InMartinWeTrust

Surprised all you transfer gossip junkies have missed the story on the Sky site today linking us to Steven Nzonzi. Story has us, Sunderland, Spurs, Stoke and West Ham all interested in him. No quotes on the story and not sure if there is much to it, but might be an interesting option in the middle of the park

Carruthers is a strange one. I watched him through his couple of years with the under 18s and know his parents fairly well who would always drive up from Hertfordshire to support him. He was pretty close to asking to leave during his final year as McAndrew had shoved him out on the wing and preferred Johnson in the middle of the park. I've always thought that Carruthers was the much better player. Physically he is stronger and better equipped for a higher level and has that little bit of aggression thats needed. He seems to have knuckled down in a wider position but I still think he is far more suited to a central role or that role he played for most of the game last night playing just behind a centre forward. As for his nationality I think he qualifies for Ireland, England, Scotland and Morocco....pretty diverse

I've had my season ticket for 26 years but based purely upon the last 5 days events I wont be renewing. The same goes for the other 5 who I sit with. I've followed Villa home and away but next year it will be the reserves and the academy for me. I won't be going until AM gets the bullet. Driving home from a meeting in London late last night I stopped outside the Holte End and sat there for 20 minutes and felt saddened at the total disregard for the fans from Lerner and that prick Faulkner. Our club has been turned into a laughing stock

I think of any of the academy lads I've seen come through in the last 7-8 years Ciaran is the one that has stood out more than any other and performed so consistently week in, week out. Gary Gardner in that time is probably the closest to him that Ive watched regularly. I decided to sit in Trinity Road today rather than my normal Holte End seat and it gave a great view of Ciaran marshalling the back line and being the vocal one out there today. The bit of show boating in the corner midway through the first half as well just in front of the Holte was pure class as well. As has been said I think Houllier really rates this lad and he is definite captaincy material

Saw him in Mechu on Friday along with Weimann, Curtis Davies and Lee Hendrie. As Maradona10 mentioned he's been giving the knee a bit of rest but they are hoping to step him up with a practice game behind closed doors during the week.

Looking forward to this tonight, even more so with Gardner and Weimann back involved. Nice to see Juan Serrano making the bench as well. Cracking little ground at Hinckley should make for a decent evening

A bit of a none event of a game, an inexperienced Villa line up acquitted themselves pretty well but just didn't seem to have enough quality in the final third to make any real impression. It was so bloody cold !!! Nice little ground at Hinckley and an enjoyable trip but a game that wont live very long in the memory. Thought Shane Lowry was the pick of the Villa players in the centre of defence, and Chris Herd had a decent game.

Yes mentioned earlier....a Martin Jol appointment means no need to change the user name so he gets my vote!

I know nothing about Felix Magath, but according to a few articles online he has been on TV today stating he would love to manage in the Premier League given his grasp of English. Might be a bit of a "come and get me" plea

I've only seen bits and pieces of games he's been involved in but as you said earlier he looks like the best prospect to come out of our youth system in a very long time. I know from people I've spoken to at Bodymoor Heath at Academy games and at the age group games that they are very protective of this kid but its difficult to keep a lid on how talented he is. In terms of where he'll end up in a couple of years time one only has to remember that 5 years ago Luke Moore was right up there and being courted by Man United and the likes, so its all down to Jack and the coaches. However, in terms of natural ability the kid has the lot

One of the other bonuses of Jack Grealish is that his dad is a mad keen Villa fan and I'm sure is known to a few on here. Hopefully he won't allow his lad to get his head turned and lured by the likes of Chelsea as they try to scalp any decent young talent

Kept meaning to ask if anyone knew what had happened to Grocott. He was sat with the common people just behind us at the first leg of the Youth Cup with his old man and had obviously had to pay in. What a waste

The back four performed manfully. Didnt get a lot of protection from the midfield and held together pretty well. To have left for Portsmouth and then find that we had only shipped the two goals that I saw was a bit of a surprise bearing in mind the amount of possession Palace had.

Danny Johnson did okay. I was really impressed with him against the MK Dons with better players around him but he didnt have a great deal of support yesterday. He doesn't look a bad player though and will be nice seeing him more involved next season. Palace looked a lot stronger than us yesterday and the midfield got no sort of grip at all.

Yes Villa site confirms 2-1 with Villa's goal from James Collins Jnr as he has now been christened. Yes it was Jordan Graham. And youre right with Robinson and Gnahore. The writing on the teamsheet was appalling and struggled to make out the name!! Darkin played up front with James Collins. Remember you tipping him earlier in the season as one to look out for and he looked fairly lively

Went down to Bodymoor Heath for the first half of the Under 18s game against Crystal Palace today before heading off to Fratton Park. Great sight at Bodymoor today with the under 10s, 12s and I think it was 15s in action as well. Not sure of the final score but everyone involved on Friday got a rest and it was a rather scratch team put together. Villa were 2-0 when I left shortly before half time. The team was Barrett, Love, Flanagan, Bryan, Clifton, Dyer, Bradley, Johnson, James Collins, Darkin, Cameron and subs Siegrist, Graham, Robinson, Ghahore and Ellis Deeney. In the little I saw only really James Collins made any real impression however I was impressed with Darkin's pace, little bit of skill and physical build. Will be interesting watching him come through next year.

