademark efforts that usually end up in the next postcode.

Not this time though. Top corner. Pick. That. Out!

That’s the sort of quality we know we have and that’s the sort of quality we know has to froth to the surface more often. If it does, no question, we’ll be out of this slump.

Overall, it might not be the massive confidence booster we needed ahead of the next match, and we did lose another key player to suspension, but it’s a win and the lifeline of still being in a cup competition. We also discovered that the first January signing, albeit possibly only temporary, is rather good. More like that please Mr Houllier!

One game at a time, on to the next one.

Aston Villa Starting XI: Friedel, Walker, Cuellar, Dunne, Clark, Albrighton, Reo-Coker, Pires, Bannan, Young, Agbonlahor. Subs: Marshall, Petrov, Collins, Hogg, Herd, Delfouneso, Downing.