John

i think larsson, forssell, quedrue, kapo, will go

Did you see Kapo interviewed after the game Demitri? When asked how he felt he said he was going on holiday added he was a Premier League player and made it clear he had no plans to be facing Swansea and Coventy in an Ajax shirt next season.

I just loved the boy in tears sitting on his father's lap as the grim reality hit home on SKY last night. I know I should not have laughed but it seemed rude not to and I toasted their salty tears with a couple of bottles of bubbly...it breaks their hearts...

I'm with Pete that 5-1 hit really hard for them and for once they have a manager who is honest (not likely to be there long then and he was quick enough to leave the Scots to better himself ) But, for me it will be on Sunday when I raise a glass of bubbly with my son and think of their next promotion season.

We saved our worst for last as the pale imitation of the Aston Villa team that had surrendered to Sunderland 6 weeks ago again reared its ugly head to appear in place of the one that had scored 17 goals in our last four games!

So a game that could have produced a fitting farewell for Olof, that should have piled the pressure on Everton as their grip on fifth place was wrestled from their grasp in the penultimate weekend of the season and that would have secured at worst Intertoto qualification did nothing of the sort. It did guarantee Premier League football for yesterday’s opponents although the result at Craven Cottage was always likely to secure that, it also was met with a sigh of relief on the blue side of Liverpool and it allowed Mark Hughes to dream of Intertoto football in front of packed houses at Ewood Park, where up until yesterday the hopes of a full house at Blackburn looked equally unlikely as their piping us to that one Intertoto place.

So, where did it all go wrong? Well Mr Potato Head had done his homework. His sides do not play pretty football and Wigan have got unlikely results at Villa Park in the past by putting men behind the ball and pressurising better players with whole hearted effort and hard running. They identified and all but nullified our key players so that Carew and Young rarely posed a threat and as we know when Young does not play nor do we. Oh and Rafa’s unwelcome attention towards our captain can’t have helped.

So, where do we go from here? Well 3 points at West Ham would still put a positive slant on this season during which we have exceeded any reasonable expectations. It would take us over the 60 point barrier for the first time in many a year, it would secure our place in the Intertoto Cup and it would secure our place in the top six. It might even still give us fifth place if Newcastle took 3 points from Goodison Park on the last day of the season and I along with Kevin Keegan would really love it for that to happen!

My player ratings from a game that reminded us that we still have a long way to go, that demonstrated our lack of consistency, that did little to merit the maximum crowd we attracted and that gave us an opportunity to say a fond farewell to Olof, Tommy and I suspect our captain in that subdued lap of appreciation are:

Scott Carson - 6 – Did well to stop a goal bound effort on 70 minutes and so deny Valencia a hat trick (now he might be one for Martin’s shopping list) but I suspect our current loathing for all things Liverpool makes the chances of agreeing a figure with them for his services in the summer look less likely than it had before their unwelcome bid for our skipper. On the day it could be said that Kirkland seemed the more convincing of these two former Liverpool goalkeepers and that Wigan is the place we might want to look to resolve our goalkeeping question if the Liverpool option is one Martin decides not to take up. If this was to be Scott’s last game, then I hope he can restore his confidence elsewhere and he should remember that the likes of David James have come back from low points in the past.

Olof Mellberg – 8 – MOTM – Olof really wanted to go out on a high but it was not to be although not due to any lack of effort on his part. Finished the game in the central role he has filled with such competence in his time with us having again started the game in the right back role he was forced into this season. On a par with Southgate for me as our best central defender since Macca. Juve been great in our shirt Olof, thanks for the memories and we will always have those heady days against Small Heath when 3-1 & 5-1 wins put the record straight once and for all to remember together.

Zat Knight – 6 – The victim of a tactical substitution on 61 minutes and had done pretty well up until then. Glanced a header on from a Young free kick on 19 minutes that forced a stop from Kirkland. The gamble of going all out for an equaliser did not work as within 2 minutes of his going off Wigan had stretched their lead to two.

Martin Laursen – 6 – Our star defensive performer this season was also not at his usual commanding best yesterday.

Wilfred Bouma – 6 – Also not at his best before making way for Marlon, but who was? Unlucky to play a part in their freak goal on 52 minutes when his deflection made the up until likely goalless draw into a sad last home defeat. No further delays in agreeing a contract with Freddy now Martin, as we cannot afford to see a left back added to the list of players we need to bring in this summer.

