John

I guess he knew we were desperate for some good news and he was aware this was likely to be the best news he would be able to give us during this window. Welcome Eric. Can I be the first to mention that we could do with a new striker?

That should do it then. John Percy has this as well. There was me thinking we might be signing a striker or a keeper. Some chance of that!!

If we are to go down let us do so having beaten this lot in their own backyard! If we do beat them it will be 15 points on the board and who would have really thought we would have got to that figure already after the Sunderland game? So it might yet be almost game on again come Saturday night. I would take a draw but we are due a win or 8!

Shocked the appeal process was so quick. What happened were we told he had failed and we then asked whether they were sure and they told us yes? If this potential deal is really done then I suggest it is time to look at David Bentley from Southend. We would be a step up for him and I would think we could get him for around £2m.

If only we were willing to spend £5m on a player. Seeing the Ayew brothers line up together would be something to look forward to for the rest of the season but I would anticipate that the bean counter will just want whatever cash they offer.

Sadly although players may have signed contracts with relegation clauses in them if as seems likely we do take the drop I think we can expect their agents to be trying to find them new clubs next summer before their first reduced salary payments hit their bank accounts. I would also guess that the bean counter and "custodian" would not be too reluctant to get some of the money they regret having spent back where they can. I suspect the team that might begin next season say away at Burton might be almost unrecognisable from the one that ends this season at Arsenal and those left may be the ones that nobody else comes in for. I only hope I am proved to be wrong or even better than that we stay up and do not get to find out what would have happened following a relegation.

I feel a bit sorry for us Villa fans having heard what he has said since his appointment. As far as he is concerned no doubt he is being paid very well for passing on the bad news and taking the flak for saying what the "custodian" tells him to say.

1 - "other things need to be fixed" before big money is spent again. 2 - when asked whether he felt money had been wasted during the summer transfer window, he told Sky Sports News HQ: "I think the results are the best indicator on answering that question." 3 - Hollis insists the new regime at Villa are open to signing new players, but says improving the club's infrastructure remains the priority. 4 - "The cheque book has not been put away and if there is a player out there or a couple of players out there who we feel will fit in and really help the side in the Premier League or in the Championship, we are looking," 5 - "You have got to look at the facts, this club spent £60m last summer". 6 - "Just look at the Premier League, look at the clubs that are doing well at the moment. Most of them haven't spent big money" 1 -. What are those other things that need to be fixed? I take it they have nothing to do with what we pay to watch on the football field itself. 2 - So it is all Sherwood's fault nobody else at the club now shares any responsibility for who we signed or did not!. 3 - I always had the belief that improving the team was more important than improving the club's infrastructure (whatever that might mean in his bean counting world). Can I get a ticket to watch the club's infrastructure play next season? I can't wait! 4 - One or two players are unlikely to be enough and it seems you are already accepting we will be in the Championship. Is that a defeatist rather than a positive attitude to put before us? 5 - Have you looked at the amount we received from players that left last summer or just ignored it as you were told to do? 6 - Do you mean Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United or the one season wonders at Leicester? Hollis Out! This man is clearly nothing but a lackey for our "custodian" and his surname is a little too close to Ellis for me!

The last time we made a really big signing I guess (so quite a long time ago)? Or could it be that we do not have enough seats for a press conference given the number of players we are bringing in? I guess I am just a bit keen to see a new name on the back of the programme before it is too late....

Warren Horton just said on Talksport that he had talked to either Vidic or his agent (sorry did not quite catch which) and asked whether he would be moving to us. The answer was "No". Looks like he will retire to the MLS?

I hope not because that might take some time. Could we not do the signing subject to getting a work permit? I had hoped for a press conference today but it seems we are in no hurry.

I assume they will use Wembley along with Spurs and possibly West Ham. Unlikely to play north of Watford I would imagine.

