Tomaszk

That's what we can do with Gabby in the side.

We got started crapping ourselves at 2-0 as soon as they got around our area.

Albrighton just fantastic.

Bannan is now free of any nerves whatsoever and looks a really positive attacking player.

Hogg did a "Sidwell".

If we can get that defence sorted I really like what we've got.

Dunne is itching to give away a goal.

OK, but lets not forget they have had that Berbatov sitter and the WEs Brown flick that was close.

Albrighton and Bannan great! Hogg struggling with nerves I think.

I'd have guessed Herd was ahead of Hogg in pecking order?

Gabbby back in for Delf as well.

Houllier is so crackers it's brilliant.

Clark not working in midfield. Dropping deeper and deeper so all he is doing is laying it backwards for the centre halves to bang forward.

Bannan on, young into the centre.

So **** excited but also very nervous.

According to my ladbrokes account I drunkenly put my last 50p on Ciaran Clark to score at any time.

COME ON VILLA!!

What a great drunken bet!

Fried - 7

Beye - 6

Clark - 7

Collins - 8

Warnock - 7

Downing - 8

Petrov - 7

Cokes - 7

Ireland - 6

Young - 7.5

Carew - 5

If we'd had a striker we probably would have won.

If we can get some movement going on ahead of Ireland, I think his passes normally find their target. Can't wait to get Gab back.

Indeed, that's why I'm gutted. We need to press them, and Carew needs to put in a massive performance now.

Fickle Fickle. Last season people would have picked Carew over Heskey. O, that was because Carew was scoring goals. Now Heskey is starting to play well people think he shouldn't be dropped. Come on!!

Fickle? Its form mate, Heskey is in it, for about the first time in his career, so he should be starting. Gutted he's not made it to be honest.

The only difference between two very good sides today was Ashley Young who was garbage - poor touch, poor attitude, poor passing, poor decision making, poor workrate. Come in GH, have the bottle to dump him in the reserves for a few weeks !!!

Isn't it funny how different football looks to different people. Young's fault we lost then is it? Decent performance from Ash.

I actually enjoyed watching it today, we looked like we were trying to do the right thing but just lost to the better team. Better players and better prospects at the moment. They won't make 4th this year though so next year will be different.

I'll just have a pointless dig at our old manager for no reason and say that if he had been offered VDV for £8m he definitely would have said no

Hm Daniel Johnson?

Every season has had a good v bad chase going on. Season 2 had 2 intertwining ones.

It's going to be really interesting to see what they do with it.

Robbed them blind. Deserved nothing from that.

Fried - 8

Young - 5

Cuellar - 8

Collins - 8

Warnock - 4

Albrighton - 7

NRC - 6

Petrov - 4

Downing - 6

Heskey - 8

Young - 8

I think Sidders might play with Petrov and Ireland.

My opinion of Downing will hopefully get turned round today. The first thing we're going to have to is match their commitment, let's see if you can be up with the rest of the team Stew.

Not sure if I like commnts like that "He can get the most out of me"

Sounds a bit like he's been reading too many papers saying manager might struggle to get him playing and believes it. It's something others can say, but I personally want our players to be driven and want to play well themselves, not let someone else sort a system that works round them.

Having said that, I think Ireland has looked OK so far. He's got such good control of the ball and once we have a settled team I think he should shine.

Maybe he means play a formation that utilises SI's skills to the max i.e. not a 4-4-2 with him and Stan as the CM'ers??

Possibly, but I don't like to hear players talking like this. He may have been very unlucky with what the journos are using from a longer interview to be fair, and I'm not having a go, he's been good so far I think. Decent performances, and a great attitude.

It just sounds like he's saying he's playing the best he possibly can, and needs more help before he can possibly play any better. I'd rather he'd not mentioned getting the best "me" but rather the "team".

Not sure if I like commnts like that "He can get the most out of me"

Sounds a bit like he's been reading too many papers saying manager might struggle to get him playing and believes it. It's something others can say, but I personally want our players to be driven and want to play well themselves, not let someone else sort a system that works round them.

Having said that, I think Ireland has looked OK so far. He's got such good control of the ball and once we have a settled team I think he should shine.

But but but.......Ireland isn't a central two midfielder!

Why we have played him there is beyond me, play NRC in his place and play him in Young's place from now on please and now Ashley back out wide as apart from his goal Young was very poor imo and simply dosen't play enough throughballs for the striker in the free role.

Nail...On...Head. Young on the left, Albrighton on the right. Downing to make way for NRC. Bannan straining at the leash on the bench and given 25 minutes towards the end.

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Downing is better than Albrighton.

Let's put the cat amongst the pigeons

No he isn't.

Great win set up by a good bowl, getting that early pair out was so important.

Houiller coming in will set him back a long way I think. Especially if KMac leaves.

We need a goal, I hate how comfortable we are in a weird way. Looking great, but still one goal in it. I can see us tiring if we are going to be sitting deep for last 15.

Never ever easy to win there. Not an ideal first game, I'd take a point.

Let's hope we don't get overrun trying to knock the ball around.

If anyone is unsure on Houllier (I certainly am), this brilliant, albeit bias, article might just calm your nerves. I am a lot more positive after it.