steell

I trust Randy on this but they look exactly like the sort of company that is one stock market crash away from being EX-FxPro. I don't care but with all the companies out there, I'm a bit surprised that our supposedly philanthropic owner has opted for one that is part of the seedier end of the banking/finance industry. Just imagining Barca giving up 'Unicef' for 'BAE'

And where does Copello play Milner?

Sorry but there's a bit of naivety on here. We are going to lose James Milner to either a bigger club, because he'll want that, or to a club that's happy to pay his price, because we'll want that. It's as simple as that, any talk of loyalty is complete nonsense. If Milner plays another competitive game for us, I'll donate £100 to Acorns.

To throw my predictions in to the mix of players I think we could get and I think MON would know about and be interested in: McGeady O'Hara Bentley Keane Ireland Beckford Just trying to be realistic and reflect on MON's previous buying patterns.

If we're talking about losing one player this close season, for big money, please let it be Young and not Milner. I honestly think we could cope much easier without Young than we could Milner. Young has been the most disappointing player of the season - not because he was that bad but because he looked a shadow of the player we know he can be - and there were times where he should have been dropped. If we could get Bentley, with Albrighton as back up, then we can let Downing settle in his preferred position and use the extra money for another squad player. If we lose Milner, we just wont replace him with the same quality and that's when the sale of our two most talented midfielders in consecutive summers will really begin to hurt us.

James Milner can judge a book by it's cover.

I've watched this guy on youtube and he reminds me a lot of a young croatian that once played for us, literally if I remember correctly.

No Barry. Which is sad.

Not sure about this game, could really go either way, they don't look very strong apart from up front. If we can score then I think we might be able to shut them out but my money's on a draw.

Happy with that game, we did exactly what we needed to, if man yoo had done it people would be saying a 'professional display'. I thought Downing looked very good tonight and Petrov is a very underrated player, he controls the game and sets the tempo. I know this is nothing new but, as one of the most positive posters on here, what the hell does Sidwell do to so consistently get a game! I watched him very carefully, as I always do, and he's clueless, gives the ball away and gives us absolutely nothing. Argggggghhhhhhhhhhh!

Thought we've played some nice stuff at times, it's been patchy but not as bad as some are making out. Petrov has been good and Downing is having a better game. Ash and Carew have done very little and Milner is having an off day. Just hope we keep at it and I'd like to see NRC at some point and NOT Sidwell.

I know there's a lot bad here but Sidwell has been truly and utterly awful, a complete waste of space. We haven't defended well but the midfield is being torn apart.

We'll kick on and win this game. We've been excellent. Stan has been brilliant.

Just about the most frustrated I've been all season. I'm a big MON fan and he has my utmost respect but PLEASE make some bloody changes! He's just so stubborn, we've been poor for several games now. To watch that for 75 minutes and then think that swapping Gabby for Carew was going to make the slightest bit of difference shows something of a weakness - we didn't get a ball in behind them of note all game. Ash, Downing and Milner were all poor and to not try and change the shape was sooooo annoying. How many times has MON said we're going to start rotating players because it's a long hard season and then picked the same 11 who've scrapped thorough, looking tired, for weeks now. Albrighton, Delph, Delfouneso and Luke Young should all have played much more than they have this season. It says to players like Ash and Downing that it doesn't matter how you play, or how much effort you put in, you'll still be picked. I'm getting to the stage where I'm hoping for a sending off or minor injury, because that's the only way some of our players are going to be fresh at the end of the season.

We can turn this around but not simply by shouting at the team. MON needs to change things here, we're in a mess. IMO Downing off for Albrighton (it simply doesn't work switching him with Young, he can't play out on the right!), Young for Cuellar and Fonz for Carew. But I BET he'll bring Sidwell on. weeps.

Haven't read the thread but just for posterity here's my thoughts: Couldn't really have put out a stronger team, MON did all the right things, we had a bad ref decision and a couple of players didn't play as well as they do normally. On another day Dunne's excellent recovering challenge would have fallen at the feet of a Villa player, Vidic would have been sent off, warnock wouldn't have slipped and we may well have won - all things that are down to chance and not really because we're not good enough. Other than that I was proud we made it to the final and I'm convinced we're heading in the right direction.

Guzan, Carew and Gabby in the 2nd half were all very poor. Everyone else was OK and I thought Cuellar was excellent, he looked more up for it than anyone else, his attitude is brilliant. It doesn't go down well in some quarters but Sidwell is a waste of space, I just don't get it.

Heskey. I hope.

Milner has his passing boots on today, what a player

we're playing some nice stuff, what a great midfield at the moment.

What a chance!!

Maybe MON will rest some players when we play the really weak teams - like Liverpool!!

Bit odd really, MON is always hinting about having to use the squad more and these kinds of games, just before we have a few very big games, are surely the times to do it. Why not let Delph or Reo-Coker start? I want to win this game but if he's going to say it I can' think when else during this busy period we could maybe take a small gamble?

I'm a bit nervous about this game - as always, when you've supported Villa for as long as I have! Just have a feeling Delph will make a contribution today, don't know why but I'll be back on here crowing if I'm right!

Sort of game we'd have lost before this season, we're definitely making progress! Thought Petrov was quietly quality today, best player technically on the pitch. Milner is just class and Dunne/Cuellar is a very effective combination. Just wish Young could remember how to beat a player and not just run into them, he's still not on it for me.