We have won more cup than league games this season and this one sets up the return of a slithering snake to Villa Park in the Fourth Round of this cup competition which we last won 59 years ago. We are now three wins from a return to Wembley but after last night another semi-final seems a very much longer way off; particularly if our team against Manchester City gives anything like the same sort of inept performance that our starting eleven did last night. We did finally struggle into the next round but the only team to really emerge from this game with significant credit were our visitors. They seemed to want it much more than we did and the only thing that we did well was to disguise any gulf in class there may have been between the two teams. Some of the players who started the game last night that do not usually do so demonstrated why that is the case and did little to press their claim for a regular starting place. What they did do was show that we lack adequate cover for future injuries and suspensions to the first team in what is left of this sorry season. Will we do anything about it in what is left of the transfer window? I would guess we will not. Villa’s performance was embarrassingly poor for most of this game. We did have the lion’s share of the ball but did little positive with it until late in the game when two good finishes won it for us. Our opponents had a couple of opportunities but did not really look like scoring which was fortunate for us. The game was heading for what seemed inevitable extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out until the last quarter of an hour. We then scored twice which flattered us and would give anyone looking at just the result the impression that we had won the game with the minimum of fuss. But the score alone can sometimes give the wrong impression and this was anything but a comfortable win. Wycombe can now concentrate on the league and getting to the play-offs again this time with a happier final conclusion. Our primary objective must be to secure an unlikely further year in the top flight although an almost equally unlikely second successive Cup Final appearance would be very nice. Wins in the cup can build upon fragile confidence and a good cup run can be beneficial to survival prospects. It can give players and fans alike a break from the pressure of league games that we desperately need points from to try to pull clear of the relegation zone although last night did not feel like much of a break to me! My player ratings from a game during which we stretched our unbeaten run to four games having made 9 changes from the side that shared the points with Leicester are: Brad Guzan –5 – Made a decent save diving to his left to keep out a Wood shot from just inside of the box after 31 minutes. Came for but missed a Jacobson cross on 45 minutes and was fortunate that Thompson’s header flew just over the bar. Jordan Lyden – 6 – Hit a couple of decent crosses into the box and looked solid. A promising full debut for another Jordan! Micah Richards – 5 – Showed a will to win and endeavour but continues to be prone to an occasional error or lapse of concentration. Ciaran Clark – 6 – Had a decent enough game at the back alongside Micah. Ciaran also grabbed our all important and long awaited opener on 75 minutes when he headed a Gil cross past Ingram and into the corner of the net with some aplomb. Kieran Richardson – 4 – This was not the level of performance he would have hoped to produce last night. Carlos Sánchez – 4 – Replaced at half time having picked up another knock earlier. Carlos was some way off his best last night as has regularly been the case of late. Surrendered the ball on the edge of his own box early on and this is a habit that he seems unable to shake off. Jack Grealish - 4 – The player who dazzled at the FA Cup semi-final last season was unrecognisable last night. Took the safe easy option too often and rarely displayed the talent he has within him to unlock defences and make goal scoring opportunities. Another very disappointing performance from Jack that begs the questions why has it all gone wrong so quickly and when/will this be put right? Ashley Westwood – 5 – Hit a shot from inside of the box well over the bar on 63 minutes after an Ayew cross from inside of the area that Grealish had not connected with fell to him. He was the best of our starting midfield for me which is not saying as much as it should be. Scott Sinclair – 5 – Looked up for it at times albeit not over the full 90 minutes but for me he showed he still has it in him to do a decent enough job for us. Gestede chipped a ball into the box for him to run onto and his near post shot was deflected into the side netting by Ingram on 41 minutes. Made a nice run into the box on 68 minutes but his shot was deflected over by a defender having snatched at a shot a minute earlier that flew well off target. Jordan Ayew – 7 – MOTM – His pace, hard running, willingness to try to make something happen and his class stood out last night. Jordan ran into the box purposefully and hit the side netting on 15 minutes after Gestede had played a nice ball he had received from Sinclair to him on the edge of the box. Hit a shot into Ingram’s arms on 28 minutes having been fed by Richardson. He was fed by Gana a couple of yards inside their half and ran just inside the box before hitting a 54th minute shot past the keeper but wide of the far post. Rudy Gestede – 5 – Really needed to be on target when his 6th minute header from a nicely weighted and targeted Grealish cross was headed harmlessly off target. Gathered the ball near the half way line on 77 minutes before running to the edge of the box but did not have the pace to get clear both of the two defenders who pursued him, one of whom got the ball out for a corner. Claimed an assist for our second but did not really do much to show he would make the anticipated big impact in the league below should we find ourselves there next season against opponents who are currently two divisions below that level. Substitutes: Idrissa Gana – 7 - Replaced Sánchez at half time. Our midfield improved markedly with his introduction as it did again when Gil was introduced later. Hit a shot just wide of the post on 72 minutes and then hit his first goal for us to ensure there would be no possibility of extra time after all on 90 minutes. He played the ball out to Sinclair whose cross to Gestede was played back to him to the left of the penalty spot and he hit a measured shot into the corner of the net to seal our victory with the assuredness of someone who finishes like that every week. Carles Gil – 7 - Replaced Grealish on 73 minutes. His creativity and touch did much to help us to present a more serious threat to our opponents defence than we had managed to do prior to his introduction. Up for the Cup Villa! John Lewis

