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Hi Leviramsey. Thanks for taking the time to make the comment. Agree with the air comment, eh, hot air!

Hi Jon. Didn't include Stan in my comment as he has been playing for most of the season just in front of the back four, rather than in central midfield! Wish i had the same income as Mr Sumner Jon! Regards.

Very fair report Blandy. I feel we have been playing this way all season, being very effective, rather than playing easy on the eye free flowing football, but as long as we are getting the results, then who cares? Barry's fifth yellow means that he will miss the cup game with Everton next Sunday, but i would rather he would miss a cup game than a Premiership match! We will miss him though as he is the only central midfielder we have at the moment who looks anywhere near comfortable and creative on the ball! Regards, Ciaran

Hi Limpid. Are you saying that Arshavin hasn't heard of our great club Villa? I also think your opinion on either Arsenal, or ourselves finishing fourth, is rather narrow minded! Of course both teams will have a say who finishes fourth. I think we could also pip Chelsea for third after our fantastic result against Blackburn. Take it easy Limpid. We all want the same thing here, for Villa to finish as high as possible and to start enjoying the success we all have ahead of us. However, by the end of the season, i think everyone will know enough about Arshavin to regret that he is not on their team sheet! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi Limpid. You are correct in your asumption that i don't really know for sure who Martin was interested in. Nevertheless, i do know Martin could have signed Arshavin when our manager was working for the BBC at Euro 2008. Indeed Zenit St Petersburg had made it known at that time, that they were prepared to sell Arshavin for 10million before he appeared in the tournament. Arshavin was suspended for the first two group matches and after watching Arshavin play previously, i knew Arshavin's price would go up when he played in the Euro finals! My point is if Martin had been interested in Arshavin, as he certainly must have been aware of him, then the Euro finals was the time to buy him! I also believe if Martin was going to compete with Arsenal for Arshavin's signature in the January transfer window, then the media would have been all over it! As it is, and believe me, it pains me to say it, Arsenal and Wenger may have just signed a player that will make the difference between either us, or Arsenal finishing fourth! You will find out very quickly Limpid, that Andrei Arshavin is that good! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi Randy. Thanks for the comments and i agree Martin has bought Heskey for his hold up play and his assists, rather than his goal scoring, which leaves me a little worried. If Agbonlahor's goal drought continues and Carew takes his time in getting back to full fitness, who is going to score the goals which cements our fourth place? Arshavin is a world class player and will light up the Premiership, so why wasn't Martin interested? I believe our manager will live to regret not showing an interest in Arshavin! Regards, Ciaran.

Nearly spilt my sides laughing at your comments about the Arshavin transfer John, many thanks for that! Not sure however that Heskey will score enough goals to prove he has been the best bit of business in the January transfer window, but with James on the right and Ash on the left supplying him with plenty of crosses to feed on, Heskey will never have a better chance to improve his goal scoring record! Regards, Ciaran.

Nice report John on our expected F.A Cup win last night. Nice to see Sidwell scoring and i hope we will now see the player MON thought he had purchased from Chelsea? However, thought Salifou again played his way into a transfer at the end of the season although he did give GB a rest! I see Arshavin has gone to Arsenal and it's a pity that we didn't at least compete for him. He will gave all Premiership defences a lot of headaches in the coming seasons, and i hope it will take him a while to settle in at Arsenal, thereby allowing us to get further ahead before he starts to weave his magic! I think Wenger has done it again and concluded the best bit of business in the January transfer window! Buying a world class player for less than 15million is some signing, when City were prepared to buy Kaka for 100million! I just hope we don't see Martin on Sky, or MOTD stating his regret at not even looking at the possibility of putting Andrei Arshavin in a Villa shirt? Regards, Ciaran.

A very fair reply and i am always open to someone else's opinion. Would have preferred to have Arshavin as our playmaker, but he has gone to Arsenal and will cause all Premiership teams loads of problems in the forthcoming seasons! I still think though that Bullard would have been a better alternative to Sidwell, Gardner, or Reo-Coker as he simply offers more creativity with a bit of bite and is also a dead ball specialist! Regards, Ciaran.

