bose

Good run Marc.

No substitutions.

game over

**** OFFF

BANNAN!!!!!! Brilliantly done by Albrighton!!!

Diego Maradona is currently doing a series of lectures on biochemistry in Italy and is currently in Milan.

:!:

Fantastic game. Albrighton was brilliant and Clark impressed me as well.

Nice to see Bannan and Weimann get a run out.

Only downside was I that I had 1 euro on 4-0 and Carew anytime scorer. Could have won 50 euro.

Albrighton certainly living up to the hype.

Brilliant game.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL: MIIIIIIIIIIIILLYYY

Top game from young Ciaran Clark.

Fantastic first half.

YAHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Isn't Petrov playing in a more advanced role than usually?

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

Is Delfouneso injured?

I think we'll hammer them. :oops:

Seriously though I think the vibe around Villa after MON left is really good and I think Villa Park will be buzzing on Saturday.

4-0 Villa.

I think 4-51 is the best way to go.

People always assume it's a defensive formation but it doesn't have to be.

I'm not convinced by Young playing "in the hole" so far. I think he needs more space which he does get out on the wings.

Hopefully he'll prove me wrong though, he certainly has the attributes to play there.

He shouldn't cost more than 5m pounds I think. His wages would be much lower than for example Sidwell's.

We know that the wage bill is the main issue of worry so getting Sidwell off it and maybe Heskey and then getting Sigurðsson in could work.

Villa should buy Gylfi Sigurðsson from Reading. He's an attacking midfielder who scores loads of goals.

He had fantastic game this evening when Iceland U21s won Germany 4-1 and scored a brilliant goal straight from a free kick. He wouldn't cost too much and I think he can definitely handle playing in the Premier League.

I think we should snap him up before someone else does.

MacDonald: I'm honoured to boss Villa

Kevin MacDonald insists he is "very honoured" to be managing Villa - and has pledged everyone will start with a fresh slate.

MacDonald, who replaced Martin O'Neill in the hot-seat on a temporary basis this week, is excited as he looks forward to leading the claret and blue troops into their top-flight opener against West Ham.

And he said the whole squad would be taken into consideration when he picks his team for the weekend clash - including the young lions he has nurtured during his many years as reserve boss.

He told AVTV: "I feel very honoured, really honoured, having been here a long time.

"Whether that was one of the reasons I was asked, I don't know.

"I genuinely feel really honoured, particularly when I look back at some of the experienced managers who have been here before me.

"Whether it lasts for a long time or short time, who knows? But to think I have been in the same position they have been in, I am very proud.

"Of course, I am excited - it's a big thing. It's the Premier League, it's the start of the season and hopefully a packed Villa Park with fans that are vocal and cheering their team to victory.

"If you don't get excited by that, what do you get excited by?"

MacDonald revealed he is working with under-18 coach Tony McAndrew this week to get the players ready for the weekend game, with several backroom staff involved in other roles as a result of former boss O'Neill's departure.

He continued: "Obviously it was a major surprise to a certain extent when we found out Martin resigned. Paul [Faulkner, Villa chief executive] called me in and offered me the chance to be caretaker manager for the West Ham game and then see what happens.

"Obviously with other staff leaving, we have moved Tony McAndrew up to work with myself, Gordon Cowans and Sean Verity to work with the reserves and Steve Burns and Ben Petty to work with the youth team.

"We were a bit lucky in that it's international week so we didn't have the normal amount of bodies we'd usually have. There were one or two injuries too.

"We trained yesterday and we trained very brightly. They have had today off and hopefully they'll be back in tomorrow and they'll be nice and lively and I hope the internationals who come back return uninjured.

"Obviously working with Martin - especially in pre-season during the Peace Cup - gave me an insight into what it takes to be a Premier League manager and how you have to affect the players.

"Obviously one or two will be a little bit happier than others because they haven't been getting a game.

"The thing they have to realise is they have to be playing to the best of their ability to get into the team.

"Just because they haven't been getting a game doesn't mean I'm going to pick them. I'll pick what I think is the right team - in my opinion - to win the game on Saturday against West Ham.

"Everyone starts with a fresh slate, of course. You have to remember too that, having worked with a lot of the young players over the years, I'll look on them as potential players.

"It's not just the first team squad - there's also a group of youngsters that are knocking on the door of that first team squad. Who knows what might happen?"

MacDonald also paid tribute to departing O'Neill, who he insisted had nurtured a "winning mentality" at the club.

He added: "We have had the winning mentality with the reserves but it's important to realise that's been with the first team too over the past few seasons.

"We have finished sixth three years in a row. Whether it's come from the first team, from the former gaffer down to ourselves and the youth team, we have had it there.

"But obviously we have had it pushed into us from Martin because we have done so well under him here over the past three or four years.

"There's a big thing about the education he's given us - the reserves, the youth team coaches - as well. Let's hope it stands us in good stead."

Please god not Sven!!!

I'm getting really excited at the prospect of a well respected foreign coach. I think it would give everyone at the club a huge lift.

Simon Grayson is a good shout. Wouldn't mind seeing him here.

If Grayson is a good shout I'd hate to hear what the question was.

Ok maybe not a good shout but better than some of the names being bandied around.

Simon Grayson is a good shout. Wouldn't mind seeing him here.