Analysis of Villa 2 Rapid Vienna 3

"Your nightmare returns" was the ominous message before kick-off from one banner hoisted high in the away end at Villa Park.

As it turned out, the Rapid Vienna fans' poisonous prophecy could not have been more right.

A year to the day since their last continental catastrophe at the hands of the Austrians, Villa were exiled from Europe at the first hurdle once again.

Nightmare? If only. This was real.

Just like last year, the claret and blues hit the self destruct button in the latter stages having already done the hard work, having led 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate with just 13 minutes to go courtesy of Gabby Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey strikes.

In an eerily similar twist, they again missed a penalty.

What a difference a week has made for caretaker Kevin MacDonald and his team.

Seven days ago they left Vienna with a creditable 1-1 draw in the bag, having torn West Ham to shreds days earlier.

Yet now the club now finds itself in the midst of a crisis - managerless, out of Europe and with its support running out of patience.

These are now testing times for owner Randy Lerner and the club's hierarchy. The toughest they have faced in their four years at the helm.

In the next fortnight they must find the right man to replace Martin O'Neill. However, doing so will be easier said than done with a dearth of options available.

Ajax's qualification for the Champions League group stages now surely rules out one man they would have wanted, Martin Jol.

Mark Hughes would have jumped at the chance but prising him away from Fulham just weeks into the job would take some doing.

Lerner's compatriot Bob Bradley certainly has not been backward in coming forward this last week but, lacking in profile and Premier League experience, his appointment would be an unpopular one.

Sven-Goran Eriksson? Thanks but no thanks.

Jurgen Klinsmann? A long shot.

And it seems pretty safe to say MacDonald can be crossed off the shortlist too.

Just days ago he was the hot favourite to replace O'Neill. But last night's result, coupled with Sunday's 6-0 thrashing at Newcastle, has changed everything.

His admission yesterday that he wished he could be "invisible in the dugout" was not that of a Premier League manager.

A fine coach and loyal servant to the club of 15 years, MacDonald never once declared he wanted to be considered for the job anyway, so he should not become a scapegoat.

While he did take another one of his "calculated risks" in leaving Richard Dunne, Luke Young, Stewart Downing and Stephen Warnock out of his squad entirely to rest for Sunday's Everton game, the Scot named a strong enough team to beat Rapid. Of that there is no question.

However, considering most of Vienna's joy came down Villa's left flank, which was patrolled by right-back Habib Beye, you have to question whether, for such a vital game, it was necessary to rest England international Warnock in only the second week of the season and just days before a two-week international break.

Defensively, Beye was abysmal - laid-back and far too willing to take risks when a simple kick to touch would have sufficed.

MacDonald started with just three of the side hammered 6-0 at Newcastle - Stephen Ireland, Ashley Young and Stiliyan Petrov - with fit-again trio James Collins, Carlos Cuellar and Agbonlahor all handed their first starts of the new term.

It was vital Villa got off to a bright start to banish the memory of their Tyneside thrashing and they did just that, with Agbonlahor seeing his low effort smartly saved within the opening minute.

However, the pair combined for Villa's opener on 22 minutes, as Petrov's probing pass into the right corner was collected by Young and his inviting cross was converted at the near post by the sliding Agbonlahor.

The striker's evening was brought to a premature end, though, as he hobbled off after 40 minutes.

While having dominated the first half, Villa knew a single Rapid goal would force extra-time and the nightmare became a reality on 52 minutes.

Beye should have cleared his lines but instead was dispossessed by Veli Kavlak, who crossed for Atdhe Nuhiu to head home at the near post. Disaster.

Slowly, Villa regained their composure and seconds after Young had a penalty appeal waved away, referee Eric Braamhaar was pointing to the spot for a foul on Heskey.

But, just as Young missed a year ago, so too did Petrov - his tame 72nd-minute attempt palmed away by Raimund Hedl before Heskey hit the rebound over the bar.

Agony soon turned to ecstasy, though, as Heskey redirected Beye's vicious volley inside the right post on 77 minutes to make it 2-1.

But within a minute Villa Park was silenced as Mario Sonnleitner's header squirmed over the line, following Brad Guzan's fumble before substitute Rene Gartler swept home from close range after a quick counter to complete another dark night in Villa's European history.

Now, over to you Randy.

By Brendan McLoughlin