Post Match report for the Aston Villa game - Wednesday, 11th February 2026
PREMIER LEAGUE 25/26: Villa V Brighton - 11/2/26 P26
* * * * * FINE MARGINS * * * * *
RESULT: 1-0 . (h-t 0-0)
VENUE: Villa Park, Birmingham - thirteenth away match of 26 fixtures to date . Wed 7:30pm.
BEFORE KICKOFF: faithful travelling support from Sussex ventured up into the midlands on a midweek evening in mid winter.
Our reputation here was besmirched two & a half years ago and that negative recollection stained memory as a hugely embarrassing loss.
Our recent record against Villans certainly requires improvement.
WEATHER: mild . GATE: 39,495 . ATMOSPHERE: gutted in the away end.
FABIAN HURZELER reviewed the ongoing critical situation after irreversible closing of the January transfer window.
He is under pressure due to merely one win from a very disappointing run since hosting & losing to Villa at beginning of December.
FH decided that this occasion demanded his trademark revised line-up following ignominious defeat at the weekend.
SQUAD: 3 Julio 7 March 26 Ayari 38 McGill (gk) 51 Tasker 54 Simmonds 58 Oriola
INJURED: 27 Wieffer . REHAB: 4 Webster 9 Tzimas . LEFT: 35 Moran 49 Knight
OOL: 8 Gruda 14 Watson 16 Cashin 28 Ferguson 32 Sarmiento 39 Rushworth (gk) 40 Buonanotte 42 Coppola
STARTING SHAPE: 4-3-3
TEAM . . . . . . . . . 1 Verbruggen
. 34 Veltman 6 van Hecke 5 Dunk 24 Kadioglu
. . . 13 Hinshelwood 17 Baleba 30 Gross
. . . . 25 Gomez . . . 18 Welbeck . . . 22 Mitoma
SUBS: 20 Milner (22), 21 Boscagli (61), 11 Minteh (81), 19 Kostoulas (81), 53 Howell (81)
BENCH: 23 Steele 10 Rutter 29 de Cuyper 33 ORiley
GOAL:
1-0 - 86 . hosts get the winner from a corner routine that hoes in off Hinshelwood.
YELLOWS: Baleba 2, Veltman 23, van Hecke 41
CHANGES: 22 Milner for Baleba . 61 Boscagli for van Hecke.
81 Minteh, Kostoulas & Howell for Mitoma, Welbeck & Gomez
FIRST HALF: visitors receive a booking in the second minute.
The recipient is hooked midway thru the half.
Travellers go into the interval having registered a single shot on target.
SECOND HALF: Seagulls made a further sub for injury around the hour mark. Momentum was with the away outfit.
Locals score late in the game.
IN THE END: another defeat but not from poor defence but rather lack of finding the net.
NUMBERS: poss 50%-50%, on target 1-3, off target 14-6, corners 7-5,
fouls 9-15, yellows 2-3, subs 5-5, shape 4231-433 . . . . . gd0 pt31 po14
FS
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