MessiWillSignForVilla

This is probably the most important thing, I'm guessing he was signed up during Houllier's reign? If so he must be on somewhere between £20-25k pw, and he hasn't done anything to deserve £25k+ imo, which is most likely what he'd ask for if he asked for an increase and the club probably think the same if he's not starting every week. Even if Albrighton wanted the same wages, I'd imagine the club would try barter him down a bit.

I think he got "dropped" against Cardiff as Baker is probably better suited to playing against Kenwyne Jones, he played well in that game and rightfully kept his spot, and since then has really flourished and not given Lambert an opportunity to drop him. Watch Lambert go and play Clark to deal with the aerial threat of Crouch now I've said that though

I'd like us to keep Luna, as he's not really been given lots of time to settle, he may have been poor recently, but remember it is his first year in the country and he had no back up for most of the season as Bennett was injured. He needs time to settle and, a bit like Bennett, a run in the team where he's not relied upon as our only LB. He's very much a Spanish full back though, i.e. good offensively, shite defensively. Out of all the LBs we've had suggested should be moved forward to midfield on here, I think Luna is probably the only one who'd do a decent job there, with out being missed in defence.

Don't laugh but I'd rather see Westwood go as backup to Gerrard. 9 years younger than Barry Younger, yes. Anywhere near as good, no. Potentially as good? imo, yes, and that's what I think England have to deal with, players who could potentially be England stars. Hence why Delph should go to Brazil, he could become a really important player for both club and country, and England need to give international experience to these guys now, especially if we want to win Euro 2016, which is what we should currently be focusing on as we have no chance at winning in Rio.

I find this really funny, I sometimes think that if we played like Barca you'd still hear moaning from the crowd as we pass it around the midfield. Villa fans just like a moan I guess, I blame it on having to live in Birmingham

Referee's not allowing the game to "flow". Not the actual referee's, but the so called "experts" who say this as if it's a bad thing for the referee to do. Why not complain about the players being dirty pricks that aren't allowing the game to flow.

I wish the refs had the bollocks to actually book players who get in their faces, if your shouting in the refs face from about 2 inches away, you should be straight down the tunnel. Chelsea are worst **** offenders of this too, I don't think they'd complete a match if refs actually started booking them for it. And as I have my little moan, the scumbags score again

This bloody stats argument again, here's the only important stats; 10th - Aston Villa - 34pts - -6GD Couldn't give a shit about anything else really, our GD is much better than pretty much everyone around us despite being shit and we're currently in a fairly healthy mid table position. Plus position, points, goals for/against and GD are all better than this point last season, improvement, no matter how slight. If possession counted towards our standing in the table, then I'd be bothered about it, but it doesn't, so why care?

But an AM was signed, Tonev right? He may be a winger, but he's been used a bit more centrally whenever he's played this season, and even if he played as a winger, we could have gone with him on the left and Albrighton on the right. Unfortunately that gamble didn't pay off, we bought him on good faith that Petrov's scouting judgement was sound. Plus we got him in early, hence why we may not have rushed out to get another AM after signing him. Also, why blow another £5m or so on another AM when you're on a tight budget and just bought one for £2.5m-ish.

I think Lambert is in a really tough position for the Stoke game with regards to LB. Bertrand wasn't dropped through any fault of his own or an injury, it was purely down to the fact we played Chelsea. He hasn't put a foot wrong really since he joined, and doesn't deserve to be dropped. On the other hand, Bennett did really well against Chelsea, it was probably his best performance in a Villa shirt, his first start since returning from injury and finally looked like the youngster with lots of potential that we paid Middlesbrough £2.5m for, again he doesn't deserve to be dropped. Personally, I'd say don't change a winning team. It was a huge win and all the players must have tons of confidence from it, confidence that we are going to need if we want to win a 3rd game in a row (would also be a 3rd home win in a row too), confidence that will be lost by being dropped for no good reason. Bennett had one chance to regain that first team spot, and he took it with both hands, it's Bertrand's to win back now imo.

He gives a sh!t, that means a lot. That's one of the things I really love about him, he seems to genuinely care about the club, or at least the squad (if that makes sense).

It wasn't really important. They would've scored at a different point in that game, or at least in one of the FOUR remaining games they had. Lowton goal was much more important for villa avoiding relegation. You're right, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't that important. But the reason it won goal of the season wasn't because it was RVP, but because not only was it a very good goal, but they could legitimately add the strap-line of "title winning goal", and to an extent it wouldn't be untrue. Back on topic though, Delph was fantastic tonight, if he keeps up this form he should definitely be on the plane to Brazil. I can't think of any goals off the top of my head from this season that were better than tonight's either.

RVP won it as it was the goal that also won Utd the league, or at least in that game, the class of the goal added to the importance of it was why it won. It shouldn't have though.

Not American, but this might help: or in song form

33% - Jose Mourinho's Premier League win% v Aston Villa, only against Arsenal does he have a worse record at 29%. 40% - Jose Mourinho's win% v Aston Villa in all competitions, his worst against any team in domestic English competitions. Bogey Team.

Only the 5 isn't it? 4 in his first 3 and a bit years and tonight. He's played us 10 times and only won 4, all at home and one in the cup, must be one of his worst records against any club surely, I imagine only teams like Utd and Arsenal have better records.

Why is the premier league such a big deal then? That can only be realistically won by the same 4/5 teams and is every year. It's been going for nearly 100 years, it's pretty much the only competitive International rugby outside of the World Cup and the Rugby Championship.

Played well today, the first chance he's really had since injury and he kept Hazard/Willian quiet for the most part. Have to say though he was a bit lucky Vlaar was with him when he got his card, some refs would've definitely sent him off for that. And that's not refusing to give him credit, as I actually like Bennett and I'm one of his "fans".

I don't think he wants to bring the game in to disrepute

To be fair, Long was crap for them, I think a lot of Villa fans don't realise it because he scored 2 of his 3 goals this season in the first 10 minutes against us, and his only other goal was a week before (perhaps after?) in a goal line scramble against Chelsea. You may mock them getting Anichebe, but he scored just as many as Long in less starts.

Unlucky there for Burrell, would've been a fantastic try if he'd not been put in touch.

If we stop giving away silly penalties in the second half I think we can close that points gap on Ireland. Also loved the dig at Savage by the commentator too (At least I'm assuming it was a dig..)

KEA I'd imagine, or Weimann/Gabby, go for two wide players in Grealish and Albrighton. I find it amusing how that article is already suggesting he's going to leave when he's not even played a senior game for us yet

What a start by England! Been superb so far. Well played by Care to see the gap.

I always love the national anthems in rugby matches, the player always belt it out with such passion instead of just standing there like a statue. Always makes me feel slightly more optimistic for some reason too. Come on England, smash the bastards