John

20-25 points to add to the 8 we already have or 20-25 in total? I think 33 might just give us an outside chance of staying up. He was a player I would have liked to see us try to get in the summer. If we can sign him now he looks a realistic target for us but he may end up at Boro again.

I think other clubs will look at him as well. Our current league position and the money we might be prepared to offer him/his club may be against us when it comes to signing prospects like this.

We showed some much needed fight and spirit yesterday against a team who were no better than we were and were perhaps fortunate to leave Villa Park with a point. But when we concede the first goal this season it is very unlikely that we will win the game because try as we might we do not really pose a significant goal threat to our opponents. West Ham had their best moments at the end of each half. They went ahead in first half stoppage time and seemed the team most likely to score when it was us that really needed to have been pressing for a winner near the end but we had the best of the game overall. There are signs of improvement now and our players do seem to be settling into a system as well as into this league. We came back from being a goal down as we did at Newcastle and have now for the first time this season gone 2 games without defeat. These are positives we can take from a season where positives have been very few and far between for us. So we have now gone 10 home league games without a win. We have not won in the league at Villa Park this season and have only won one of the 18 games we have played since the first day of the season. That form sadly has relegation written all over it. On the two previous occasions that we were bottom of the table at Christmas we were relegated and the odds are against us making it third time lucky. The two teams that were bottom of the table at Christmas 2013 and 2014 survived but to have any chance of doing the same we really need to be winning games like this one and we did not. A draw from a game like this would have been OK if we had say another 10 points to our name but we are playing catch-up and we will not catch up in time by drawing games. We are 9 points adrift of Norwich who currently sit just above the drop zone. We play them next and follow that up with Sunderland who are only 4 points clear of us. We need to win both of those games now to bring those clubs within our reach. They are 6-pointers and must win games. Make it so Villa! My player ratings from a game that has left us hanging onto our top flight status by our finger tips are: Brad Guzan – 6 – Got a hand to a 25th minute near post shot from Zárate which he turned wide and gathered a shot from Obiang on 79 minutes a little uncomfortably. Brad again left a lot of space at one side of his goal for a late stoppage time free kick but managed to scramble across his goal to turn Valencia’s shot out for a corner. Alan Hutton – 5 – Alan worked very hard as he always can be relied to do but his crosses were generally poor and he left wide players in too much space on a couple of occasions. On one such occasion Valencia had oceans of space in the build up to the move that led to Kouyaté striking the woodwork. Former Villa target Cresswell then found himself with no-one anywhere near him before he cut inside and picked his spot on the edge of the box. Alan later had a far post header cleared near the line by Collins on 74 minutes. Jores Okore – 6 – Jores gave another solid enough display at the back. Joleon Lescott – 6 – The captaincy appears to have had a positive impact upon Joleon who looks more assured now and organises those around him pretty well. Leandro Bacuna – 5 – Adrián blocked his 28th minute shot from the edge of the box which bounced to Gestede who was unable to get enough on his header from the rebound to trouble the keeper. Jordan Veretout – 7 – Had a 53rd minute shot pushed past the far post by Adrián after Hutton had found him on the edge of the box and he had ran into it between 2 defenders. His recent improvement in performance is being sustained. Carlos Sánchez - 6 – We lost some shape when he went off through injury on 38 minutes. Idrissa Gana – 7 – An encouraging display. Put himself about yesterday and stood up to be counted. Ashley Westwood – 5 – Hit a shot over the bar from 30 yards after Bacuna had found him in space and did the same with a volley on 71 minutes after the ball fell into his path from a corner. Might have conceded a second half penalty when the ball struck his arm but that would have been harsh on him and on us. Jordan Ayew – 7 – MOTM - Jordan was as cool as a cucumber when he stepped up to slot home his 62nd minute penalty sending Adrián the wrong way. He really looks up for the fight and looks a quality forward now. Rudy Gestede – 6 – Won balls in the air and was brought down for our penalty by Kouyaté as he raced onto a ball having got in front of his man. He seems to now be settling into playing in this league but he needs to find the goal touch he produced for Blackburn in the league below if we are to avoid joining them next season. Headed a Veretout cross wide of the post on 18 minutes and headed a Hutton cross over the bar on 50 minutes that he really should have headed downward. Turned well inside the box on 59 minutes following a Veretout free kick but his shot was parried away by Adrián. Substitutes: Carles Gil - 6 - Replaced Sánchez on 38 minutes. Took a while to find his feet but he played his part in getting us moving forward in the second half. Hit a 44th minute shot wide of the near post from the edge of the box. Adama Traoré – Replaced Veretout on 83 minutes but was not on the field long enough to merit a rating. A Happier New Year to all readers - Stay up Villa! John Lewis

