Danwichmann

The E.U. have dictated that the measurement of and engines power will from 01.01.2010 will be BMP not BHP.

The abbreviation is for Basic Milner Power

The Bugatti Veyron has a BMP of 0.4. It would take 3 Bugatti Veyrons to outrun James Milner, and even then they would run out of petrol before James Milner broke a sweat.

Realistically 65-69 points but if we carry on as we are 70 is easily attainable. Depends on whether we have a bad run (maybe not as bad last year) as we always seem to have in a season.

In fairness that's not just us, most teams tend to have some sort of bad run. The difference is the really successful clubs have shorter bad runs and still manage to pick up a few points during them.

I think 70 - 74 points.. Be interesting to have a look at where that would get you in previous seasons.

70 /71 would have got you 5th last year, Arsenal were on 72 so 73/ 74 would have got you 4th. Those couple of points make a big difference! Most of the previous few seasons 70+ would give you a good shout at having Champions League football. Right now it's hard to see Liverpool getting that many, although I wouldn't rule it out yet. Also, you can't discount Spurs or Man City this season which makes it difficult to guess how many points are needed for a top 4 finish.

Personally I think it'll still take over 70 points, and I'm not convinced we quite have enough to get them.

Maybe it's just me, Pete, but I think that analysis is overly gloomy.

It's not just you. It's unbelievably gloomy. Expectations may get carried away at the moment, but this article goes way over the top in the other direction.

Can't help but feel that despite our good results of late, lots of people are massively underestimating going away to a team that are effectively seond in the league, knowing they can't afford to lose more games and have world-class players to make the likes of dunne and carlos look silly. Like Fabregas, Arshavin, etc.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm ready to face our first defeat in a while.

You can't win them all, and I fear this will be one match too far for us.

There is no doubt this is a very very hard game. Arsenal will certainly be taking us seriously after our results against Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelski and even with injuries they are a great team.

But on the other hand, why shouldn't we be optimistic? We've shown we can win anywhere, we haven't lost in our last 6 (I think) and it's been 373 minutes since we conceeded a goal.

To be honest I'd gladly take a draw, but I said the same against Man Utd so what do I know!

After the Arsenal game we will be exactly midway through the season. After 18 games played so far we are on 35 points. So how many do you expect us to finish the season with?

I think we should be aiming for around 70-74 but in truth I expect us to drop of the pace a little at some point and think we'll finish in the mid 60s somewhere.

To be fair to Sidwell, he did block a Beattie shot right at the end, as well as take the ball from Faye and clear it when he was about to shoot.

Yes, but everyone already made their mind up well before he came on the pitch that he was going to play badly, so anything he actually did is either irrelevant or not done well enough.

This and the Liverpool game just couldn't be bigger. If we can take any points we'll really be in a strong position.

A draw would be a good result, but the way we're going there is no reason we shouldn't be looking for a win.

9 points from games against Man Utd, Sunderland and Stoke is an amazing return which ever way you look at it. Let's all get behind Hull now!!

Sidwell first touch on the ball , nearly a goal............

Wasn't his first touch

Looks like Sidwell coming on

HT 0-0. 45 minutes way from intense frustration.

I know we'd have been pleased with 4 points from sunderland and stoke but even so... COME ON YOU VILLA BOYS

Or delighted with 7 from Man Utd, Sunderland and Stoke, but still plenty of time to make it 9.

Let's hope a spell on the bench has put big John in the mood. If it has he could do to Stoke what he did to Bolton.

Just seen the pre match interview on SSN, says he's ready to use his squad in what will be a busy period. Expect changes?

He's been saying this for a while now, so I wouldn't expect much.

Games against the Stokes, Wigans, Boltons etc are what will define our season. We simply cant't afford to drop to many more points against these teams if we are really going to push on. These games are never easy (ok, apart from Bolton) but I think that now we have Milner in the centre and our threat isn't soley from the wings we are much better equipped to breaks these sides down. Won't be easy, any win will do!

When I see a thread like this I think O'Neills biggest mistake was joining a club where so many fans so obviously just don't deserve him.

These quotes from Steve Bruce say it all for me

We were beaten by the better team, I have to say that. ...But my opinion hasn't changed - if there is going to be one [team] that's going to be breaking into it [the top four], they are going to be there... I think this is Martin's fourth season and they are unrecognisable to where they were when he took over. The progress he has made and his players, it's an unbelievable difference."

I can't help it, with quotes like these, I'm actually starting to like Potato Head!!

Wouldn't you just love it if Milner ended up in central midfield is SA at the expense of a certain Mr Barry?

Double post

I think MON will rest Downing and Milner, maybe even Young. I don't think we'll see the same lineup at at Old Trafford which may be worrying...but again I think we still have tons of quality to get the 3 points.

