P.O.B

Kendrick has tweeted that Sylla will miss the trip to Arsenal with a twisted ankle

I know our opposition hasn't been that strong, but do any other prem strikers have a pre season record to match Benteke's? (7 in 5)

I've just got tickets. Have people opted for lower or upper? I chose upper, already breaking the bank for this, so I thought why not splash out the extra £3 quid for an elevated view! Wouldn't normally pay this amount for a game of this stature,but have never been stamford bridge, keep putting it off year on year, and each time the ticket prices rise, so just going this year to get it out of the way! Our visits in recent years have either been a good result or a total spanking, hopefully its not the latter this time round...

Does anyone know how these are selling? Being £55, midweek, a few days after arsenal, im guessing not very well?

I was thinking of putting an e/w bet on Benteke, as i am struggling to find reasons why he won't improve this season, apart from a freak injury (touch wood this doesn't happen). I'm not a big gambler though, and I think it will make it more exciting to see him go for the top spot, I've talked myself into thinking its very possible!

Yes I think an each way bet is a good option, what does it cover, Im guessing top 4 scorers?

Fair point, but this year he will still have aguero, Jovetic, negredo to contend with. I only used dzeko as an example, and maybe i was harsh on him saying he has struggled. But in terms of becoming the premier league top scorer (which this topic is about), I don't think he will come close, nor any other city players. They have too much competition between themselves, without competing with players from other teams. For me the front runners are RVP, Suarez, Bale and Benteke.... two of which have an uncertain futures.

You think him then? I value your opinion, but disagree. Making the move to the premier league at 28, when all he has ever known has been la liga? Obviously a talented player looking at his record, and I'm not gonna lie, i don't follow foreign leagues, so haven't seen him apart from Champs league, but many a talented players have failed to make the switch successfully, especially when they are older. For example, Edin Dzeko - built for the premier league, playing in Germany which is arguable a similar style to the PL and was younger at the time. Shevchenko?

Others may have posted this, but I have just put £10 quid on Benteke to be top premier league goalscorer of the 13/14 season. I got this at 20/1 with betfair exchange. I think this is amazing value. Reason being: Say he moves to another English club this summer or in January (which i find unlikely), it will only be to a club higher up the league, arguable creating more goalscoring chances, should he get the playing time. - i personally think he will stay at AVFC for the year and move during the World Cup year... Can't see him moving abroad. He is growing in confidence and it shows no sign of slowing down. Obviously i shouldn't base this on a pre-season hatrick against crewe, but when he put the ball in the net it looks as though it was second nature to him, hence the unexcitable celebrations. I think PL has the managerial skills to channel this confidence and keep his feet on the ground, as shown by the contract talks. Futhermore, his ability is only going to get better, along with his strength and experience. I also think he will stay fit for the majority of the season, hes a machine. If the team can provide him with enough chances i see no reason why he can't out do other players. I think the rest of our team will come on leaps and bounds this season, i rate PL very highly, maybe too highly, but i haven't been this excited about a manager before, I'm 24, no one has came in an impressed me as an all round manager like this, O'neill had too many faults, i was too young to remember/analyse others. Lastly, he's our main man. we don't have the problem (i wouldn't call it that much of a problem!) of man city / chelsea who have great players but too many of them for one to rise up and score a high enough amount to challenge the goalden boot. So who are the other players that could challenge him? Robin Van Persie - undoubtedly the front runner, a great player who will have alot of chances in a great team. But given his fairlytale 1st season with Man Utd, who would bet against him getting an injury, the like we saw at arsenal, which could rule him out for part of the season and disrupt his form? hes getting on. If that happens, I can't see anyone else stepping from that man utd team. There is also the moyes factor to consider. Man City - I say man city, because they have too many stars. too many stars that will disrupt each other ( even unintentionally) and therefore i cant see any of them rising from the pack and holding their fitness/place down in the team for long enough to challenge. The obvious candidate is Aguero, and he was great during his first season, but went missing last season... I just cant see it. Jovetic? will have to wait and see. Rooney - Wherever he ends up... Not for me. If SAF failed to keep his head on the ground, I doubt anyone else will, even mourinho. What a wasted talent and a shame for england. I hope he proves me wrong with the World Cup coming up though. Bale - Lets wait to see if he goes? Perhaps the reason why benteke's odds are so high? If he does go abroad, I imagine benteke's odds drop significantly, which is why i have put my money where my mouth is now. If he stays, he is benteke's challenger for me (assuming RVP won't repeat his form of last season). f he stays, i will be backing Bale as a safety bet. Luis Suarez - again, uncertain what he will do, like bale, but if he moves it looks like he'll be staying within england? If he moves aborad, less competition for benteke! I don't doubt his ability, just his character /attitude. If he doesn't get his own way and stays at Liverpool, he could have a season like Rooney after his first unsuccessful transfer request - OK but not great. If he moves to another English club and is happy then there is no limit to what he can achieve. I just get the feeling that liverpool will want to save face after the Andy Carroll fiasco. They think they are are bigger than they are, and by letting suarez go it will prove they are not as big as they think. Chelsea - hard to say what effect mourihno will have on the current players (Torres/Ba/Lukaku/schurrle etc)... we all know hes a great man manager, so maybe an outside bet on one of them? And we don't know who he will bring in, if anyone.... looking to be Rooney. Can he manage Rooney? I think they have a similar situation to man city, too many great players, not one will score ore goals than the other. Arsenal - The havent had a reliant striker since Henry, and i doubt this will change.... unless they get suarez? Will this change, possibly. Tottenham - depends on whether they keep bale, if he leaves they will bring in some quality, some people are saying benteke. I would hate that to happen, but if it does, what will bentekes odds be then. Other teams - No stand outs for me, and some people are buying wisely (Bony - swansea, In conclusion (sorry for rambling on), Do you agree with me, or do you think I'm being mad? i am obviously wearing my claret and blue tinted glasses, and I am somewhat suprised by the odds, which got me thinking this. Which players do you think will challenge. This has an underlying villa theme, but for the sake of the mods, i have started this in 'other football', as it will undoubtedly tail off into debate about other teams/players. Who do you think will be the 13/14 premier league Top scorer? Apologies if there is already a topic for this, please move if necessary. UTV

