John

Bruce Rioch for me. Our best midfield in my time would be something like Bruce alongside Sir Morty, Platty and Gordon Cowans but I guess Johnny Dixon and Danny Blanchflower would be among those who would be well worth a shout from the past.

Macca for me 110%. My best Villa defence would be: Jimmy Rimmer, John Gidman, Paul, Allan Evans & Stan Staunton.

"Has there ever been a rumor that Bergakamp was coming to the Villa?"- The Evening Mail reported on their front page that he arrived at BHX and was met by the then chairman in his Rolls Royce so it is little wonder that he signed for Arsenal shortly afterwards Danishlad. I can think of a few managers/chairmen that would not have let him out of B6 until he signed (Brian Clough springs to mind) but back then the then chairman was keen to be linked with players like him and Lampard (who he claimed we matched the £11m Chelsea bid for after they had signed him as I recall) as long as he did not have to go on to sign them. Going back a lot further in his book Danny Blanchflower said Villa could have signed Dave Mackay for £20,000 to play alongside him before he signed for Spurs but we would not stump up the cash. Those 2 double winners could have made us quite a team in the late 50s/early 60s...

Nice deal. If it is only to be until the end of the season because like Walker he does so well with us that his club take him back or they sign someone else and he moves to a club that are willing to offer him more wages and Chelsea a bigger fee than we would then at least like Walker he can do a lot for us whilst he is with us. How about the team running out to "Ca Plane Pour Moi" for the rest of the season to make him feel at home? Welcome to VP Ryan!

"(to be fair even Everton are only there due to loan deals that skew the numbers)" - Loan deals we could have beat them to as well had we been prepared to pay what they cost Everton oldendays.

Lambo-“There are a few No.10s I looked at, as I call them, and some we just can’t do". It seems as was suspected that money is yet again too tight to mention in a January window at Villa Park...

In 1982/83 we add quality players to the team that were champions of Europe (who would not have wanted to join us back then?) and our then chairman does not appoint Graham Turner in 84 with a view to breaking up the team that had won the league & EC with a view to cutting costs and removing the players that had done so much in his absence which led to relegation in 3 years. We really could have kicked on in the 80s had we showed some ambition!

The goals scored vs games played has Billy Walker with 244 goals from 531 appearances, Pongo with 167 from 226, Eric Houghton with 170 from 392, Harry Hampton with 242 from 373, John Devey with 187 from 308, Gerry Hitchens with 96 from 160 and Hateley with 86 from 148. So Pongo is the one I suggest although there is a case to be made for all of these and others. Of those I have seen how about Gray/Withe in the air, Little/Shaw/Saunders inside the box & Rioch for the free kicks?

He brings experience, has made some impact in the PL and Lambo knows what he can expect from him for the rest of the season. He should also not put too big a hole in whatever money we have to work with in this window so this should leave us still able to go for other targets say one on loan for central defence & a purchase or even two for the midfield if we do have more than the odd million or two to spend during this window. Good luck at VP Grant (a Holt scoring for us at the Holte End seems a headline that is waiting to happen)!

Thanks for providing those stats again BOF. So we need 5 points from our next three games to stay level with the points we got from the fixtures from last season. That look a very big ask. Thanks for your comments and observations villa-revolution & Adam. I agree that Ron & Leo both had very good games alongside Christian whose goal and big improvement just shaded it for me for the MOTM award.

Source: Player Match Ratings: Outgunned!