Stygian Petrov – 5 – Failed to hit the level of performance he had shown in recent weeks but he was not alone in this.

Nigel Reo Coker – 5 – Some strong challenges and unfortunately was again pushed back to spend a lot of time at the back in the last half hour to cover for departing defenders.

Gareth Barry – 6 – Made some good runs in the first half and worked hard for 45 minutes but faded in the second when as captain he needed to lead from the front. Was his mind elsewhere, as it seemed to be after the game? If so, that is a real pity as he will be making a big mistake if he should ultimately decide to jump ship and not play the role he had seemed destined to in making our bright future a reality. I also suspect that within two years we will have overtaken Liverpool so think on that Gareth and on the status you have at our great football club as well as upon the feeling you could enjoy when in a few years time you stand proud in a Villa shirt with another cup in your hand and with Charlie Aitken’s appearance record in sight. For me there would be no choice, how about you?

Ashley Young – 6 – Kept working but Wigan were able to stop him by fair means and foul.

John Carew – 5 – Lacked service and was another who was allowed to give only rare glimpses of the player we know he is because of the close attention of defenders. Wasted the one opportunity he had when he miss headed a good ball from Petrov on 73 minutes. We need more out balls and threats from more areas, if teams like this are not to stop Villa in the future by closing down the supply from Ashley and the end product from Big John.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 4 – Anonymous for too much of this game. Had a looping header pushed over the bar on 68 minutes but never looked likely to add to his recent goal tally and was another striker who suffered from a lack of service. Gabby really needs to start imposing himself during games like this and go looking for the ball when it does not find him if he is to make the England breakthrough he seeks. Marking a player with his pace should be a real headache rather than a cake walk.

Substitutes:

Patrik Berger – 4 – Replaced Zat for the last half hour and hit one terrific ball within a minute of coming on which Barry hit just wide, but for the rest of the time showed a real lack of energy and looked what he now is a player who is seeing his career flash before him as it winds down to its conclusion. We really needed another option on the bench yesterday.

Marlon Harewood – 5 – Replaced Freddy on 69 minutes but was rarely fed, so for once failed to score.

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

I think his scoring last might be the better bet villa89, say if we get a late penalty. But, I don't tend to cost the bookies too much, might it be worth looking at him to get either first or last @ £2.50 each to hedge your bets?

It’s also been confirmed that Villa have missed the deadline to take up the option of an extra year on Wilfred Bouma’s contract, meaning that as things stand the popular left back (and only full back at the club) will be able to leave on a free transfer in August

Where has that been confirmed John? Surely we have not been so laid back about sorting out his future as to run the risk of him being able to leave for nothing? :oops:

Wigan are only one point away from safety now, so expect them to come to Villa Park and play for the draw

For the first 20 minutes possibly, but then they will need to try to get back into the game that will quickly run away from them. I predict another 5-1 goal fest, with Olof getting the last one.

I managed to jump on a hotel computer between Board Meetings so let me try to quickly answer some questions

General, I think this demonstrates just how important you see this contact between the fans and yourself on behalf of our great football club. The fact that you are prepared to take time out from your busy schedule to respond to us in this way shows just how far we have come as a club since you and Randy took the helm. This link between the board and the fans is one to be proud of (as are others that have been put in place) and these will see us moving together as one in taking this great football club of ours forward. Where once we were mere "men of the terraces" whose views were ignored, our thoughts are now taken on board and given appropriate consideration.

I would like to think Gareth might read this and appreciate just what a part he can play in the shaping of the bright future of this great football club as he rubs shoulders on the list with such Villa greats from the past who in their time with us contributed so much to our proud past.

The grass is not always greener on the other side. It has often been said that the days of one player staying with a club and showing true loyalty by doing so (as did Aitken and the likes of Terry Payne in the past) are over. Gareth has the opportunity to show that it is not all about money for him and he should back himself, his team, his manager, his chairman and the staff at his club to ensure he does not retire without medals to add to our appearance record.

General, just a quick point (for information purposes only) on my earlier post concerning the U21 season ticket prices.

My concern was on the basis of the prices that these young people who occupy these particular seats will be faced with as they will as yet not be high earners or may in fact be students. As an adult in that area myself, I am fully aware of the value for money we are getting and my suggestion would be in the future that we as adults would be better placed to manage a larger price rise than would the younger fans who happen to sit in the same area now. That I suggest could still produce the same income for the club from these areas.

