Lichfield Dean

I notice that Grealish, Ilori and Lyden are all absent from the U21 game, so as we have been hearing Jack is back with the first team, and I wonder if either of the other two might be given surprise bench appearances?

Very funny. 

French dictionary for Gabby though? Interesting... :-)

Minor point this, but has anybody heard about changes to the training regime or general office hours at Villa lately? 

Driving past Bodymoor Heath in the morning I have noticed that security guys at the gates are there before 8am whereas I never used to see them, and general activity in the area seems to have increased as well.

Maybe it is nothing, or maybe the threat of relegation has resulted in longer working hours being mandated there?

Just now, sexbelowsound said:

Yeah, I know.... But it was the sort of play that Jack had us all hoping we might get to see, that sort of silky dribbling round the defence followed by a nifty one-two and clever layoff.

Draxler was excellent in Wolfsburg's second goal. Dare I say he was almost Grealish-esque?

1 hour ago, JohnStortford said:

Columbian? Jesus christ our media team are bumbling idiots. #WelcomeRemy

Haha! Never spotted that. Useless.

Still... Tuqui tuqui tuqui to one and all.

Joe Lolley scores against the noses :-)

(I think this Sanchez Christmas video is perhaps the greatest thing ever on youtube)

Sounds like he did very well in the friendly today. Two goals if I read the report correctly. Would have thought he must be in contention for the first team?

Westwood still injured? Or dropped? And Gabby? Injured or dropped?

Excited to see how this team does though. Just what I wanted to see.

Yep, Bournemouth's injured strikers have really cost them today. And also Newcastle have protected their lead, something we failed to do at Leicester.

I can't ever remember seeing such a one-sided match. How Newcastle are winning this will have to go down as one of mankind's greatest mysteries.

Very impressive interview. Calm, considered and clear.

Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

If that was his intention he failed pretty spectacularly and managed to prove exactly the opposite.

Starting to feel sorry for the guy who was setting up his video camera outside BMH when I drove past at quarter to 8 this morning. He must be very bored by now.

His effort against Leicester was fantastic though, surely? May not have been good enough to win but it was better than some of the other candidates definitely.

I am sure I saw him up and standing by the touchline at one point on Saturday and I commented at the time that I thought it was unusual for him. I didn't imagine that did I? It was just the once though.

Match Of The Day dont seem to think so. Not even a goal of the month contender 

Thought he was really good today actually. Great passing, not afraid to burst forward - think he will keep on improving too.

So I am off to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix then. Very excited. Obviously the season will be most likely done and dusted by then, but still... Woo!

"There's only seven Adama Traores"

Yay! Train is moving again. Phew.

If this points failure doesn't get fixed soon there are going to be a lot of people missing the start of the game.

Points failure at Duddeston. Perfect timing.