We have won more cup than league games this season and this one sets up the return of a slithering snake to Villa Park in the Fourth Round of this cup competition which we last won 59 years ago. We are now three wins from a return to Wembley but after last night another semi-final seems a very much longer way off; particularly if our team against Manchester City gives anything like the same sort of inept performance that our starting eleven did last night. We did finally struggle into the next round but the only team to really emerge from this game with significant credit were our visitors. They seemed to want it much more than we did and the only thing that we did well was to disguise any gulf in class there may have been between the two teams. Some of the players who started the game last night that do not usually do so demonstrated why that is the case and did little to press their claim for a regular starting place. What they did do was show that we lack adequate cover for future injuries and suspensions to the first team in what is left of this sorry season. Will we do anything about it in what is left of the transfer window? I would guess we will not. Villa’s performance was embarrassingly poor for most of this game. We did have the lion’s share of the ball but did little positive with it until late in the game when two good finishes won it for us. Our opponents had a couple of opportunities but did not really look like scoring which was fortunate for us. The game was heading for what seemed inevitable extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out until the last quarter of an hour. We then scored twice which flattered us and would give anyone looking at just the result the impression that we had won the game with the minimum of fuss. But the score alone can sometimes give the wrong impression and this was anything but a comfortable win. Wycombe can now concentrate on the league and getting to the play-offs again this time with a happier final conclusion. Our primary objective must be to secure an unlikely further year in the top flight although an almost equally unlikely second successive Cup Final appearance would be very nice. Wins in the cup can build upon fragile confidence and a good cup run can be beneficial to survival prospects. It can give players and fans alike a break from the pressure of league games that we desperately need points from to try to pull clear of the relegation zone although last night did not feel like much of a break to me! My player ratings from a game during which we stretched our unbeaten run to four games having made 9 changes from the side that shared the points with Leicester are: Brad Guzan –5 – Made a decent save diving to his left to keep out a Wood shot from just inside of the box after 31 minutes. Came for but missed a Jacobson cross on 45 minutes and was fortunate that Thompson’s header flew just over the bar. Jordan Lyden – 6 – Hit a couple of decent crosses into the box and looked solid. A promising full debut for another Jordan! Micah Richards – 5 – Showed a will to win and endeavour but continues to be prone to an occasional error or lapse of concentration. Ciaran Clark – 6 – Had a decent enough game at the back alongside Micah. Ciaran also grabbed our all important and long awaited opener on 75 minutes when he headed a Gil cross past Ingram and into the corner of the net with some aplomb. Kieran Richardson – 4 – This was not the level of performance he would have hoped to produce last night. Carlos Sánchez – 4 – Replaced at half time having picked up another knock earlier. Carlos was some way off his best last night as has regularly been the case of late. Surrendered the ball on the edge of his own box early on and this is a habit that he seems unable to shake off. Jack Grealish - 4 – The player who dazzled at the FA Cup semi-final last season was unrecognisable last night. Took the safe easy option too often and rarely displayed the talent he has within him to unlock defences and make goal scoring opportunities. Another very disappointing performance from Jack that begs the questions why has it all gone wrong so quickly and when/will this be put right? Ashley Westwood – 5 – Hit a shot from inside of the box well over the bar on 63 minutes after an Ayew cross from inside of the area that Grealish had not connected with fell to him. He was the best of our starting midfield for me which is not saying as much as it should be. Scott Sinclair – 5 – Looked up for it at times albeit not over the full 90 minutes but for me he showed he still has it in him to do a decent enough job for us. Gestede chipped a ball into the box for him to run onto and his near post shot was deflected into the side netting by Ingram on 41 minutes. Made a nice run into the box on 68 minutes but his shot was deflected over by a defender having snatched at a shot a minute earlier that flew well off target. Jordan Ayew – 7 – MOTM – His pace, hard running, willingness to try to make something happen and his class stood out last night. Jordan ran into the box purposefully and hit the side netting on 15 minutes after Gestede had played a nice ball he had received from Sinclair to him on the edge of the box. Hit a shot into Ingram’s arms on 28 minutes having been fed by Richardson. He was fed by Gana a couple of yards inside their half and ran just inside the box before hitting a 54th minute shot past the keeper but wide of the far post. Rudy Gestede – 5 – Really needed to be on target when his 6th minute header from a nicely weighted and targeted Grealish cross was headed harmlessly off target. Gathered the ball near the half way line on 77 minutes before running to the edge of the box but did not have the pace to get clear both of the two defenders who pursued him, one of whom got the ball out for a corner. Claimed an assist for our second but did not really do much to show he would make the anticipated big impact in the league below should we find ourselves there next season against opponents who are currently two divisions below that level. Substitutes: Idrissa Gana – 7 - Replaced Sánchez at half time. Our midfield improved markedly with his introduction as it did again when Gil was introduced later. Hit a shot just wide of the post on 72 minutes and then hit his first goal for us to ensure there would be no possibility of extra time after all on 90 minutes. He played the ball out to Sinclair whose cross to Gestede was played back to him to the left of the penalty spot and he hit a measured shot into the corner of the net to seal our victory with the assuredness of someone who finishes like that every week. Carles Gil – 7 - Replaced Grealish on 73 minutes. His creativity and touch did much to help us to present a more serious threat to our opponents defence than we had managed to do prior to his introduction. Up for the Cup Villa! John Lewis

