Malachite

Think we should really show ourselves in this, a really brilliant performance is required, sweep Stoke aside, a masterclass in good footy, put us right for some difficult games coming up, keep us placed at the top. I want a great performance from Gabby. Please I want a brilliant performance from Ash. Please. I want an awesome display from Downing. Please. Dunne...................................................Please. And the rest of the lads. big please. And of course Milner, what can you say you certainly don't have to ask, you know that another Gerard like performance is on the cards, no problem. what am i talking about, he's better than Gerard. sorry about that.

We need to pick the pace up or they'll catch us, its down to there piss poor finishing they haven't thus far, we do need the 2nd to zip the game up, problem is nobody is dictating the pace, so thats what we must do IMO.

Chindie: Strong squad no question, first 15 will tell us if were flat or not.

NabilH: Really does feel like a few mins ago, what worries me is that the players feel they are still playing.

Here we go, difficult game, still feels to soon for me, however if MON impress on the players the importance of winning tonight, if we can do it then the next break before the next game will seem like a huge lay of. C'mon the Villa.

The biggest problem isn't Sunderland its dealing with the hangover of beating Man Utd, players by now may be feeling a bit deflated and tired, MON will have to put a lot of work in to get them fired up again for this, personally i think we are a much better team than Sunderland, providing we can get up for this i think we are looking at another 3 points, its down to Dunne, Milner and Gabby for me, if Gabby and Milner+ Ash Young can really have a go and get at them from the first whistle i see a good win, pity its not Wednesday rather Tuesday, its gone that fast it doesn't seem seconds since the final whistle at Old Trafford, so how the players must feel......however, we have to do this and get the 3 points.

Alan Green keeps banging on about how Villa winning is good for Chelsea and Arsenal. The thought doesn't seem to have entered his tiny brain that it is bloody good news for Aston Villa. Alan Green and Co (MOTD) will still refuse to let go the clique that is the top 4, the more they can dismiss this win by Villa the more they paper over it and business as usual. Fact is Man Utd we not just beaten today, they were at least equalled all over the park, matched in every dept, if you think about it they had to be, and in some circumstances we were the better side, we defended with composure they looked rushed, our keeper looker in control, there keeper looked average, they threw everything at us and still couldn't break our hold. We just beat Man Utd at the theatre of dreams and despite the fact we were the away team playing the game out, we beat them well and with style that would compliment any Champions League side, that's what put the willies up them.

Amazing, brilliant stuff, you could smell the frustration on Rooney's face. Going to give it to Gabby, Legendary goal in a legendary match, not the best player, but he got the goal and I'm biased

We are doing exactly the right thing, closing them down, giving them as little space as possible, Ash has to get more into the game, the Gabby and Fletch incident...brilliant, the most dangerous time will be the last 20mins when the game opens up. We need another goal before then.

ClaretMahoney: Just got a feeling we will do good tomorrow, Gabby can do well against the bigger sides in the bigger games, just a hunch this one's his. Can Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, James Milner, work there magic v Man Utd.

I still feel optimistic about this for some reason, as pointed out, as the week as gone on it seems less likely, but overall i still feel we can do this providing we go at them and don't fear them hence sit back, so we need to get after them, don't give them any room, we can do this. Villa to win 3-1

Massive game both of its importance and the result, Gabby can show good in the bigger games, lets hope so, Man Utd are still strong even with so many injuries but we have a good chance.

Agree with this, not suggesting this should be a breeze but we have everything going for us, and as said Ash got on the score sheet the other night so he can build from there and hoping we get something special from him.

3 pointer this, a game normally that wouldn't exactly excite, however after the good news week we should look to sweep Hull aside in a really good performance.

Great win, Semi Finals, can't say how we played although mate at the game commented that neither side impressed, no matter. Downing looks hungry, think its fair to say we can expect more from him, doubt we will be able to keep him out of the side from now on. Ash got a goal...good news. Milner scored a good goal by all accounts. Just what we needed, question is who will we get in the semi's and when do we know the draw.

Milner....................that'll do nicelly.

Its time Gabby, now is the time, lets have a goal please.

Think Portsmouth will be taking this very seriously, at home, new manager, only competition with any chance this season, its going to be a battle and one not to relax about, we must go for this IMO, plus we need a good game and a good win.