I fully appreciate that you get what you pay for and in our case we get a much better deal than anyone else in anything near to similar circumstances. These tickets represent real value for money and I'm sure nobody would want you to take away the impression that Randy has been anything other than as good as his word to us. Both you and Randy have delivered big time and I want you to know that we are proud to have you running our great football club and back you 110%!

General:

On the subject of 08/09 season tickets the price rise for under 21s for the central sections of the Trinity & DE Stands has risen from £250 to £450 (80%). The maximum in other areas for U21s is £310 and 17 - 20 years old's will be paying only £60 less than adults in this area of the ground.

I know these youngsters have the option of moving to other areas of the ground where their costs would be lower but many may have sat where they are now for many years with their parents and friends who sit in groups, so this is a less simple option for them as well as for those they sit with.

I can appreciate that it is likely to be too late to do anything about this now, but a large proportion of these 17 - 20s will still be in full time education and so a large price increase will be likely to bite quite hard.

With a view to the future, could some consideration be given to the combo price being extended to include this age grouping (with the combined price being higher to reflect the seat price differences) and could the prospect of staggering increases over the period between U16 & U21 be considered so that the jump between U16 & U21/Adult pricing is less demanding?

In closing many thanks for the great work that you, Randy and all at B6 are all doing for our football club, the season ticket prices are in the main more than reasonable and I hope you won't mind me bringing this one matter to your attention.

In a 5-1 win a striker was probably our weakest player

Agree 100% BOF. I doubt he did anything to impress Fabio.

how could you not give young and carew 10 out 10!!!

It was difficult not to Demitri, perhaps a hit-trick each would have swung it.

Karen Brady, David Sullivan, David Gold, Jasper Carrot, Ralph Gold, Trevor Francis, Joe Gallagher, Bob Hatton, Robert Hopkins, Noel Blake, Paul Tait, Barry Fry, Robbie Savage, Alberto Tarantini, Bill Howell…your boys took a hell of a beating!

McLeish had claimed that this would not be a repeat of the Glasgow derby and that Martin’s better record in those games was due to his having the superior side then – No change there then Alex!

That coach trip from Aston to Small Heath must have seemed like an eternity for those Noses who managed to last the full 90 minutes (yes we noticed those of you who began skulking out after the third). You always remember these sorts of local derby defeats. I still recall seeing us lose 4-2 to the same opposition back in 1967 and no doubt there will be a young blue nose or three who will recall this game with a similar shudder some 40 years on in much the same way as I still do that one. But, this game brought us 5 goals to add to the 4 and 6 we had scored in our previous two games. But there was to be no clean sheet this time and on the down side we really need to look at our tendency to take our foot of the pedal when we go 4 ahead!

This was our biggest league win against our nearest neighbours since we beat them 6-2 at Villa Park in 1960 and this defeat will have Everton looking over their shoulders and Small Heath doubting their ability to get the 4 points from their next 3 games that they are likely to need to be playing us again in the league next season. But after 3-1 last year and 5-1 this and our now 6-game unbeaten league run against them possibly relegation would save them from further embarrassment!

My player ratings from a game that will have led to dancing in the streets of Bolton and Reading as well as the moth balling of many a Penguin top are:

Scott Carson - 6 – Solid enough when tested and showed no sign of contributing to the catalogue of goalkeeping disasters that our keepers have been prone to against this opposition in the past.

Olof Mellberg – 7 – He enjoyed this victory against our neighbours and deserved his warm ovation when making room for Marlon with the game well won.

Zat Knight – 7 – A solid display that will have meant a lot to him.

Martin Laursen – 8 – Caused Agent Ridgewell a lot of concern from dead ball situations in their box and kept things tight in our own.

Wilfred Bouma – 7 – As solid and dependable as we have come to expect.

Stiliyan Petrov – 8 – Another very encouraging performance. He ran the show with Barry, particularly in the first half.

Nigel Reo Coker – 8 – Won everything that was there to win and some things that were not. Gave 110% and a bit more yesterday.

Gareth Barry – 9 – Hit a measured shot that Taylor did very well to push out for a corner on 37 minutes and then his strong run into the box set up Big John for our third on 53 minutes. This was the sort of strong midfield display that wins games and attracts unwanted suitors.