It is now a story on Sky Sports, just requoting the LeSport10. When Gaston Ramirez got linked with Southampton, no one would have thought they had a chance in hell of signing him, considering the other clubs he was linked with. Saying that, I think it is unlikely that we will pull this off. All the other clubs can offer CL football, and considering our so-called 'new wage structure', you would think they would match us in the wages department also. Our only glimmer of hope is that he has specifically shown interest in the premier league and bundesliga, and we are the only club that fits the bill. Is it really enough of a draw though? It shows positive intentions from the club that we are bidding for players like this, and we are not just looking for lower league players on the cheap, like some have suggested. I think if the player/price is right, PL will not hesitate to make a bid, as shown here. From what business he has done already, it looks as if he is getting his group of core english player from the lower leagues, who are not the finished article, but have raw ability and potential (e.g. westwood, lowton), then looking to the european market for his more establish players (benteke/vlaar). This is a strategy that if done successfully, will produce optimum value for money. So far i would say it has been successful, and wether or not this transfer is pulled off, it is a sign of an exciting summer ahead.

Seeing as Wigan tickets are proving to be goldust, are there any London Villa fans thinking of heading somewhere for the final day of the season drama? e.g famous 3 kings

islingtonclaret, how do you know that they're will be tickets available to buy on the night? Got a few mates who would like to come with me after work, don't want to drag them to south bermondsey for them to be turned away!

London bridge is the best place to drink beforehand from what I've heard, the train from london bridge takes you to south bermondsey station, which is the closest to the ground and has a seperate caged walkway to the away end, police a well trained in ferrying away fans from this station. Places to drink around london bridge are reccomended on this website: http://www.footballgroundguide.com/millwall/

Its worth noting that this fixture falls on the same weekend as the league cup final, so if we manage to turn it around tonight and make it to Wembley, this fixture will be rearranged.

West Midlands Police AVFC twitter account has tweeted that the following pubs are happy to accept away fans: North of Putney Bridge The Eight Bells Larrick Inn The Temperence South of Putney Bridge The Dukes Head (popular last season apparently) Weatherspoons

Is our allocation actually sold out then? Still advertised on sale in todays 'ticket news' article, whereas swindon has been marked sold out. I know our ticket office can be inept sometimes but surely they wouldn't still be advertising it...

We have Norwich the game after who will have a point to prove against lambert, then a run of fixtures in november that doesnt make easy reading. We need a result, I would take a point just to get something on the board. Fulham have been good this season, but I think we can get something. According to fantasy football (not the most reliable of sources, i know) berbatov and petric are doubts. Hopefully this is the case, as they have been scoring frequently this season. I wached them against southampton before the international break, and the goals they conceded were both from set peices. Although set peices haven't been our strength in recent years, I think we looked most dangerous against west brom from balls into the box, with bents goal coming from a corner. I'm saying 2-2

I phoned up first thing this morning was told it was the 'last one'. A bit sceptical as they are still advertising it on sale, Its a restricted view ticket so hopefully I am not standing behind a Pillar! Looking forward to it, my first time, have done most London away days, but I've heard from a lot of people that Fulham is the best. Eight bells is the place to be by the sounds of it