We showed some much needed fight and spirit yesterday against a team who were no better than we were and were perhaps fortunate to leave Villa Park with a point. But when we concede the first goal this season it is very unlikely that we will win the game because try as we might we do not really pose a significant goal threat to our opponents. West Ham had their best moments at the end of each half. They went ahead in first half stoppage time and seemed the team most likely to score when it was us that really needed to have been pressing for a winner near the end but we had the best of the game overall. There are signs of improvement now and our players do seem to be settling into a system as well as into this league. We came back from being a goal down as we did at Newcastle and have now for the first time this season gone 2 games without defeat. These are positives we can take from a season where positives have been very few and far between for us. So we have now gone 10 home league games without a win. We have not won in the league at Villa Park this season and have only won one of the 18 games we have played since the first day of the season. That form sadly has relegation written all over it. On the two previous occasions that we were bottom of the table at Christmas we were relegated and the odds are against us making it third time lucky. The two teams that were bottom of the table at Christmas 2013 and 2014 survived but to have any chance of doing the same we really need to be winning games like this one and we did not. A draw from a game like this would have been OK if we had say another 10 points to our name but we are playing catch-up and we will not catch up in time by drawing games. We are 9 points adrift of Norwich who currently sit just above the drop zone. We play them next and follow that up with Sunderland who are only 4 points clear of us. We need to win both of those games now to bring those clubs within our reach. They are 6-pointers and must win games. Make it so Villa! My player ratings from a game that has left us hanging onto our top flight status by our finger tips are: Brad Guzan – 6 – Got a hand to a 25th minute near post shot from Zárate which he turned wide and gathered a shot from Obiang on 79 minutes a little uncomfortably. Brad again left a lot of space at one side of his goal for a late stoppage time free kick but managed to scramble across his goal to turn Valencia’s shot out for a corner. Alan Hutton – 5 – Alan worked very hard as he always can be relied to do but his crosses were generally poor and he left wide players in too much space on a couple of occasions. On one such occasion Valencia had oceans of space in the build up to the move that led to Kouyaté striking the woodwork. Former Villa target Cresswell then found himself with no-one anywhere near him before he cut inside and picked his spot on the edge of the box. Alan later had a far post header cleared near the line by Collins on 74 minutes. Jores Okore – 6 – Jores gave another solid enough display at the back. Joleon Lescott – 6 – The captaincy appears to have had a positive impact upon Joleon who looks more assured now and organises those around him pretty well. Leandro Bacuna – 5 – Adrián blocked his 28th minute shot from the edge of the box which bounced to Gestede who was unable to get enough on his header from the rebound to trouble the keeper. Jordan Veretout – 7 – Had a 53rd minute shot pushed past the far post by Adrián after Hutton had found him on the edge of the box and he had ran into it between 2 defenders. His recent improvement in performance is being sustained. Carlos Sánchez - 6 – We lost some shape when he went off through injury on 38 minutes. Idrissa Gana – 7 – An encouraging display. Put himself about yesterday and stood up to be counted. Ashley Westwood – 5 – Hit a shot over the bar from 30 yards after Bacuna had found him in space and did the same with a volley on 71 minutes after the ball fell into his path from a corner. Might have conceded a second half penalty when the ball struck his arm but that would have been harsh on him and on us. Jordan Ayew – 7 – MOTM - Jordan was as cool as a cucumber when he stepped up to slot home his 62nd minute penalty sending Adrián the wrong way. He really looks up for the fight and looks a quality forward now. Rudy Gestede – 6 – Won balls in the air and was brought down for our penalty by Kouyaté as he raced onto a ball having got in front of his man. He seems to now be settling into playing in this league but he needs to find the goal touch he produced for Blackburn in the league below if we are to avoid joining them next season. Headed a Veretout cross wide of the post on 18 minutes and headed a Hutton cross over the bar on 50 minutes that he really should have headed downward. Turned well inside the box on 59 minutes following a Veretout free kick but his shot was parried away by Adrián. Substitutes: Carles Gil - 6 - Replaced Sánchez on 38 minutes. Took a while to find his feet but he played his part in getting us moving forward in the second half. Hit a 44th minute shot wide of the near post from the edge of the box. Adama Traoré – Replaced Veretout on 83 minutes but was not on the field long enough to merit a rating. A Happier New Year to all readers - Stay up Villa! John Lewis

This really is a “must win” game for us. A win would take us to double figures points-wise at long last and we really need to start winning games if we are to have any hope whatsoever of staying up. Is it asking too much to think we can win a home game this season before the New Year? We face a team on Boxing Day that we actually beat at Villa Park last season and we cannot say that about many teams. West Ham have only won twice at Villa Park in the last 20 years. Surely we can put one over Sullivan, Brady and Gold again?