Ashley Young – 9 – MOTM – A tremendous strike on 28 minutes opened the scoring and gave us the vital opening goal. Ashley then played a lovely one two off Taylor’s legs for our fourth on 63 minutes. He is relishing his new wild rover role and the watching Fabio must have been suitably impressed.

John Carew – 9 – Nodded a corner just wide on 8 minutes and then leapt like a salmon to nod the ball past the despairing reach of Taylor for our second on 42 minutes. An old fashioned centre forward who is strong in the air and who brushes defenders aside like children when making his forceful speedy forward runs.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 7 – Left Taylor wrong footed when he struck our fifth on 77 minutes.

Substitutes:

Marlon Harewood – Replaced Olof on 85 minutes. Not on long enough to be fed or to score or to earn a rating. Replacing a defender with a forward with 5 already scored says a lot about or approach to yesterday’s game.

Up the Villa and now for that 6-pointer at Everton!

John Lewis

Zarate is very Maloney

Is he that good?

Let Rafa throw his toys out of the pram then.

I suspect he won't be their manager by the start of the new season anyway. If we do get a call we should tell them we want Gerrard as a make weight in the deal or they can forget it!

even a draw would, mathematically at least, not be a total disaster

Too near to one for me BOF. :winkold: I think 2 wins from our next 2 games would be enough to stay above these two clubs (although I seem to recall the game at Fulham being another one we expected to win). Thanks for making things so clear.

I think Gabby should be deducted a point for that awful celebration.

I thought I would let him off just this once as it has been a while since he had one to cellebrate. :winkold:

The problem with all this is, where does it leave NRC

I think playing further forward in the midfield which is what he had told Martin he wanted to do Jon, I agree 100% with your other observations.

2 goals and 2 assists for an 8/10 harsh i reckon, good performance though, how did NRC perform i didnt notice him as much

I might have given him a 9 if he had scored a hat-trick shortshadyuk :winkold: Reo started well but did fade a little and needs to cut out the silly bookings as we can't afford to have our best players sitting in the stand in the run-in.

We came into March playing like lions and came out of it having spent the rest of the month playing like lambs. The new month and this win it brought could not have come soon enough!

This convincing win has pushed us back above Blackburn and back into the driving seat for Intertoto qualification. It has also done our neighbours a very big favour as they limp towards safety on the backs of the performances of others. But, enough of them, we may have helped them yesterday but they cannot expect any help from us when they arrive at Villa Park a fortnight from today.

Before yesterday’s game a lot of us had felt that this might be a difficult one after our last couple of inept home performances. The first goal was crucial as was the second which followed a rare decent period from our relegation haunted opponents. So we got the goals when we needed them and the points that came with them that should allow us to put last month behind us and move towards and past our 60 point barrier.

This was also another good attendance. Had a lot of fans bought tickets in advance or are we not so fickle after all and why were there spaces where Bolton fans should have been (have they given up on their team already)? I think Martin can take a fair bit of credit for this one. He might not have made wholesale changes (our squad size does not allow for that) but he changed a couple of things and we looked a much different team yesterday to the one that turned in none performances in our last two home games following that.

My player ratings from a game that brought an end to thoughts of a premature end to our season are:

Scott Carson - 6 – A welcome clean sheet at long last. But, Scott still had a shaky 50th minute during some rare Bolton pressure when he diverted a cross just wide that looked until then as if he had put it in and he then missed the resultant corner.

Olof Mellberg – 6 – An early mistake on 6 minutes could have gifted Bolton the lead and put a much different complexion on this game but although his header back towards goal went straight to an opponent he did not pay the penalty and went on to have a solid enough game.

Zat Knight – 6 – One obvious moment of hesitation inside our box on 35 minutes but was otherwise pretty solid when called upon.

Martin Laursen – 7 – A solid enough display but he has still not found the exemplary form he had demonstrated so consistently this season before his contract was signed. Martin hit the post on 37 minutes from a tight angle (particularly for a central defender) after their keeper had pushed the ball into his path.

Wilfred Bouma – 7 – Our best defender yesterday and at times he looked outstanding. Is it not time we got his contract sorted so this can become a position we will have resolved before the window opens? As Olof has shown players with this sort of pedigree do tend to attract the attention of foreign clubs when they enter the last year of their contracts.

