Aston Villa match-saver Friedel: We're off the mark now

Aug 25 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

He added: “We needed not only to make amends here, but we needed to get off the mark in the season.”

Friedel has challenged Villa to banish the negativity surrounding their two defeats to Wigan and Rapid Vienna, but keep their feet firmly on the ground.

“I know the club’s got some bad press because we didn’t start off very well against Wigan,’’ he said.

“I think if you look at it on paper, if we had three points after the first two games, we as players wouldn’t have taken it, but outsiders probably would have.

“They’d have been thinking we’d beat Wigan at home and probably lose at Liverpool.

“We’ve done it the other way round, but we’re off the mark now and now we’ve got two really important fixtures before the international break.

“This game’s done now. It’s a great feeling, but it’s done.

Friedel refused to take the credit for the win, adding: “Whenever you beat a big team away from home, it is never ever one person who does anything, it is a team effort.

“And I’ll give you another modest answer if you keep asking about my performance,” he said.