I never base my opinions on one thing PB! If you would kindly read my thread again, you will see otherwise. I am certainly surprised that you would view Sidwell as a more effective midfielder than Bullard, why? Sidwell's form has been poor since he arrived from Chelsea and if i remember correctly, he couldn't get into their team either! I also would'nt view Bullard as a lightweight, as he does do his fair share of tracking back and he is also not afraid to put in a tackle. I really saw the possible signing of Bullard as a replacement for either Sidwell, Reo-Coker, or Gardner and certainly not Petrov, or Barry! A midfield quartet of Milner, Bullard, Barry and Young sounds more effective to me than Sidwell, Gardner or Reo-Coker as the second central midfielder! If you look at the teams above us, they all have a certain amount of creativity in central midfield and we, quite frankly don't and Martin has already admitted that! The signing of Bullard would have improved us, given us a little more creativity in central midfield, and certainly helped us break down those teams who try to frustrate, especially at Villa Park! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. I think we have enough cover in central defence already with Laursen's enforced absence. Martin will play Bouma in the full back position when fit, but Bouma can also play in central defence, as he did earlier in his career! We also have Knight, Davies and Cuellar. As Reo-Coker as proven less of a liability at right back than in midfield, Cuellar could then revert back to his normal position! Glad to see that you have agreed with my comments about Jimmy Bullard. As we are in the top four and not 'attempting' to reach that position, Bullard would have improved a very one dimensional central midfield with Bullard replacing either Sidwell, Gardner, or indeed Reo-Coker! It is also fair to say that Bullard was chosen for the England squad based on his performances for Fulham last season, neither Sidwell, Gardner, or Reo- Coker has got anywhere near the England squad! Indeed, i also remember Bullard scoring against us last season, so there is nothing mythical about that! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. As usual, a great, and indeed very honest report! Our first half performance was simply not good enough! The second half performance was much better, but as Martin said, we couldn't force the ball over Wigan's goal line. No-one can say 'lucky Villa' as we did everything but score, but, alas, it was not to be. However, we are still five points clear of the Arsenal, and if the Villa groundsman had put one less coat of paint on the goalposts, then we would have been ahead of Arsenal by a further two. Agree with your comments about Gardner and i feel we are still some way short in the midfield positions. Actually very angry that we did not even try to sign Jimmy Bullard when Fulham made him available. Bullard is a set piece specialist, is creative midfielder and scores goals. He was the main reason why Fulham are still playing in the Premiership and would have been a terrific signing for us! Our Achilles Heel this season has been a lack of creativity in the central midfield positions and if Martin had signed Bullard, it would have gone a long way to solve this! Some Villa fans might disagree with giving a 30 year old player a four year contract, but we have just given a 31 year old striker a three year contract, therefore i don;'t think that argument would stack up! I believe Martin is now looking for another central defender to cover for Laursen. Do we not have enough centre backs already, who, thankfully, are doing a fantastic job? Quite clearly, we need a creative midfielder to help open up Premiership defences, who defend deep against us. Martin actually stated this in last year's January transfer window while being interviewed by MOTD. He has still not addressed this issue, so why not? We also need another striker, to cover for Gabby Agbonlahor, who is now showing all the signs of hitting that brick wall that all strikers do from time to time! I will therefore wait until the end of the transfer window with interest, in the hope that we have the addition of a creative midfielder, another striker who is noted for scoring goals and a decent left back! Regards, Ciaran.

Love the thread Ian D and many thanks for the realism. Yes i agree a blip will surely come and we have a decent manager to deal with it. Not sure about the signing of Heskey though, as he is injury prone and doesn't score enough goals. However, we have paid well under the odds for a England striker, but will he give us more than two seasons being 31 years of age? Regards, Ciaran.

