John

I had also hoped that this would be a big season for Andre and it still can be. Portsmouth are doing well down there and he will get the games with them that he needs. I am sure that he will come back to us feeling confident and fighting fit. What I don't want is for us to be using a loan as a prelude to a sale as we have with other young players in the past (who could in some cases have done a job for us now) because he's very much one for our future.

It's encouraging that we are actively looking for a central defender. Pity more than a few players seem to prefer to warm a bench or wait in case another club to come in for them instead of joining us when the opportunity to do so is floated. I hope we have other irons in the fire in case this one doesn't come off such as JT.

We rested first team players tonight as most of us felt we should do beforehand. Few if any of those players selected, like the team that we started with in the previous round did anything to press for a starting spot did they? They should refund what it cost the fans to attend this none performance from their own pockets.

At Montreal Impact now after 18 months of unemployment.

Henry will grow old waiting for us to lose 1 - 2 games in a row.

Our first cup meeting with the Brewers. We have yet to lose to Nigel Clough's side having won 3 and drawn 1 of the ,previous 4 league games between the two clubs. The game at Sheffield at the weekend has priority here and that record is at threat should we play anything like we did in the previous round. They will be well up for this one and our players will know they have been in a game at the end of it. Our current fringe players should relish the opportunity that this competition gives them to press their case for future first team consideration. Whether they do so or not will determine whether they get another chance to do so in 2018. I'm not over confident that we will be in the next round after tonight.

No SKY have the Wombles vs the Hammers on. I guess they see that as the bigger potential cup shock.

I was the one who liked that original post back then. That was a very decent shopping list wasn't it. ?

Nice idea, but I doubt he would drop down a division to return to us.

I went the result against the team that Wigan replaced this season but the above result does achieve your lower 9 points figure. "If all the statisticians in the world were laid head to toe, they wouldn't be able to reach a conclusion"

A direct comparison between the actual games that we played last season against the teams we have played this season shows we are 4 points down on the points we took from those clubs last season (in Wigan's case we beat all of the relegated teams so a draw against them represents 2 points dropped). It depends what type of comparison each of us prefer. My personal choice would be a points target of 3 from each home game and a point from our away games which should give us automatic promotion. We are currently 2 points off that target. A win at Sheffield United would see us hitting that. I'm sure we would all be happy with that.

Could it be because we know he's a bit Billy Big Time and wouldn't want to move on loan to a Championship team again? Perhaps it's him rather than his agent that is reluctant about another loan move? He is a top prospect but if his preference is to sit on a PL bench now and again then so be it.