Two goals within a first half minute all but ended this game as a contest last night. But a welcome first goal for Benteke since September did offer us some hope of a late equalizer before the visitors extended their undefeated run at Villa Park to sixteen games Arsenal ran out comfortable winners last night and we are left still waiting for a first home victory against them since 1998 when a goal from Joachim and two from Dion Dublin sealed a memorable second half comeback win for us from 2 goals down. We found ourselves two goals down again at half time last night against the league leaders but a comeback never really looked quite on this time. The final score flattered us a little at the end but it thankfully did not strike the painful blow to our goal difference that had looked likely at the interval. Following their two goals within a minute Arsenal took their foot off the pedal and looked to coast to what was a predictable victory. They had the lion’s share of the possession as has become the norm for our opponents. But they did not go on to further expose the gulf in quality between the two teams and in the second half we did show some more fight and a level of threat up front that had been missing from the first half to the extent that it was their fans that were whistling for the game to end near the close. We were content to surrender the initiative in the first half and that negative approach is always quickly undone by a goal and more so by two as was the case yesterday. But we had Arsenal feeling a tad nervous at the end and upped our game noticeably in the second half. We pressed Arsenal increasingly and might have nicked a point in the last 15 minutes when we actually moved forward with some conviction and can look to take some confidence from how we finished the game against the league leaders and from our aggregate 4-3 win. My player ratings from a game that has left us still in eleventh place in the table which is a position it would be nice to be still be occupying following our coming two visits to the city of Liverpool which come either side of our forthcoming floodlit local derby are: Brad Guzan – 6 – Got down to a Cazorla shot on 61 minutes and saved at his near post from the same player during stoppage time. Matt Lowton – 6 – Produced some quality crosses as he often did last season but he also allowed Monreal to get behind him in the build up to their 34th minute opener and was less competent at the back than when moving forward. Ciaran Clark – 6 – A solid display. Ron Vlaar – 7 – Another welcome return to our starting line up for our captain who was at his concrete best. Nathan Baker – Came off with mild concussion having been struck on the head when trying to charge down a 14th minute shot. Not on long enough to get a rating and his change led to an early change in our formation. Antonio Lunar - 5 –This was a step up on what he has been producing of late and he covered well following Vlaar’s one mistake on the touchline near the end. His positional play is clearly something to be worked on but he moved forward well enough. Fabian Delph - 6 – Fed on the edge of the box by Benteke who had claimed a loose ball on the edge of the box on 13 minutes but he screwed his shot wide of the post. Hit a low shot from some distance on 82 minutes that Szczesny gathered at the foot of his post. Lost possession to Wilshere in the middle in the build up to their decisive second goal. Ashley Westwood – 5 – Hit a decent effort from the edge of the box after El Ahmadi had pulled the ball back to him on 65 minutes which Szczesny dealt with without undue concern. El Ahmadi – 4 – Tried to side foot a cross from Delph in on 22 minutes but the ball lacked the pace to worry Szczesny had it been on target rather than put over the bar. His early booking made him think twice before going in for the ball and reduced any effectiveness he might otherwise have offered us. Replaced on 73 minutes which coincided with our most positive period of the game. Gabriel Agbonlahor – 6 – Did his bit and his pace is always a threat but did not get on the end of the headers won by Benteke as often as might have been hoped. Christian Benteke – 7 – MOTM – This long awaited goal will do much for his confidence and could do much to help us to safety. This was a big step-up on his performances since his return from injury. Christian won plenty of headers during the course of the game and looked something approaching the beast that had terrorised defenders last season and at the beginning of this one. Took the ball well on his chest on the edge of the box on 74 minutes before hitting his shot wide of the post. He dived full length at the far post to head in a sweet cross from Lowton which had just avoided Gabby’s outstretched foot before getting to him for his 76th minute goal. He might just have completed our comeback on 90 minutes but his header from another inviting Lowton cross was held by the keeper. Substitutes: Leandro Bacuna – 7 –Replaced Baker on 21 minutes. Looked better than of late last night and kept busy. Hit an on target shot from the edge of the box on 49 minutes that was easily gathered by Szczesny. Made a big difference in our midfield and has to start the next game there. Andreas Weimann – 6 – Replaced El Ahmadi on 73 minutes and his pace made a difference as did his willingness to chase lost causes which almost led to an equalizer on 83 minutes when he hooked the ball back to be crossed dangerously towards the far post where Benteke was waiting to nod in his second of the night had Mertesacker not touched it out for a corner in front of him. Stay up the Villa! John Lewis

Andy Gray, Gary Shaw, Bruce Rioch, Graham Taylor, Eric Houghton, Jimmy Rimmer, Ray Graydon, Gerry Hitchens, Andy Lochhead, Tony Morley, Billy Walker, Howard Spencer, Fred Rinder, James Cowan, Archie Hunter and Charlie Athersmith. Come to think of it you may need a much bigger canvas...

Looks to have potential and this would look a decent move for both player and us. I would guess and hope that Lambo wants another striker in that will give him a choice on the bench that he now lacks. Wells at say £2m along with Hoolahan at around £1.5m might not impact on our ability to bring in another couple of players on loan or otherwise that would cost us more fee and/or salary wise.

"But he brought in Taylor". I think Dave Bassett was his first choice back in 1987 The Fun Factory.

