Aston Villa fail to beat ten-man Middlesbrough side after early dismissal

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Villa player Henri Lansbury goes down under the challenge of Middlesbrough goalkeeper Darren Randolph during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Middlesbrough at Villa Park on September 12, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Villa player Henri Lansbury goes down under the challenge of Middlesbrough goalkeeper Darren Randolph during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Middlesbrough at Villa Park on September 12, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Thanks to one-time Villan Adama Traore, Aston Villa drew a ten-man Middlesbrough side at home. The Spanish winger received his marching orders after four minutes after a late challenge on Conor Hourihane.

Aston Villa utterly dominated Middlesbrough at home.

Normally that sentence would bring tears to supporters’ eyes, but not on Tuesday. Villa drew a ten-man Boro team after Adama Traore was sent off in the fourth minute. Villa held 71% possession with a further eighteen shots, but could not break down Darren Randolph’s net.

The match saw the return of Jonathan Kodjia as a 75th-minute substitute. The Ivorian nearly scored on a header, only for this resulting play to occur (the save kicked out to Conor Hourihane below):

It’s getting ugly for manager Steve Bruce. Owner Tony Xia, who is running out of patience, is looking for a reason to sack, in order to spark the club up the table.

Aston Villa collected 1 win, 4 draws, and two losses from their opening seven league matches. A -2 goal differential.

Villa go again at the weekend, but honestly, promotion is too far gone.