Delphouneso

Here we go..

Strap yourselves in, this isn't going to be comfortable.

This is where we could do with Holman to run around and put a bit of pressure on them. I wouldn't necessarily change anything yet but I'd like to see Delph on for Bannan at some point.

The international break seems to have done Lowton the world of good, looks refreshed.

I'm not Bannan's biggest fan but to be fair Sylla's pass didn't make it easy for him.

great tackle Baker.

Fully deserved that, the lads look up for this today.

YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How did that not go in!? Brilliant cross.

Benteke and Weimann could be a lethal partnership, always seem to know where one another are.

Silva makes it 2-0.

City winning.

Lambert 2-1. FFS Chelsea.

Carruthers 3-1!

1-1

Burke 1-0!

Villa penalty..

Chelsea fortunate to get through, looked shaky at the back especially down the flanks, and Pappoe was lucky to stay on the pitch.

Two late goals from Arsenal take the other semi-final to ET.

Four points or more from the next two games and we can start looking up the table, however four points from Liverpool and Stoke away is no easy feat. I'd take two points without question.

I think the game against Sunderland will decide our season, I have a feeling the Fulham game is going to be a lot more difficult than some are predicting, Sunderland is definitely our most winnable game and unless their form changes a win there would hopefully see us leapfrog them putting two teams between us and the drop (assuming we're still above Wigan).

Remember it well. Great game that had everything and a great atmosphere and would be up there with games that  I have attended.

 

I would also throw in when we beat Milan at VP in 1994 and when we beat Athletico Madrid in 1998 but still went out on away goals. The atmosphere on that Madrid game was unbelievable and when Collymore scored it was the loudest I've probably ever witnessed Villa Park before and since.

My memory of that Madrid game is tarnished, I was 10 years old and I'd made a poster to take to the game, I saw Stan warming up by the touchline and my Dad suggested I go down and try to get him to sign my poster, so I did, shouted at the top of my lungs and the bastard ignored me, I was crushed.

If you fancy a decent lower leagues challenge try keeping Truro up. I started as save as them just 'cause one of my mates is a Truro player, not being able to buy players certainly adds to the difficulty level although I did get taken over a few weeks into the season which lifted the transfer embargo but I haven't played it for a while as I've been getting into my Toulouse game.

Did finally manage to turn my poor form around with Toulouse, went on a late run and managed to finish the season 7th, which although below expectations was a decent finish considering I was one point off the relegation zone in January. Also managed to get to the quarter final of the Champ's League where i was beaten 4-2 on aggregate by Real Madrid. Ligue 1 is a bit messed up at the moment though, newly promoted Dijon won the league over second placed FC Lorient, and OM were relegated. Frustratingly though I must have accidentally declined the invitation to the reserves league and so my reserves have no fixtures this season which makes keeping match fitness up for my back up players rather difficult, fortunately though most of my 'Hot Prospects' are still eligible to play for the U19s so they shouldn't suffer too much.

Elsewhere Villa were bottom of the league in January but sacked Lambert and replaced him with Roy Keane and finished 10th, Randy must've opened his wallet aswell because they've since spent around £50m on transfers with very few outgoings. Chelsea won the Champ's League beating Galatasaray 6-3 in the final, Rafa Benitez is back in charge of Liverpool, and England won the world cup with Gabby being named player of the tournament.

As if my season wasn't going badly enough I now have 8 players injured, only two midfielders available for a match and I play a 3 man midfield. I can't use any of my reserves/youth because there 'already involved in other games', and I only have 3 subs (a DC, Winger and a Striker) so I decide to play with 3 CBs, 10 minutes into the game one of my CBs gets sent off..

On the bright side despite my dreadful form in the league I came top of my group (including Man City and Juve) in the Champion's League, and in January agreed a free transfer for Pogba from Juve as his contract runs out at the end of the season.

This game can be so frustrating sometimes, using the same set of tactics I used to win the league last season, I've only made two changes to my first XI (both improvements), yet five games in I'm down in 14th and have just lost 5-1 to Stade Rennais. And next up is Man City in the Champion's League..

Won the Ligue 1 title in my first season at Toulouse, needed a point in the last game of the season and beat Montpellier 3-1. Didn't expect to win the title but poor performances from the bigger teams certainly contributed, PSG despite having a front two of Ibrahimavic and Falcao could only finish 4th, OM performed pretty poorly all season but made a late surge to grab 3rd, and Lyon finished down in 6th. Signing of the season has to go to Jenssen, signed him from Tromso for £2m and play him as a DLP in the CM position he's contributed 16 assists in the league aswell as maintaining an average of 100+ passes per game with 92% completion.

Elsewhere Villa finished 10th, Chelsea won the league, Man City beat Porto to win the Champs League, and QPR finished in 4th.