I thought he looked really good against us at VP a couple of years ago when playing under Lambert and thought back then that he could do a good job for us. He had it in him to make things happen up front and to hit telling balls forward. But £1.5m would seem a low price given they will be reluctant to sell to us. The questions for me would be can he still do what he could do back then in his 30s under his old boss and does his current ex-nose manager not play him because he does not track back as much as he would like or because his performances are not what they once were? For me £1.5m would be a risk worth taking although I worry whether that would blow our entire transfer window budget....

"Lerner has Got to love shopping in pound land". He prefers the 99 cent stores HeyAnty why spend a £ when you can spend under a $? "Don't see why the club would bring someone in which would give everyone a lift (to a point depending on who they sign) then see us all deflated immediately with another two defeats". I see where you are coming from danceoftheshamen but other clubs may come in for any targets we may have if we wait and I would like to think a player coming in would think he could make a difference and would want to play a part in big games such as these.

Another home draw in the 4th Round and a win against Norwich or Fulham would have left us just 2 wins from a Wembley semi-final appearance. But as rendelc has said we have grown to expect defeats. Given we could not win this one there was little chance that we could put a run of cup wins together as we were even able to do last season up to that Bradford semi-final defeat. It is remarkable that Gardner was not due to be on the bench had Baker not been injured Rob182 but it may explain why Lambert did not look to him to change things given he did not even choose him as a substitute until the very last minute. Thanks for adding those lowlights myko they show us once again how bad we were yesterday. Very valid points again villa-revolution but the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United would never allow a CL place to go to the FA Cup winners instead of one of them and they seem to get exactly what they want from the powers that be both at home and abroad. Those powers to be also started the demise of the FA Cup by allowing Manchester United to opt out of it and then ending the fines that once applied for fielding below strength teams to please the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United. Thanks for those comments Morpheus, for the reminder of that recent win against United Woojung (how we miss Stan on the field and off it) and for your contributions pacbuddies & Khizzy.

Source: Player Match Ratings: A shambolic and unacceptable cup exit!