There is no way we could rest all 3 of those players. We may have to rotate at some point so only 2 out of 3 play, but our midfield would look pretty weak with all 3 out.

Maybe we should 'rest' Brad Friedel and give Brad Guzan a game. Just to put the shits up Sunderland like. They'd certainly think twice about taking a dive in the box.

problem with resting him is that it breaks his 206 odd game streak.

I don't think that would enter in to O'Neills thinking. If he thought Guzan would be better for this game, he would play him. That said, I still expect Friedel to play, and Guzan to be putting the shit up Blackburn in all the cup games very soon.

Spurs will be a real threat next season.

They've been telling us that for the last I don't know how many seasons. I used to expect it to actually happen, but I'm a lot less convinced these days.

Thats kinda the joke.

I've had too many Leffes this afternoon :oops:

Spurs will be a real threat next season.

They've been telling us that for the last I don't know how many seasons. I used to expect it to actually happen, but I'm a lot less convinced these days.

1. Dunne

2. Warnock

3. Milner

4. Gabby

These four, you can put them in any order you like to be honest. They've all been outstanding and all deserve it.

Collins and Cuellar have both been excellent as well, I think Petrov brings a lot to the team and although he's only just got in Downing looks great. We also have a fantastic goalkeeper. Competition will be fierce for this award this season if we keep up our form.

Martin O'Neill wonders if Aston Villa's long-awaited win at Manchester United will mean his players finally get the wider recognition they deserve.

Gabriel Agbonlahor's first-half header ensured Villa collected their first Old Trafford victory since 1983.

More importantly, it added the scalp of the Barclays Premier League champions to those of Liverpool and Chelsea, that were collected earlier this season. And they are yet to face Arsenal.

So, rather than being painted as an industrious team full of scrappers, not afraid to launch the long ball when required, O'Neill thinks a more kind description might be in order.

"There is an ability within our squad that sometimes gets overlooked," said the Northern Irishman.

"People looked at our away results last season and decided we were a counter-attacking side. There is nothing wrong with that. Manchester United have won championships like it.

"We have also tightened up defensively.

"I know we have improved. A couple of years ago we could not have performed like we have been."

There are a number of key men - Brad Friedel for a start. The American had a quieter evening than he might have expected on Saturday, but needed to produce an excellent late save to deny Dimitar Berbatov an equaliser.

James Milner was singled out for special praise by Sir Alex Ferguson, which must make the Villa Park faithful feel slightly queasy, wondering whether it might be the first step towards a bid for the former Leeds star.

Stewart Downing's discipline has not gone unnoticed either and it was the winger who was alert enough to boot a Nemanja Vidic header off the line when the Serbian thought he was going to score.

Agbonlahor clearly likes facing United given he has now found the net against them in four successive seasons, while at the back Richard Dunne has proved to be a very astute buy from Manchester City.

Indeed, the sight of Dunne featuring in a team currently operating at a higher level than their own must have most City fans scratching their heads given his replacement at Eastlands, Joleon Lescott, was acquired at the not inconsiderable sum of £22million.

After leaving City disillusioned at the way executive chairman Garry Cook was handling a club he still has a strong attachment to, Dunne is delighted at the collective unity he has found at Villa.

"We have a really good atmosphere in the dressing room," he said.

"Everyone works hard for each other. Everyone is prepared to put their foot in.

"You could see that by the way we defended. Manchester United are champions for a reason. It is taken for granted that you will not go home with a victory without everyone doing their bit when you come under the cosh."

Ferguson was left grumbling at the amount of time added on by referee Martin Atkinson, but O'Neill claimed Villa deserved their good fortune, having had victory snatched from them in the corresponding fixture last term when Cristiano Ronaldo's late equaliser paved the way for a season-defining stoppage-time winner from Federico Macheda.

It left United to go away and lick their wounds ahead of Tuesday's crucial encounter with Wolves, and Villa to reflect on the strides they have made by coming through a bizarre weekend of results with their position enhanced considerably.

Not that O'Neill was letting an Old Trafford win go to his head.

"I have not enjoyed a game for about 20 years," he responded, when he asked whether he had enjoyed the contest.

"Maybe when we have won the number of games Manchester United have over the last half century we will have something to boast about.

"Until then, we will just try to hang in there for as long as we can because we know the teams who have tended to rise to the top positions will eventually be expected to do so.

"Ourselves, Manchester City and Tottenham are very strong and winning matches like this is bound to do our confidence good. But that could easily be eroded at Sunderland on Tuesday and we have more tough fixtures after that, so there is no point in us getting carried away."

Here

Some nice quotes in there. Typical O'Neill, keeping everyones feet on the ground and talking about the next game. Good to see our players earning some praise and I enjoyed seeing in the media what we've all been saying about Lescott replacing Dunne.