Indeed finished 10-0 although MK Dons weren't any great shakes. Four for Lampkin, two for Roberts, and one apiece for Blythe from the spot, Berry, Conor Taylor, and Danny Johnson. To be the fair the opposition were pretty poor and had a centre half sent off after 15 mins for a handball off the line but the Villa lads display was totally ruthless (certainly the first half that I saw). Cant wait for tomorrow, and just hope the lads get a decent turnout to cheer them on, they really deserve it.

Not sure it has been on the fixture list all season, so I had assumed so. That Academy League website is so pathetically inadequate as well

Thanks ever so much for that update. Berry looked okay but it wasn't much of a test to be fair but positionally he looked fairly sound and the couple of times he was run at, he looked as though he had the pace to get himself into decent positions.

Exactly that Scott. This group looked really average at the start of the season but the loss at Blues onwards they have just got better and better. I think it may well turn out a little like our 2002 FA Youth Cup winning team that it rather than just one or two stand out players there is a team there. They are also playing some really good football as well, which they weren't at the start of the season. They look full of confidence and a really close knit bunch of lads. Considering the players that were left out today it bodes well with some of the lads that came through. Danny Johnson looked useful out of the younger lads and Carruthers for me has been a revelation since his played more central in his preferred role. Its a shame that we haven't had the chance to see him and Gary Gardner play in the middle together. Carruthers looks a much better player when he's been involved in the middle than shoved out on the wing. No reason at all why we shouldn't be beating Newcastle and hope the lads get some support on Thursday. I know a few of the parents were concerned that with the club charging and selling tickets in advance they were worried that the lads wouldnt get the support that they have done in previous years.

Headed down to Bodymoor Heath for the first half of this game before heading up to Bolton. What a fantastic appetiser!! Only saw the first half and we were 5-0 up at the break. It could have been a dozen quite easily. The Villa line up was - Siegrist, Berry, Cameron, Deeney ©, Ward, Blythe, Lampkin, Johnson, Taylor, Carruthers and Roberts. Subs Flanagan, Love, Barrett, Bryan and Clifton. Goals were from Blythe, Lampkin, Johnson, Roberts and I think Carruthers although could have been Connor Taylor. SO one sided was the game that the MK Dons substituted their keeper after half an hour with no apparent injury. A perfect warm up for Thursdays FA Youth game and with the chance to rest Simmonds, Williams, Devine, etc they must be extremely confident. Stand out players were Lampkin and Carruthers who tore them apart at will. Lampkin's crossing and speed down the right was exceptional and set up the pick of the goals for Danny Johnson. Carruthers played in between the midfield and young Connor Taylor up front and just picked the opposition apart. Joyous stuff and nice to see two decent performances in a day. So as I had to leave at half time....anyone know how we finished???

Just got back with my lad. Given that I baulked at paying £48 for a ticket I was able to get a couple of freebies through work amongst the locals. Oh the joy of having to look mildly happy as they banged them in. I just couldnt stick any more at 4-1. Longest trip to the bog in history! We just looked totally dead on our feet. I thought the changes in formation did our full backs no favours and they were taken to the cleaners. The marking just got poorer and poorer. And for anyone who thinks we have some dickheads following the Villa try sitting amongst Chelsea fans for an hour!! Bunch of Tim Lovejoy clones who think football was invented in 1992. I've witnessed some pitiful performances 6-0 at Forest, 3-0 at Blues, in fact every game under Billy McNeill....tonight well think its been coming for weeks and we've just been papering over the cracks but we dont suddenly become a bad team. I just think the manager needs to take a very long look at himself and the way he has handled his resources over the past 3-4 months. Up The Villa!

Im far from a doom monger, but I just think with a bit of fine tuning we could be even better. It will be interesting to see what happens Tuesday. I have no doubt that it will just be Gabby for Carew and we will go with the same line up. But I think if the manager was willing to give say Albrighton a game for Downing or Delph a game in place of Petrov it would freshen things up a little, keep players on their toes and allow a couple of players a week off before next weekend. The way things are run though is that we have no squad rotation it just equates to being dropped. I just hoped that we had learned a lesson from March last year onwards but I worry that it hasnt been.

Haha nice question Trent...I'm not one to give up the faith that easily. My criticism of the manager is that I still think we are way too one dimensional. The first half last Sunday should have given him a few pointers, but they got themselves out of jail second half but I think everything thats been bad about us recently was encapsulated in that 45 mins but has been glossed over by what happened subsequently. We persist in constantly switching Young and Downing over. Downing looks a really poor player when hes out on the right and seems to trust his right foot little. At the moment we just seem to be trying to accomodate him. I think if the two of them are going to play then Downing needs to be stuck on the left. Cuellar aint a right back, we have a far better one on the bench. I think theres a preference for another centre half on the pitch for defending set pieces but from an offensive point of view the distribution and ball retention is dreadful. As for up front ....I just wish the manager would chop and change it more. The run Gabby had last year was a prime example...the manager wouldnt drag him out of the firing line until his confidence was totally shot to pieces and we had the ironic cheers when he finally got the hook in a game. I wish he would trust players like Delph, Delfouneso and Albrighton a lot more. If players arent performing then they should be dropped but there appears to be untouchables in the team. I cant complain about the cup runs and the general position we're in but I still dont think the football we're playing is anything special considering the amount of money we've chucked at it.

In 33 years of watching the Villa that was one of the poorest games of football Ive ever seen. Thought we looked as though we had spent all week preparing to defend long throw ins and neglected to actually think about how we were going to go about trying to win a game. I thought we offered absolutely nothing. Its one of the few times during a game of football Ive actually been bored. Thanks also to the cretins at the Britannia Stadium for the deafening PA round the pitch side. My ears are still **** ringing