Hi PB. Great report and rightly so, very positive. Share your misgivings about MON fielding a weakened team against the Russians, as they will be a real challenge! I think the Villa players at the moment are in a mindset in which any defeat is totally unacceptable and we can thank, not only the players, but our manager, who is doing a fantastic job, for that! Portsmouth have been severely weakened with the players they have lost and i would also expect us to get at least a point, especially if we can have Carew back, as we have missed his hold up play! Will also welcome another own goal, defensive mistake, or indeed a Brad goal to continue the, eh, 'lucky Villa tag' but i would rather have a fantastic performance with free flowing football that top four sides should produce once in a while to shut those who have the audacity to criticize, up! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. Bentley from Spurs would do just fine, as he is not getting fair run from Harry and he could also play in central midfield when Ash returns. This would also give us more creativity and replace a rather inafective midfielder who had a poor game again against Sunderland! I think Martin did put a bid in for Bentley before he went to Spurs, but it was turned down! Good chance now of signing him for less money? I haven't seen Joe Ledley play, but it might take him a while to adapt to the Premiership? I think Arshavin is a snip at 14million when City are prepared to pay over a 100million for Kaka, but Martin wants british players at Villa. We should have signed Arshavin when Martin was at the European Championships. We could have gotten him for around the 10million mark and the fact we did not may come back to bite us severely on the behind, when Arsenal sign him. I was begging Martin to buy him then, but alas, he didn't hear my screams through our tv! Regards, Ciaran

Yeah John your probably right, although Hamburg didn't seem to faze Bannan too much, but then again the game was probably over! I think Pennant is available, but would Liverpool sell him to us after the Barry episode? Moreover, would MON want him, or would he see Pennant as a possible disruptive influence? Looking forward to the last week of the transfer window where MON usually does some business. We already needed a striker, with Bent now mentioned ( did you see his miss against Portsmouth) but i hope thats just paper talk? Now we need an experienced wide man as you state and i'm sorry Routlege was sent to Cardiff as he is doing well there, and he could have filled in for Ash, even though, not with the same expected quality! In the long run in to the end of the season, it also might benefit us to have a fresh Ash coming back into the battle, as long as we do replace him with quality, but who? Regards, Ciaran

I totally agree with your above comment Jon! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. Fantastic statistical report! Hope you wern't around for the 1897-98 season, as i wouldn't fancy wearing the club shirt and shorts for that season? Totally agree with your point about the away performance of the 1980-81 team! I am of an age now to say that i was fortunate to see many of that great team's home and away performances, albeit on tv! I hope all villa fans can look back ten years from now and say 'you remember when we qualified for the champion's League(European Cup) and that was the start of our on going success?' Fantastic performance by our lads at Sunderland by the way and was sorry to see Ash being sent off! He is certainly not a dirty player and his tackle was more down to enthusiasm than anything else! We are going to miss him however for three very important games. Just wondered, if we don't sign anyone to replace him, even on lone, could Martin give Bannan a game? I know this is not Bannan's usual position, but i was very impressed with his performance against Hamburg. He certainly seems to have something about him! Regards, Ciaran.

