Demba Cisse the most expensive player in the January transfer and the other half of the Senegalese strike force alongside Demba Ba, provided an instant impact as he scored a majestic goal on his debut. Majestic.

Ba and Cisse were away on ACN duty and how they were missed, especially Ba, who gave Newcastle the lead in the 30th minute for his 16th Premiership goal.

Newcastle fans will get a chance this afternoon to welcome a player who played 462 times for the Newcastle first team. Tim Krul can emulate Shay Given a Newcastle Shay Given will play in the opposing goal at Newcastle for the first time ever this afternoon, and Shay of course was a Newcastle star from the summer of 1997 until he left the club in [.

Shay Given will play at St. James' Park for the first time since he left the Newcastle club in January of 2009. Shay Given while at Newcastle from 1997 through 2009 And of course with Shay leaving in that winter transfer window of 2009, Newcastle were finally relegated in the May of that year, but Shay left basically [.

Shay Given will play at St. James' Park for the first time since he left the Newcastle club in January of 2009. Shay Given while at Newcastle from 1997 through 2009 And of course with Shay leaving in that winter transfer window of 2009, Newcastle were finally relegated in the May of that year, but Shay left basically [.

By Alan Duffy

Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa FA Cup 29th January 2012

With Aston Villa going in at half-time two goals up, Arsene Wenger would no doubt have been preparing himself for a mountain of abuse from the Emirates crowd for the rest of the afternoon.

By David Walker

The January transfer window is often a frenzied time with chairmen, managers and agents battling against the clock to secure new players. As a result, many players who move during this period often do so at over-inflated transfer fees and are hit-or-miss in terms of success.

"Shay will go back between the sticks and we explained to Brad that our No. 1 goalkeeper is Shay. Brad didn't necessarily agree but Shay is my first-choice goalkeeper. Football is cruel at times, although Brad's been magnificent. It's the first time I've had a chance to see him in high-profile games and I've been really delighted.

What had the potential to be a battle of the Americans ended up not happening, with Brad Guzan giving way to the returning Shay Given in goal for Aston Villa. Tim Howard and Landon Donovan started in the 1-1 draw. Donovan assisted on Victor Anichebe's equalizer, with a pass that probably reminded too many of the Everton faithful why Donovan is such an upgrade for their club.

By Alan Duffy

Aston Villa 1-1 Everton Premier League 14th January 2012

Alex McLeish's Villa side once again struggled in front of their home fans, drawing with Everton to make it just three wins out of 10 home league fixtures for the Villans.

photo by Neil Tingle/ISIphotos.com

Shay Given has recovered from his groin injury and has returned to training for Aston Villa, but that does not necessarily mean he is going to supplant Brad Guzan as the Villans' starting goalkeeper.

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish is keeping his options open in terms of who to start between the goal posts on a permanent basis as a result of Guzan's string of strong performances since filling in for Given since early December.

Though Brad Guzan in goal for Aston Villa was supposed to be a temporary assignment, he has done enough to create a problem for Villa manager Alex McLeish. So much so in fact that McLeish has publicly made it known that his former #1 goalkeeper Shay Given isn't a lock to take the job back. "He has made great progress," McLeish said of Given.

Enaut to know better This goalkeeping howler was arguably the least of Real Sociedad's worries as they lost 6-1 to Mallorca last night. But it's funny nonetheless. You know the routine made famous by Shay Given by know: goalkeeper thinks his penalty area is clear, drops the ball to the ground, and elusive [.

Tim Krul has made a good start to his career as the Newcastle number one goalkeeper. Tim Krul playing well at Newcastle But after years behind both Shay Given and Steve Harper he will have been well schooled in not taking anything for granted, and also having good relationships with the other goalkeepers, even though they are competing for his spot in the side.

When Aston Villa starting goalkeeper Shay Given went down with an injury in an early December match against Manchester United, Alex McLeish was forced to turn to American backup Brad Guzan, who has been patiently waiting for a starting role in the Premier League ever since joining Villa from Chivas USA in 2008.

Could the Spaniard be given less defensive duty?

As is customary during this period of the season, games come thick and fast. Tonight sees us visiting Villa Park and this is the first of 4 games in 13 days. Yet, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. This is as big a test as the Manchester City game.

Liverpool head back out on the road, visiting the West Midlands in search of their second consecutive win in league. Success away from Anfield has been easier to come by, with Kenny Dalglish's squad winning more at opposition venues than they have at home. Alex McLeish's squad are level on points with Norwich City in ninth and have earned eleven of their nineteen points at Villa Park despite losing two of their last three.

Not only is Brad Guzan set for his first EPL start tomorrow, it seems the club are ready to ensure he doesn't run out of contract for a while longer than June.Anybody else going to watch this one? I sure am. Without trying to seem like a joy profiteer from Shay Given's misfortune, Guzan has well-earned this shot (and a certain other one, as well).

Am I dreaming? If I am long may it continue! everyone's buzzing with positivity and we have our beloved Spurs back. I'm no longer looking across London and asking ‘why can't we play like that' or bemoaning the fact that we can't we grind results out like United.

From front to back we are functioning as a top class team; Brad Friedel is showing us that life begins at 40!

Brad Guzan is 27 years old, has been in England for nearly 4 years, but has never started a Premier League game. That's all about to change this weekend as Aston Villa travel to take on Bolton. With star Shay ... Continue reading →

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The time for Brad Guzan to prove his worth at Aston Villa has finally come.

The American goalkeeper is slated to become the Villans' starter for the next month after scans revealed that regular starter Shay Given has a hamstring tear. Guzan replaced Given in the first half of Saturday's 1-0 loss to Manchester United and did not allow a goal.

Gareth Bale was among several players to make a personal tribute to Gary Speed this weekend. Image: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images Europe.