Our manager was quoted as saying that the FA Cup was both “a distraction” and “something we could do without” although his team selection if not the team’s actual performance had suggested he might have had a late change of mind. But the FA Cup is a trophy we have had to do without since 1957. It is also a competition that cannot now be used in any way as a contributing factor towards any below par performances that may follow this one in our remaining league games this season. We were once promised a bright future to add to our proud history. Did that bright future include an embarrassing FA Cup 3rd Round exit at Villa Park to a team that play two divisions below us to add to a League Cup Semi-Final defeat last season against Bradford who were then three divisions below us? Did it also include extending the previous biggest gap between our FA Cup wins by 20 years? If so and given our struggles near the foot of the table in recent seasons we have been seriously mis-sold a bright future and need to make a claim! This game and the cup itself may have been considered a distraction by our manager and I accept that he would not be alone in this view today. But the FA Cup winners of 1957 did not see it as a distraction when they beat the Busby Babes and earned their place in our proud history. Young children who were taken to Villa Park today for possibly the first time who left saddened and shocked did not see their day out as a distraction. Fans such as myself who once shouted “7 times we’ve won it no-one else can catch us up” before three teams did will never see the FA Cup as a mere distraction. Is it really too much to expect Aston Villa to be able to stay up as well as have a cup run now? We have grown accustomed to losing at Villa Park of late. But I still found losing this one to a team that are 51 places below us in the league ladder hard to take on the chin. Had our manager’s reported comments on the importance of the FA Cup spread to the team? To some extent perhaps but abject home performances are not uncommon at Villa Park this season and this alone cannot be used to explain such a wretched display. They hit us with a first half goal as so many visitors do but with 15 minutes of normal time remaining we did eventually peg them back. Surely we could then go on to win the game as had Walsall so recently at home against the same team or at the very least not lose it? But no, they were the team that went on to create the better opportunities and they took one of three they made with just 9 minutes of the game left. There was still time for a second equalizer but one never seemed likely and I have to admit that The Blades had the cutting edge and the will to win that we lacked yesterday. For once we had the most possession but possession is over rated when you do so little with it and our visitors ran out worthy winners. But this was no cup shock. Their fans arrived in numbers in anticipation rather than because they considered it represented their cup final. They knew we were the most likely top flight team to take a fall on their own home ground against lower league opposition and so it sadly proved. They also did not see the game as an unwelcome distraction from their very own bottom half of the league struggle. My player ratings from a game that has left us with just safety to aim for in early January and having tasted home defeat against Sheffield United for the first time since 1966 are: Jed Steer – 6 – Conceded two but made a save at his near post from Flynn on 47 minutes and was helped out by a defender’s clearance on 61 minutes when he had found a shot too hot to hold. This game did nothing to help him put any pressure on Guzan’s starting place and barring injury this is likely to have been his last game of the season which is a pity and will not help his progress at the club. Leandro Bacuna – 4 – His defending is not currently his strong point. Ciaran Clark – 6 – The best of our defenders by some way and did what he could to hold them together. Murphy’s opener was unluckily deflected off him and past Steer. Matt Lowton – 5 – Steady enough filling in for Baker who was injured in the warm-up. Antonio Lunar - 3 – Once again struggled at the back but this time he did so against players from two leagues below the one in which he has recently been having difficulty in coping with. Marc Albrighton – 7 – MOTM - One of the few players to emerge with anything approaching credit from this sad performance. His crosses should have led to a minimum of one goal and possibly the least accurate one of them on 56 minutes might have crept in without the intervention of keeper Long’s hand. Took on and beat defenders on a regular basis. Fabian Delph - 5 – His mistake led to their winner as he had the opportunity to claim the ball which Flynn then raced across the edge of the box with before hitting the winner past Steer. Showed some commitment and got his usual yellow card but this was a game he needed to take by the scruff of the neck and it was one that he did not. Ashley Westwood – 5 – He hit a couple of balls from one side of the pitch to the other and like Fabian kept possession albeit often by playing the ball back or sideways but he lacked the killer ball that was needed to break down a solid no nonsense defence. I had anticipated Delph and Ash would have welcomed the opportunity to boss a midfield but the possession they claimed came to nothing. Ash hit a shot wide of the far post on 71 minutes after a ball had been deflected to him inside the box. Aleksandar Tonev – 3 – Another missed opportunity. Andreas Weimann – 3 – Andi has a new contract but has lost his mojo. He needs to find it quickly if he is to retain a place in the starting line up and continue what had looked up until this season such a good striking partnership with Benteke. Turned and hit a solid shot wide in stoppage time. Christian Benteke – 4 – He would have bullied the defenders he faced yesterday last season and at the start of this one. He would also have probably scored a hat trick that would have eased us through to the next round with the solid chances he had in this game. But although he got into the positions to end his goal drought he failed to score once again and was far too often beaten in the air by defenders who are some way below the standard he will be likely to meet in Brazil if selected. Got up well to meet a good Albrighton cross but his 45th minute header went tamely wide. Missed a golden opportunity when found by another cross from Albrighton on 47 minutes but his header bounced over the bar. Helenius did well to find him on the edge of the box on 70 minutes but his shot was easily gathered by the keeper. Controlled the ball on the edge of the box late in stoppage time but his ambitious effort was well wide. Substitutes: Nicklas Helenius – 6 –Replaced Tonev on 60 minutes. Took his goal well on 75 minutes following a 5 minute spell in which we had belatedly applied some pressure. He hit the ball which had deflected to him from a Weimann shot past Long with the minimum of fuss. Could he yet prove to be the new Peter Crouch? I think if the forward options are not added to this month he has earned the right to be our go to guy when it comes to forward substitutions for the rest of the season. I also wonder why given the wayward passes, lack of penetration and ideas we suffered from we left Gardner sitting on the bench. Now stay up the Villa (it is all that we now have left to focus on)! John Lewis

Booked in the same hotel as Defoe?

He was also the first chairman to pay himself a salary and twice rejected Brian Clough's interest in taking over as our manager Morley- crosses-to-Withe.

It would be fitting if he called for the Scottish Stand to be re-named The Ron Saunders Stand and offered to add £10m to our transfer window funds from the money he took out of the club on leaving and prior to that on his 90th birthday. But what would be in that for him??

"Lescott would take a wage cut to play for Villa, wouldn't he?" - Not a big enough one I suspect maqroll given he can most likely get more elsewhere.

"see Ian Taylor who once played for Moor Green" & Keith Leonard who also played for Kiddy & Highgate Villan4Life? I would hope the club would be aware of a player who is playing so near to home and if not, they can get a scout around there to run the rule on him.