Elton

He always carries a goal threat (apart from when we bought him and he was played CDM..) Smith clearly rates him and he hasn’t ever really had an extended run for a long time due to injuries etc. Every time he plays, even for a few minutes he affects the game positively. Scores and assists in the cups. Not sure he can do much more in the brief cameos he has had.

We have a great chance in this game. I assume Lampard’s losing record to us as a manager will be all over Sky etc, like the other irrelevant stat that Grealish hadn’t won a PL game in a hundred years that they wouldn't shut up about at the start of the season. 0-2 Villa. Clean sheet away from home overdue.

Massively impressed so far. I was underwhelmed by his signing as I hadn’t really seen anything of him and he wasn’t Southampton’s 1st choice LB but he’s proving a bargain. We read he wasn’t defensively strong or quick but I can’t recall any defensive issues. Looks strong in attack and defence and Southgate is meant to rate him from his England u21 days, so maybe he’ll be in with a chance of a call up, unless Southgate thinks he already has his full quota of Villa players..

So now I don’t know if you don’t realise I was joking about Newcastle, or if I don’t know that you’re joking in response?

Thought it was obvious my comparison was a little tongue in cheek. Although I’m not sure Smith thinks he is setting up a team relying on Wesley to be top goal scorer. Football systems have moved on from over relying on a CF for goals. Look at Newcastle for example, they like to play 3 up front who can’t score.

Ha, ha, brilliant! So we agree Wesley is a vast improvement there then. He’s scored as many as Liverpool’s Brazilian Centre Forward so far this season. Stats, lies etc.

Do you think Scott Hogan occupies 2 CB’s for 90 minutes?

Smith regularly says it, the way we play his role is to occupy the CB’s and allow more time and space for the midfield/wide forwards and you cannot say it hasn’t worked as only the top 5 have scored more than us this season. I’m not saying Wesley is playing great but he is doing fine for me and hopefully will only improve too.

No, it really doesn’t.

Expecting a lot of praise for scoring but obviously not.. The stream I had was too poor to see the build up to their goals but agree with OBE, need to take the rough with the smooth playing this way and he’s really still learning the position.

For about 25 years I have dreaded this fixture but not today. A point was the least we deserved. The confidence this will give the team is worth another few more points alone. There aren’t many Man U players that are better than ours at the moment. Man U are proving to be the exception to the rule that you can buy success in football. Can’t wait for Chelsea now!

Fairly easy call for Smith to start Hourihane today as he likes to use him against bottom half sides.

Very encouraging that we opened up a defensive Newcastle team for fun who Man City struggled against. Easy 3 points tomorrow and storm up the league!

Not a fan of Smith or not a fan of Villa?

Pretty sure that’s a league regulation that you can’t show any time after 90 minutes, probably to stop pressure on the ref to blow up. I agree it’s annoying. I’d like to see on a big screen how much longer I have to suffer when holding onto a lead.

He signed a new long term deal before this season started.

Despite being bottom of the away table, only the top 4 and Spurs have scored more away goals than us.

He played well yesterday. Even the ‘tap in’ was a little unlucky. He opened his foot up but keeper gambled well and got lucky, yes he still should have scored but as Smith said he occupied 3 CB’s and our wide players and midfield were finding space for fun. Whilst we are as a team scoring a lot of goals I’m not blaming Wesley only scoring 4 so far..

Win by 3 like he said and we will. Personally think that’s optimistic as they’ll get a late consolation and we will only win by 2.

Fantastic performance. Newcastle toothless but you can only beat what’s in front of you. Could have easily scored more and apart from a 5 minute spell at start of 2nd half we were never under any pressure. I can only put that down to the players being in shock that Bruce hadn’t instructed his players to retreat back into their half like they did for the first 45 minutes.. A lot of contenders for runner up man of the match but Grealish still head and shoulders above. Konsa looks very assured. Think Mings is carrying an injury and credit that he’s still out their battling. Heaton best since Bosnich. Finally we have an easy away game next for the first time since Norwich away.

This guy is so good for us. Almost seems like he’s a Maldini/Maradona hybrid after watching the likes of Neil Taylor and Joe Bennett playing there. Best LB since Staunton.

Their front 3 are so bad it’s comical. We will finish comfortably above them.

Although Bruce’s teams aren’t known for conceding a load of goals, under the lights, crowd buzzing, Jack back, full house etc, I can see us putting 5 passed them tonight. (How long do you have to edit posts?..)

That’ll get the offers flooding in, in January now..

He is playing for Norway tonight against Malta. He was nutmegged for their goal from close range. Not a howler though.