One goal is often not enough and so it proved yesterday. Up until Reading’s late equalizer it had looked like we had done just enough to get a win and “just enough” appeared to be all that we had thought that we would need to do. Our defence is however porous, and we were not capable of closing out yesterday’s game. We have not managed to keep a clean sheet in the league so far this season. That is a feat that we achieved 16 times last season. Our defence, which was so well organised back then with John Terry in it is now crying out for reinforcement, but time is fast running out for us to bring players in. There was the usual late, late goal at Villa Park yesterday but this time it was our visitors who scored it. We are now four points worse off against the opponents that we have played this season when compared to last season’s results and that is how far we are behind the early pace setters Leeds and Boro. We cannot rely on making up ground lost early in the season on those teams that are in the automatic promotion places now. We need to close the gap between us quickly before it grows into a chasm. This was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show. Our best display of this new season against Brentford was followed by this poor display. We still have our unbeaten record, but this draw feels like a defeat. We seemed to approach this game expecting to win it. We need to go at the throat of teams from start to end to earn a victory and not sit back waiting for it to happen. We regularly need to hit fourth gear rather than coast in second. Any team has a puncher’s chance of getting something from a game when there is only a goal in it. We may have had the possession, but we didn’t do enough with it. It is no good raising your game against the better teams in this division and dropping points against the rest. Three points is three points after all and at the final reckoning a win no matter who it came against will remain three points. That 3 points will go towards the final points total that we will need to achieve to finish in the top two. That needs to be our target as we know the play off lottery offers no guarantee of promotion. Reading will be happy with a point for their coming battle to remain in this division. They showed little ambition up front until we went a goal ahead but score they did as have every other side we have met in the league to date. We cannot be satisfied with a point. We dropped points last season in games like this one at Villa Park. We have got to start producing our best on a consistent basis against every team that we face this season because if we do not teams will punish us for not doing so. We cannot afford to take any opponent lightly in this league nor should we or we will risk facing another season in it. My player ratings from a game that brought us a disappointing third successive draw are: Orjan Nyland – 7 – We may have found a keeper after all. Blocked a close-range effort from a corner by Moore on 44 minutes and then saved a 46th minute Bacuna freekick at his left-hand post. Made a tremendous double save on 82 minutes from Baldock at close range and then from Meite who hit the rebound. Dived to his right and Baldock hit his disputed penalty into the centre of the goal for their late equalizer. Axel Tuanzebe – 6 – Another competent performance in what is unlikely to prove his most effective defensive position. James Chester- 6 – One rare error from him cost us dearly yesterday. James had looked a clear favourite to reach a ball into the box first in the 3rd Minute of stoppage time but was outpaced by Sims. Their substitute took the opportunity to crumple to the floor with time running out for his side after Chester had won the ball but our captain in going to ground unnecessarily gave the referee a decision to make and he gave the benefit of any doubt to them. James was otherwise his usual steady self on those occasions that our visitors ventured towards our goal. He was unlucky to see a 12th minute header thunder off the crossbar from a nice Elmo cross. Mile Jedinak – 6 – Allowed a Sims cross to go past him and only a terrific double save from Nyland prevented Reading from scoring as a result on 82 minutes. Otherwise gave a decent enough performance but this should not be accepted as being his long-term role. Alan Hutton – 6 – Gave his usual consistent level of performance. Ahmed Elmohamady – 7 – Stooped to head home El Ghazi’s perfect cross on 51 minutes and had a good all-around game. Birkir Bjarnason – 7 – Made a good saving tackle on the edge of the box on 9 minutes winning the ball when an opponent was in a threatening position. Gave a very good solid performance throughout. Jack Grealish – 6 – Substituted at half time having picked up a dead leg. Hit an effort back across the face of the goal on 41 minutes. John McGinn – 7 – MOTM – Looked a class above. Used the ball well and kept very involved. Made an early run into the box but his 1st minute shot was held by Mannone. Anwar El Ghazi – 7 – A promising debut. Looks a wide threat, comfortable on the ball and showed a few tricks. Hit a pin point cross for our goal. Made a nice run into the box on 11 minutes and his shot was deflected into the side netting off Mannone. Anwar made way for Albert on 67 minutes. Jonathan Kodjia – 5 – What a difference a couple of days can make. From a man of the match 2-goal performance in midweek to this sort of below par display again. Johnny Danger needs some sort of competition for his starting place and was sadly something less than dangerous yesterday. Did not have a great deal of service perhaps but he can do better than this. Flashed a shot over the bar on 62 minutes when others were better placed had he looked to find them. Lost the ball when looking to go it alone on 85 minutes when Hourihane was waiting unmarked inside the box. Substitutes: Conor Hourihane – 6 – Came on for Jack at half time and did well. We need to try to find a place for him in the starting line-up. His goals come in handy after all. Hit a shot from the edge of the box on 50 minutes that Mannone collected comfortably and was found by Adomah inside the box in the 69th minute but he hit his shot wide of the far post. Albert Adomah – 6 - Replaced El Ghazi on 67 minutes. Made a couple of decent runs and looked lively. Cut inside and hit a 73rd minute shot that was easily gathered by Mannone at the near post and then scuffed a shot 3 minutes later. Neil Taylor - Replaced Kodjia on 91 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating. Up the Villa! John Lewis