Bentley looked very good in the play off's. I suggested we went for him in the last window and would like to see us go for him before someone else signs him up.

Sorry, my error you quoted thabucks who had wrote "He (Nick Powell) just needs to (apparently) sort out his work ethic/attitude and get over his injuries".

He has been suggested before and is a Villa fan. He had looked a very bright prospect but made the mistake of joining Manchester United. A bit concerned that Mikeyp102 says "He just needs to (apparently) sort out his work ethic/attitude and get over his injuries". But it might be worth giving him an opportunity to prove himself with us in the longer term.

Why wait until Woy leads us to another sorry group stage exit at the Euros as he did in the last WC or until he decides to retire at 70+ VillaChris? Get him in now on a 3-year contract. It has to be a better option than old Woy or the likes of Southgate, Rodgers or Neville and I agree he might be tempted now before other offers are made which they will be.

If we do have a bit of money for the new boss then I would guess it would be French players that he would know most about. It is vital new signings hit the ground running and those sort of players may be out of our budget if they are already playing in our current league or want wages that we would not be willing to pay (Townsend/Austin/Cole). I think he said some weeks ago that he would not be signing more French players but our scouting network and he in particular should know which of these players could make a difference to us so we should use his knowledge primarily because it is he who will stand or fall on these signings. Surely someone is available who can show some passion and awareness of what he needs to do both with and without the ball on the other side of La Manche?

Villa is his team of choice.

I was not there so I can only guess that they told him some things, he told them some things and the club then reached a decision on who we would try to sign and who we would not.

He was.

Not soon enough...

Good luck with finding another club for N'Zogbia boss. Previous managers have tried and failed to do that. I am happy he has pointed out what we all knew namely that Gabby is not doing enough. Will Gabby now roll his sleeves up and try to give a bit back to the club on the field at a time when we so need it or will he shrug his shoulders, sit out his contract and count his money?

I think we may struggle on price, location and the league we may then be in when any such domino effect might kick in.

I guess Aly would be easier to persuade to come back to join us than would be Cole to agree to join us. Cheaper as well although I am sure that had nothing to do with this.

I felt that as well. So they told him where he thought he needed to strengthen, told him he was wrong in some of these cases which he told them he thought he had not been and then they told him what players he could actually have? Sounds like there was a whole lot of mind reading, subliminal persuasion and Vulcan mind melding going on. I guess Derren Brown and Spock were invited to the meeting?

I sit with a lot of "older guys" and we are all some way off being relaxed about being relegated in much the same way as we were back in 67, 70 & 87 when we were young guys .My son who has never seen us play outside of the top flight also feels less than comfortable about it so I do not think it is an age thing as such. I well recall the late 60s and early 70s when we were denied seeing the likes of Best, Moore, Osgood, Currie and Clarke take us on at Villa Park and I do not want a repeat of that for Villa fans today for 1 year or 8.

The first goal will be crucial. If we do not get it then I cannot see us getting back into the game. We need a win but I would take a point as long as we followed that up with a win against West Ham and with 4 - 6 points from the games at Norwich and Sunderland.

I think we need a keeper as well because a mistake from a keeper often leads to a goal. In our situation we need to lower our number of goals conceded. Brad is making too many errors of late and does not look confident which has an impact on the defence in front of him. A good keeper can earn as many points as a good striker and we need both for me.

But the Bent gamble worked as we stayed up and we would not have done without him. I guess the difference this time is that our expectations have been lowered to the extent that our custodian feels he can get away without trying to spend to try to save us this time and he no longer cares enough about what happens to his former plaything.

The feeling is as bad as it was in 67, 70 & 87. I had hoped we would not face this feeling again and that those who have not seen us win things in their lifetime would at least be spared seeing us relegated. So much for that bright future!

Why not? Because they would not buy a player from us or because he would not play for a local rival? Villa players have moved to them in the past and he has not shown in the way he has performed of late that he is too bothered about playing for us or for anyone else come to think of it,

He said the above.