This is it. This is so uberimportant, why, we can win this, this cup has Villa written all the way through it like a stick of Blackpool rock's got Blackpool written through it. Victory over Pompey and a good performance is a must, MON must put out our best side. Said it before the Spurs game....Gabby if you read stuff like this.....goals please, loads of them this time as we all want to see you walk out at Wembley and leave speed marks in that hallowed turf.

Late back on this: Cuellor was very good at times, Freidal again pulled of some nice saves, Have to say Gabby worked his rock of for me, chased there keeper Gomez down almost every time he had the ball, pleased he got his goal however scrambled, come the second half spent as much time defending as attacking, personally i couldn't work out what was what, without doubt Spurs had the greater possession and the better quality possession i honestly thought it was difficult to believe that this Spurs team put Wigan to the sword so easily just days before. Players that bother me big time, NRC just don't get him, Petrov seemed so lazy, we have to get into the transfer market and get some quality in central midfield, there's no other way.

Agree totally with this. I'm interested to know more about how Spurs generate their income. Perhaps if Glaston or Joey55 are about sometime they could give us all a brief overview. Guess its because they sell out every game (36k) and they are bloody expensive, adult prices seem to range from £27 to £73 compared to ours £17 to £43 Also haven't they got one of the top 10 riches shirts sponsors in the world! St Micheal isn't it aka Marks and Sparks Not long now, its all getting very exciting. Ashley Young will be on the internet Gabby will have just put on the B.E.P. listening to " I've got a feeling" Milner will be eating the biggest hovis doorstep sandwich with a slate infill ever made. Carew will be reading Men Only. Downing will be reading the book " how to make a million in Middelsboro and survive". MON will have gone shopping with the family giving strict instructions to only buy british. Heskey..well Heskey is just lyming. Dunne is getting ready for his night school lesson in how to speak French. So were good to go.

This is a Massive huge game of mammoth proportions The Villa > Spurs games always seem hard fought battles, and usually really enjoyable, one of the best games i have ever seen was the Villa Spurs games a couple of season ago that Spurs came back into having been well beaten by Villa for most of the game. Seemed no end to that game, we were hitting the post one end, seconds later they were hitting ours, really fantastic stuff, crowd went bananas. So down to the nuts and bolts, we need to win this, goes without saying, but we really do, this is not just 3 points, its a placement battle, who will be the real contenders for 5th spot, they have Jem Defoe, we have the fantastic, like grease lightening ( Rocky movie) Gabriel Agbonlahor. Gabby don't know if you look at this kind of thing but i insist the real Gabby Agbonlahor please step up for this.....please. Defoe will be on cloud nine and difficult to handle and we don't have another striker you can really depend on, down to you mate. Fantastic game. Also, 4-5-1, the reason i put so much emphasis on Gabby is to throw him up front and put responsibility on him, he carried the side up front for a good part of last season, in fact when we were at our best, on his own and did well, also would allow us to facilitate Young, Downing and Milner in midfield.

See the point about how MON would shape us up v Bolton at home, personally and becuase we are so desperate for a good win i would go with the tried and tested 4-5-1. What formation did we use when we beat them last season? Gabby seems to work better on his own maybe, although his lack of hunger v West Ham reminded me of the spell he went through end of last season.

CVByrne: Villa will have to respond v Bolton, its now not a question of see how we get on v Bolton its just become a must win, there has to be teams that MON will have penciled in that this is a definite 3 pointer away, we have to win away games if we have any chance, and we have to beat lesser sides, come the business end of the season teams like Liverpool and Cheslea won't slip up again, a team like West Ham 19th should have been a 3 pointer, any team is only as good as its last game, same could be said for any manager, that's not a swipe at MON, he would have expected to win tonight. Heskey: not just a question of how can we complain about the player he was only on for part of the game, fact is he shouldn't have been afforded the place to start with, he took up a valuable spot that some canny tactics could have been employed, no good saying he was played out of position either, he don't perform when he's in position, i seriously can't rate this player, how can anybody give the player a rating when he doesn't play for the club. Carew: I think this is one of a few who are clearly showing that as soon as Jan turns the corner they will be of. Ashely Young 6 Gabby Agbonlahor 5 Dunne 5 Petrov 5 Collins 5 Friedal 6 Few others 5 etc.

Very very simple. They wanted the three points, clearly Villa didn't, nobody on this planet could make me believe that West Ham are a quality side, less scope to there game than even Villa, if its not through the middle forget it, it should have been so easy to stop that, and that's the reason why they are were they are previously Crap performance.