Stiliyan Petrov – 8 – On any other day this would have been a man of the match performance but our captain’s display led to Stiliyan coming a close second this time although he did look good throughout and pinged some lovely passes around. He clearly enjoyed the extra time that this deeper position provided him with and gave the sort of performance that shows why Martin had been so keen to get him on board from Celtic. It was very nice to see him get such a good reception on being substituted and he now needs to maintain that level of performance in what is left of the season and to get a run in this role.

Nigel Reo Coker – 6 – Seemed to enjoy the more forward role that he had made it clear he wanted recently and Martin was not slow to offer him this chance to show he can fill this position. Forced a save from their keeper before we scored our third after Gabby had found him having himself been found by a super pass from Petrov. But, then earned a silly booking that could prove costly with the game already decided.

Gareth Barry – 8 – MOTM – Two goals and two assists, a fantasy football manager’s dream! Young’s pin point cross found him on 9 minutes and his header found the net off Al Habsi’s leg. His second was a shot on demand from the Holte End that was deflected past the keeper on the hour mark. His was a strong performance and the fact that he was so involved in all 4 of our goals shows how important his contribution was.

Ashley Young – 8 – Back to something very near his best and he was far too hot for Bolton to hold. Good runs and silky skills. When Ashley ticks then so do we.

John Carew – 6 – Did some good work but this was another quiet game from the big man. However, his fitness for this one had been in more than a little doubt during the week and this might explain why his contribution was less than he would have wanted. We might just need those Norwegian Villains to make plans to get over for our next home game to ensure that John will be back to his very best as he was when they last made their presence felt at the Newcastle game.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 7 – Much better than of late particularly after he got a much needed goal which should help his confidence level in the coming games. Made a couple of good speedy runs and applied the finish to Barry’s fine cross for our second on 56 minutes after an excellent move that had began near our own penalty area and that was so well worked and smooth in the build-up.

Substitutes:

Marlon Harewood – 7 – Replaced Carew on 78 minutes after he had taken a knock and The Hare was fed by Barry and scored our fourth on 85 minutes when left unmarked, leaving their keeper leaden footed with a header that nestled into the corner of the net.

Patrik Berger - Made no impression on this rare run out when he replaced Ashley Young on 83 minutes and looked like he needed longer than 10 minutes to get up to speed given that he has seen so little first team action this season.

Wayne Routledge – Replaced Petrov on 86 minutes. Not on long enough to rate but he did look lively on his introduction and I expect he will have opportunities to show us more in what remains of this season.

Up the Villa and good luck to Peter Enckelman later today!

John Lewis

In both the General & Randy I trust!

Sufficient funds will be made available for the right players. We will not become challengers to Manchester United by next season but Martin will be given the funds to improve us by bringing in the players he wants and his task will be to hook them in the summer. Those players along with the bulk of what we have will see us improve again next season and future windows and the development of players we have will bring the current big 4 nearer to us as is the 5-year plan.

Yes, 110% and I find it amazing that some of us do not. We are very lucky to have him and 99% of the other clubs would swap him for their boss in a heart beat!

Yes Blandy Old Trafford is and always has been a tough nut to crack and I can appreciate how you felt after this latest defeat. Since the early 80s when we last won there thanks to goals from Withe we have seldom got any joy there even when we started games on a par with them or with the slight edge on them in the league. One game stands out for me under Big Ron when Stan hit a screamer and they were lucky to get a point as we both went for the title that year but generally our results up there have been too predictable. At least we tried to take the game to them again having recognised that by putting 11 men behind the ball up there damage limitation is mainly all that is achieved.

One day under Martin we will crack this nut but for now anything other than a hiding is a bit of a result for us up there and at the start of the season if someone had told me we would only lose 1 game away against the big 4 this season, I would have been more than happy and would have guessed this would be the one we lost.

The three hard earned points we gained at Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal were lost yesterday when we allowed relegation threatened Sunderland their first away win of the season!

A capacity attendance witnessed a second consecutive none performance at Villa Park yesterday and how many of them will be enthused enough to buy tickets for another dose of the same unpleasant medicine against Bolton in a fortnight (I wonder what the odds will be on Gary Cahill scoring their winner)? A point against Boro was bad enough but to follow that up with this 90 minutes was far from acceptable. One point from nine over our past three games has put paid to any hopes of a top five finish and on a day when we could have gone back to sixth with a win due to Portsmouth’s defeat this tame performance was hard to accept.