This deal needs doing before the weekend preferably. We should not be willing to wait until the last day as he may well change his mind at the last moment and sign for someone else leaving us with an unused loan at the end of the month. I assume he did not play in the FA Cup so that he would be free to do so for us or someone else. He has not played many games this season but nor did Cissokho and he was able to hit the ground running. Come on Mathieu its time for making your mind up to quote Bucks Fizz from our league championship winning year.

Agreed (one of the very few benefits of age) its much the same with me and the likes of Hitchens and McParland although I have seen them on DVD & YouTube and would recommend those who were not lucky enough to see these or the other players in the flesh do the same (its nice to forget our present plight if only for a few minutes).

I appreciate the points you are making but there will be plenty of vultures around in the next window looking to take players off us for peanuts if we do go down. Players who now play in the first team may well go then and should that be the case we may need what is left of the squad to try to get us back up. I really do not want to make our squad any weaker than it already is given there seems little hope that we will bring in players during this window. I see it like Steve Bruce said recently about the prospect of selling Huddlestone to Derby, "Am I really going to sell Tom Huddlestone to Derby, our biggest competitor at this particular time? There is no chance". We may well go down but I am not ready to sell the team yet to make sure it happens unless our manager rather than the bean counters at our club want to do so.

It would be something to build upon although I would obviously prefer 9 and 4 - 5 points might be a bit ambitious. It might just prove to be enough over what is left of the season if we can average around 1.5 points a game lets go and get them and find out.

If only he was......

How would we feel if we sold him for a couple of million, did nothing with that money in this window and ended the season a point below Swansea in 18th place with Scott having scored goals to keep them up? Swansea are one of the teams we might yet end the season above if we are to pull off an unlikely miracle and stay up. We are short of goals as it is and we may well need him in the games to come because we are not spoilt for choice up front without taking into account likely injuries/suspensions in what is left of this season. We would be crazy to sell him now and even more so to consider selling him to them.

I have experienced it before but I did not prepare for it on those occasions and cannot do so this time. It is not something as Villa fans we should accept or prepare for. It is also something that I had hoped would not happen again as it is not part of any "bright future" we were promised. Points wise from our next 3 games 9 would be exactly what we need but I would take 3 points at home and 2 - 3 from the away games to give us 5 - 6 points.

The transfer window will slam shut within a fortnight and we are still waiting for our first signing. Links with players get our hopes up but I get the feeling that our "custodian" and his new "yes man" chairman are waiting to pull the plug on any spending until we lose a game or two and they feel they can safely say that we need to prepare for a season in the league below. If we do not lose again this month I suspect they will wait until it is too late to do any deals to release any funds for new players or hope that no player is prepared to join us given our situation and the terms they offer him. I hope to be proved wrong in the next few days.

I do not think we will be bottom as I think that spot is destined for Sunderland. To stay up we will need 34 - 38 points for me. The most likely clubs to join Sunderland other than us would be Swansea, Norwich and Bournemouth in my opinion, Can we get those extra 22- 26 points? I would be happy to get 22 - 24 and would hope that might prove to be enough. 3 or 4 new signings would help us achieve that but it seems that our "custodian" and his new chairman would prefer to wave the white flag now than spend some money in the hope that would see us stay up. .

I would like to think so or we could be looking at someone else?

£4.5m would be way more than we would be prepared to pay with money being too tight to mention at Villa Park (ask our new chairman it would be like throwing money at it)!