No PB. I think it is you who is missing the point. I am glad that you have now agreed that we are winning, without playing well! That was exactly my point! We can't continue to play poorly and keep winning, as the law of averages will eventually catch up on us. As i have already stated in my previous thread, both Davies and Laursen have admitted that they and the team aren't playing well, yet are still winning, which is fantastic! I'm also quite aware that teams can't play well in every game which would be impossible. My point is simple to understand. Our overal form must improve to stay in the top four. I also agree with you that Barry, Agbonlarhor, or Young would not be out of place in any of the other three teams around us and i'm grateful that they play for us rather than anyone else! However, i must disagree with your statement that there is only one outstanding player in the world! Are you forgetting about Messi, Kaka, or a little Russian called Arshavin, who, unfortunately, is probably going to sign for Arsenal? These players are what i would term outstanding! You also seem to have something against the media. I think everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if it disagrees with your own! You also comment again about the West Brom game. I'm sorry to repeat myself, but didn't Davies and Laursen admit in the after match interview with Sky that they and the team hadn't played at all well? Nevertheless they provided we fans with a win, without playing well which was great. I saw no passage of football within that match that any Villa fan could say we were outstanding! You mention Arsenal again and make a valid argument with statistics. Nevertheless, Arsenal have dropped points where they normally wouldn't have and thats what i meant about the inconsistanties of the usual top four! I have watched every Villa match this season and i can't agree that the standard of our football would be representitive of a top four side as we have been giving the ball away too much, particularly in midfield! We also don't have the creativity of the usual top four, but we are in the top four due to producing the results. We have got these results through a fantastic team spirit, being well organised and playing some very effective football and being realistic, we have also had the benefit of things going our way in previous matches, which i will take all day! I am certainly not being negative. I have already mentioned in a previous threads that i am very proud of our team, giving Villa, the fans and our manager 100% in every match this season which has been simply fantastic! I, like you and every other Villa fan sincerely hope that we finish in the top four this season and maybe win one of the cups. However, i don't view Villa's performances through rose tinted glasses and say that we have been playing well through easy on the eye, free flowing football, when we simply haven't! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi again PB and many thanks for your answer. Our football in my opinion against West Brom, was anything but 'breathtaking' throughout the match and we were certainly holding on by the end of the game! I also stand by my comment that we don't have any outstanding individuals. Young is good, indeed he is very good, but would teams in the Premiership have Young instead of Ronaldo, who is indeed outstanding? I certainly agree with your comments about GB, but he does not have the form of last season! Your comment about Arsenal not under performing this season i have to disagree with and most football pundits would back me on that. It is quite obvious that their form this season has been inconsistant, as has Chelsea's and Man U! My comment about Villa's recent form has been backed, by no less than Davies and Laursen, who have stated that our team are not playing well at the moment and we have been lucky with own goals and our oponents defensive mistakes. My comment about our form was meant in the context of that we can't always rely on mistakes to win matches and therefore our overall performance has to improve. Dion Dublin commented on this after the West Brom match on Sky! I still think we need a creative midfielder to give us a little more class in midfield, especially when we are under pressure from other teams. Our midfielders have looked rather uncomfortable on the ball and continually give it away. Thats what i meant when i said our team wasn't easy on the eye! However, we are very effective at what we do and we are winning when not playing at all well which is an excellent habit to have. We do need another striker and soon, before we get injuries! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi PB, just wanted to congratulate you on a fantastic written piece! I think what Tony Mowbray meant by his comments on the style of our football, iis that we don't play football which is easy on the eye like Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, or Liverpool and i certainly agree with Mowbray on that! I don't think any of Martin O'Neill's teams do. Nor do we have any stand out individuals, but what we do have is loads of heart, spirit, and a never say die attitude, which is pulling us through some poor form at the moment! We also have pace on the break, but probably lack a creative midfielder who is able to hold the ball and play a defence splitting pass! Villa fans might say what about GB, but GB's form this season has been poor, due no doubt to him carrying an injury and we don't have the creativity in our midfield like the other aforementioned teams. I also think the usual top four have been inconsistant this season, which has also helped us, but i'm not complaining. I believe also that we have been a little lucky this season with own goals and defensive mistakes benefitting us, so our form will have to improve if we are to stay in the top four. We will need a new striker to give Agbonlahor a well earned rest and maybe a creative midfielder to help us break down teams who will play ten at the back to frustrate us. However, i am very proud of our team and the effort they have given the fans. I am also very proud of of our manager who stood up to the reds on Merseyside when they wanted GB and when our team now take to the field to play any of the old top four, we now command their respect! Regards, Ciaran.