It seems to me that the season has gone pear shaped since the threat of Intertoto football was first mentioned a few days ago. But, where once this would have led to an early start to pre-season it is now just two pre-season competitive games replacing what would otherwise be two friendly games, so why would this be something the players might not want? Is it that our small squad of “good honest lads” is understandably tiring as we reach the finishing straight of what has up until now been an encouraging season where we have been punching above our weight? Conspiracy theorists might also suggest that a win for Sunderland and three points for Bolton and Wigan at Villa Park in our remaining home games might send our near neighbours down. But, whilst these teams will now travel to us with hope rather than fear so will our neighbours and can we guarantee keeping up our end of the deal by beating Small Heath and so completing the favour for those other relegation haunted sides?

My player ratings from a game that gave Sunderland a more comfortable 90 minutes than they could reasonably have hoped for are:

Scott Carson - 4 – Missed a punch on 38 minutes having earlier fumbled the ball and handled it outside his box on 22 minutes, so he was lucky to stay unpunished until Chopra beat him all to easily for their winner. The FA paid compensation following the physical injury Owen sustained when playing for England but the shell shock Carson has suffered from since his England debut has left similar deep scars and although he has at times seemed capable of putting these behind him these still clearly threaten his future along with his status in the game. This was a game that he would have waltzed through before his England nightmare but it is now one which one that again brings into question whether he like David James before him can overcome early errors in what will be a long career to avoid the “calamity” tag sticking. I think the break from the spotlight of England duty may be just what he needs in that it will provide him with time to take stock of his current situation and to try once and for all to put that awful England debut that hangs around his neck like a millstone behind him.

Craig Gardner – 4 – Despite what Martin has suggested this is not a position in which Craig looks at all comfortable. His fitness may also have been in doubt yesterday but Olof’s suspension and our lack of a natural full back this season left us with no options. Another difficult game for a player who is much more effective in the middle.

Zat Knight – 3 – Left for dead when Chopra raced passed him to get on the end of Richardson’s clever through ball and looks a shadow of the player he appeared early in the season and of the player whose untimely injury gave him back a starting role.

Martin Laursen – 6 – Solid enough, although not at his commanding and dominating best.

Wilfred Bouma – 6 – His usual solid performance. How about getting his contract sorted now before we go into the last year option Martin?

Shaun Maloney – 5 – A couple of nice early touches, put in some good early work but faded later and failed to create anything as did others, so he might have reasonably felt a touch unlucky to have had to make way for Osbourne.

Nigel Reo Coker – 5 – Another who like Bouma in the past may have reasonably felt unfortunate to be the one hauled off when a tactical change was necessary.

Gareth Barry – 6 – Worked hard and looked a fair bit brighter than of late, without taking the game by the scruff of the neck.

Ashley Young – 5 – When Ashley does not play nor do we. Enough said on a day when he could not get past his man, lacked his usual threatening runs and had little opportunity to work his magic from anywhere near the edge of the box. Had his omission from the England squad been leaked to him or was this just a day when nothing would go right?

John Carew – 5 – Things could have been much different if his overhead kick had have gone in rather than gone just wide on 8 minutes. Now 5 games without a goal since that hat-trick brought his goal tally to 9 and did not really look likely to get into double figures for the season after that early effort.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 4 – Had a shot saved by Gordon’s legs on 83 minutes but this was far from the sort of performance that will see him retain a place in any England squad and on current form may have been surprised to have got into the provisional selection.

Substitutes:

Marlon Harewood – 6 – MOTM - Replaced Reo on 56 minutes and within a minute put a great opportunity just wide when he really needed to have been on target. But, he still had a positive enough effect on what was otherwise a very negative day to make him our most effective performer and our only serious threat in the time he was given.

Isaiah Osbourne – 4 - Replaced Shaun on 73 minutes and in 20 minutes made no really significant or noticeable impact.

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

Chelsea still managed to expose their lack of grace in celebration as a two or three of their players took delight in baiting the Holte End by running at it waving their shirts and mocking the fans

Let them enjoy it while they can. I think our lads have a far better chance of playing in front of the Holte in a first team game for us than they do of playing in a Chelsea first team shirt in front of The Shed.

I wonder whether we should make a cheeky bid for the likes of Kakuta now or wait until they face being loaned out because they have two £15m players ahead of them in the race for their first team shirt? :winkold: Home grown talent has a big obstacle to clear to get first team action down there and I know which team is likely to have more players make the grade with the club they are now with.