One goal is often not enough and so it proved yesterday. Up until Reading’s late equalizer it had looked like we had done just enough to get a win and “just enough” appeared to be all that we had thought that we would need to do. Our defence is however porous, and we were not capable of closing out yesterday’s game. We have not managed to keep a clean sheet in the league so far this season. That is a feat that we achieved 16 times last season. Our defence, which was so well organised back then with John Terry in it is now crying out for reinforcement, but time is fast running out for us to bring players in. There was the usual late, late goal at Villa Park yesterday but this time it was our visitors who scored it. We are now four points worse off against the opponents that we have played this season when compared to last season’s results and that is how far we are behind the early pace setters Leeds and Boro. We cannot rely on making up ground lost early in the season on those teams that are in the automatic promotion places now. We need to close the gap between us quickly before it grows into a chasm. This was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show. Our best display of this new season against Brentford was followed by this poor display. We still have our unbeaten record, but this draw feels like a defeat. We seemed to approach this game expecting to win it. We need to go at the throat of teams from start to end to earn a victory and not sit back waiting for it to happen. We regularly need to hit fourth gear rather than coast in second. Any team has a puncher’s chance of getting something from a game when there is only a goal in it. We may have had the possession, but we didn’t do enough with it. It is no good raising your game against the better teams in this division and dropping points against the rest. Three points is three points after all and at the final reckoning a win no matter who it came against will remain three points. That 3 points will go towards the final points total that we will need to achieve to finish in the top two. That needs to be our target as we know the play off lottery offers no guarantee of promotion. Reading will be happy with a point for their coming battle to remain in this division. They showed little ambition up front until we went a goal ahead but score they did as have every other side we have met in the league to date. We cannot be satisfied with a point. We dropped points last season in games like this one at Villa Park. We have got to start producing our best on a consistent basis against every team that we face this season because if we do not teams will punish us for not doing so. We cannot afford to take any opponent lightly in this league nor should we or we will risk facing another season in it. My player ratings from a game that brought us a disappointing third successive draw are: Orjan Nyland – 7 – We may have found a keeper after all. Blocked a close-range effort from a corner by Moore on 44 minutes and then saved a 46th minute Bacuna freekick at his left-hand post. Made a tremendous double save on 82 minutes from Baldock at close range and then from Meite who hit the rebound. Dived to his right and Baldock hit his disputed penalty into the centre of the goal for their late equalizer. Axel Tuanzebe – 6 – Another competent performance in what is unlikely to prove his most effective defensive position. James Chester- 6 – One rare error from him cost us dearly yesterday. James had looked a clear favourite to reach a ball into the box first in the 3rd Minute of stoppage time but was outpaced by Sims. Their substitute took the opportunity to crumple to the floor with time running out for his side after Chester had won the ball but our captain in going to ground unnecessarily gave the referee a decision to make and he gave the benefit of any doubt to them. James was otherwise his usual steady self on those occasions that our visitors ventured towards our goal. He was unlucky to see a 12th minute header thunder off the crossbar from a nice Elmo cross. Mile Jedinak – 6 – Allowed a Sims cross to go past him and only a terrific double save from Nyland prevented Reading from scoring as a result on 82 minutes. Otherwise gave a decent enough performance but this should not be accepted as being his long-term role. Alan Hutton – 6 – Gave his usual consistent level of performance. Ahmed Elmohamady – 7 – Stooped to head home El Ghazi’s perfect cross on 51 minutes and had a good all-around game. Birkir Bjarnason – 7 – Made a good saving tackle on the edge of the box on 9 minutes winning the ball when an opponent was in a threatening position. Gave a very good solid performance throughout. Jack Grealish – 6 – Substituted at half time having picked up a dead leg. Hit an effort back across the face of the goal on 41 minutes. John McGinn – 7 – MOTM – Looked a class above. Used the ball well and kept very involved. Made an early run into the box but his 1st minute shot was held by Mannone. Anwar El Ghazi – 7 – A promising debut. Looks a wide threat, comfortable on the ball and showed a few tricks. Hit a pin point cross for our goal. Made a nice run into the box on 11 minutes and his shot was deflected into the side netting off Mannone. Anwar made way for Albert on 67 minutes. Jonathan Kodjia – 5 –What a difference a couple of days can make. From a man of the match 2-goal performance in midweek to this sort of below par display again. Johnny Danger needs some sort of competition for his starting place and was sadly something less than dangerous yesterday. Did not have a great deal of service perhaps but he can do better than this. Flashed a shot over the bar on 62 minutes when others were better placed had he looked to find them. Lost the ball when looking to go it alone on 85 minutes when Hourihane was waiting unmarked inside the box. Substitutes: Conor Hourihane – 6 – Came on for Jack at half time and did well. We need to try to find a place for him in the starting line-up. His goals come in handy after all. Hit a shot from the edge of the box on 50 minutes that Mannone collected comfortably and was found by Adomah inside the box in the 69th minute but he hit his shot wide of the far post. Albert Adomah – 6 - Replaced El Ghazi on 67 minutes. Made a couple of decent runs and looked lively. Cut inside and hit a 73rd minute shot that was easily gathered by Mannone at the near post and then scuffed a shot 3 minutes later. Neil Taylor - Replaced Kodjia on 91 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating. Up the Villa! John Lewis

All of them.

Tremendous signing. We're building a team that should be hard for the rest of the league to contain. What a difference a couple of weeks can make. Bringing in quality players rather than having to let them go. Now to reinforce that defence.

To quote Delia "Let's be having you!" I had hoped this one would have been done by now so that we could focus on bringing in a left back, a central defender and a forward during what is left of the window.

Reading have won one (3-1 in season 2016/17) of their twelve visits to Villa Park. We beat them 3-0 four months ago and a repeat of that would be very nice tomorrow. We need the win so let's do it.

I see Pontus Jansson has been warming the bench at Leeds so far this season. We could use a central defender like him. I know Leeds are unlikely to want to help a promotion rival but how about a cheeky loan enquiry for him and even for their young left back Tom Pearce who has been sitting on their bench alongside him since they signed Barry Douglas? You don't know for sure unless you ask...

I have to say that if we signed those two we wouldn't need to worry about our defence because we would be scoring goals for fun.

I will believe this one when he's holding our shirt with the ink dry on his contract. I suspect he will stick around the Kings Road if Chelsea don't kick him out the door. If Brucie pulls this move off it will be a real coup for him and a big boost to our promotion hopes. Hoping this happens.

They know that Ryan Woods is probably going so Brentford are understandably sticking with the players that will still be with them at the close of this transfer window and that currently remain unbeaten in the league. He's a player I had always felt we should sign but he seems to be on his way somewhere else.

I would far rather they be miffed by us than be laughing at our plight. Miff away everyone it didn't have much impact on Wolves and if they could take it on the way up so can we.

I wonder how much of his wages Boro were prepared to pay and whether we will need to match that to sign him?

No they were not they were delicious..