Fantastic report and really enjoyed it. As i live in Northern Ireland and am unable to get to the Villa reserve games, just wondered, apart from Bannan, who i would love to see more of in the first team with his performance against Hamburg, is there is a possibility of anyone else from the Villa reserves making the Villa first team? Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. Many thanks for your kind reply. I see we are now being linked with Kenwyne Jones, who would be a fantastic signing for us, if you could believe the tabloids? Imagine a forward line of Jones and Agbonlahor. I think that forward line would put the, you know what up the usual top four defences! However, would Sunderland sell him, even for the £12million quoted? Again, if you can believe the tabloids, Martin has sent his top scout, Ian Storey for a little look, but i think our manager will already know all about him and what he can do. Far better to spend £12million on Jones, than 8million on Doyle, if Martin can get him? I just wish the powers that be would decide to return to the old transfer policy of all teams being allowed to buy a player whenever they wanted throughout a season, instead of trying to purchase players in four weeks, which is difficult for any club! This might also stop the smaller clubs from going out of business, if they can sell their best players and get some, much needed money in! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. Many thanks for your considered reply. Just thought and i'm sure MON did too, that in the purchase of Shorey, we were buying an England International, who we didn't have to wait on to come good. I believe also that Steve Sidwell influenced MON's purchase of Shorey, so maybe MON has learned a harsh lesson to never buy a player on the basis of another player's advice! I also sincerely hope you are right about the players we bring in and are going to be the same quality of an Arshavin? I just feel that we are a team at the moment who need a bit of extra quality to allow us to pass through teams, when they sit back and invite us to try and break them down. Arshavin has that ability, but if he does go to Arsenal, then who else is available to give us that creative spark? I would also like to see us being more comfortable on the ball in midfield, especially when we are under pressure! Maybe a bit more easier on the eye, to add to Young's and Agbonlahor's class up front! Certainly, now is the time to strengthen our squad when we are fourth in the Premiership! Whats the point in waiting until the end of the season, when our chance may have gone to qualify for the CL, through not having the numbers, or quality in our squad to deal with the amount of games we have coming up If MON can find us a top quality creative midfielder, and a striker (please not Heskey, or Doyle) and with Boom Boom to come back into the left back position, then we have every chance of being called lucky Villa by the Arsenal fans at the end of the season! Regards, Ciaran.

Hi John. Nice to see another excellent report by yourself and you must be in the top four of written reports this season, including the tabloids! Watched the West Brom match on Sky yesterday and agree with your comments that we deserved to win. However, i also agreed with Dion Dublin's after match comments about Villa being quite lucky over the last several matches, as we haven't played at all well. Our luck will soon run out and we will not always get presents from Premiership defences, including own goals! Nevertheless, even though we have had our fair share of luck, every villa player is giving 110% and we are winning, even when we are not at our best, which is a fantastic habit to have! I totally agree with you that we desperately need another striker and hopefully MON will take advantage of the January transfer window to do so, as Gabby, although not being well yesterday, is still showing the first signs of fatigue! I am also worried about Petrov, as i have noticed, his legs are starting to go around the 70 minute mark in in our last few games, which means our back four are not being as well protected as they should be and it is allowing teams to play through us more in the last quarter of our games. At the moment i have stumps where my nails used to be and hopefully MON can also purchase a midfielder to give our Stan a well earned rest! I'm also a little alarmed at the way MON is treating Shorey and it is obvious that, after buying him, MON doesn't now trust him to play in the left back position. The tabloids are now suggesting that Newcastle are interested in a swap with Shorey going to Newcastle and Charles N'zogbia coming to Villa? In my humble opinion, this would be a good deal for us, as, again, according to tabloid reports, MON has been interested in N'zogbia for some considerable time and MON, clearly doesn't fancy Shorey as a Villa player! However, i disagreed with your comment about Reo Coker not being up to his usual standard. I thought he did quite well in the right back position and defensively he was sound. Just as long as he doesn't venture over the halfway line where he can give the oposition a twelfth player with his many misplaced passes! Lets hope the luck stays with us to the end of the season and the two Youngs don't get injured? I also hope that Arsenal's interest in Arshavin doesn't come to fruition, as if he appears in an Arsenal shirt by the end of January, then our chances of finishing fourth will be slim! Arshavin is that good! Regards, Ciaran.