There were substantial scorelines, touching tributes and what must have amounted to an entire deck of cards across the European leagues this weekend.

Why waste time pontificating?

1. So we're barely in December and we've already won as many games away as we had done all of last season. Whilst the scoreline meant we had a nervy ending to the game, it was a convincing performance that was worthy of victory. Whilst I don't think dominating a team in the top half away from home is anything to be sniffed at, it is frustrating to see us struggle to put games to bed.

By Alan Duffy

Aston Villa 0-1 Manchester United Premier League 3rd December 2011

This game was so interminably dull that ESPN commentator Jon Champion had to resort to telling the viewers about which United players were buying which dogs, as sidekick Chris Waddle, a man who sucks any last particle of excitement out of the most exciting occasion, sent us to sleep.

Phil Jones first Manchester United goal was enough to see off Aston Villa today at Villa Park as United dominated the possesion for most of the game without killing off the game with a second. However more worrying for United was the fact that Mexican striker Javier Hernandez was stretchered off after 12 minutes with an ankle injury which will rule him out for several crucial weeks.

It wasn't exactly a beautiful game, but Manchester United's 1-0 victory against Aston Villa was loaded with talking points.

The biggest storyline from the match wasn't United's victory, but the serious ankle injury suffered by Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, who rolled his ankle and appeared to suffer severe ligament damage.

They obviously can't be bothered, so neither can I. It was a positive line-up, but Utd never needed to get out of 1st gear. McLeish must be giving out his instructions in Russian or something because he's managed to make some very capable players look like they haven't the first clue what they're doing.

Why Gary Speed would be very proud of Shay Given and so should all Villa fans

Aston Villa's game at Swansea was an immensely moving day even for those fans who did not know or had not even met Gary Speed. Having attended the match, I like everyone else at the Liberty Stadium was stunned and extremely saddened by news of Speed's shock death.

Before I say anything else, let me just make it clear that I think that Gary Speed's death yesterday, at the age of 42, is unquestionably tragic; an awful, shocking piece of news. It's difficult for me to imagine a circumstance so terrible that hanging myself seemed the best option, and I hope I never experience anything remotely approaching it.

Shay Given's bravery, Anfield's tribute, Defoe's strike and more of the weekend's most striking images

A selection of snaps from a weekend when we were reminded that there is more to life than sport

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-11-28 11:39:18 from: Talksport

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

I was watching the Swansea vs Aston Villa game on TV yesterday when it was announced out of the blue that Gary Speed had died at 42. Shay Given in tears during the minute's tribute to Gary Speed yesterday At first I thought it may have been a heart attack, since no details were given in the telecast about the [.

Morning all,

another week, another two games on the horizon and the football world is in a strange place after yesterday's news about Gary Speed. I really don't have much to say about it other than to hope his family and loved ones manage to cope with such an awful situation. Speculation about why it happened isn't helpful at all and the public's ghoulish fascination with celebrity death is something which distrurbs me greatly.

After learning of Gary Speed's sudden death earlier today, Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy has asked Kenny Dalglish for permission to miss today's game against Manchester City at Anfield.
Bellamy has been captain of the Wales Team for the last 4 years, and will be understandably upset about today's shocking news.

With seven wins from eight games and twenty-two points from a possible twenty-four, the sun is rising over the white and navy blue corner of North London at the moment. This evening's match against Aston Villa was one at which Tottenham Hotspur might, in other years, have chosen to fluff their lines, and Spurs supporters are rather over-familiar with their club's predilection for getting to the point of achievement before contriving to find a way to allow it to slip through their hands.

Harry Redknapp enjoyed a successful return to the Tottenham Hotspur dugout tonight as he saw his side stroll past Aston Villa 2-0 at White Hart Lane. With the win, Spurs are up to third place in the Premier League table, four points behind Manchester United with a game in hand.

The spotlight this season has been on the two Manchester sides, and problems and both Arsenal and Chelsea and nobody has paid any real attention to a Spurs side that is much better than the one that finished fifth last season.

By Chris Wright

Even Damien Duff can't believe what he saw. No sneaky handballs. No dodgy refereeing decisions. Just delicious, organic, line-caught wild Alaskan qualification.

Thanks to their stonking 4-0 first-leg victory in Talinn, the Republic of Ireland breezed their way unencumbered past Estonia with a 1-1 draw in the return-leg in Dublin last night enough to see Ireland emerge from the play-offs with a 5-1 aggregate winning margin and a spot in the pots for Euro 2012 safely tucked under their belts.

I mentioned last week that future Villan Enda Stevens had been nominated for the 2011 PFAI Player of the Year Award and I'm pleased to let you know that he was named the winner in Dublin last night. Not only that, but Richard Dunne also scooped the Irish Overseas Player of the Year.

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On this week's report we focus on the four play-off ties that will decide the last four spots in next summer's European Championship finals in Poland and Ukraine.

Chris Herd's performances have rightly earned him quite a few headlines in the last couple of weeks. Initially for the wrong reason, but lately for the right ones.

Alex McLeish has said that he's "a manager's dream; the best trainer at the club".

He will train the way he plays on Saturday by giving it absolutely everything.

A much improved performance from Villa in a lively game led to a vital three points at home thanks to two goals from Darren Bent, and a goal for the provider of both those goals; man of the match Gabby Agbonlahor. Goals from Anthony Pilkington and Steve Morison bookended the home goals, and set up a nervous final ten minutes.

European Championship qualifying group B was a strange one: Ireland beat Armenia who beat Slovakia who beat Russia who beat Ireland (while poor fourth-seeded Macedonia looked on and whimpered). The logical progression would have been for a match to be played out between twenty-two footballs kicking a man around the pitch.