John

Whilst there were some great memories to be taken from season 1970-71 until we returned to the top flight at the end of season 74-75 there were also the horrors of the seasons after our relegation in 1966-67 before the lion started to roar again. Being outside of the First Division in seasons 67-68 & 68-69 and then relegated again in 69-70 was not too much fun and seeing the likes of Hull and Bristol City roll up at Villa Park in the late 60s rather than Manchester United and Leeds did not quite cut the mustard.Those 8 years spent outside the First Division hurt the fans and the club and I for one do not want to see that exile repeated as the outcome might not be so positive this time as it was back then or in 1987-88 when under GT we manged to come back at the first time of asking.

Given he is young and has some experience playing at a good level to add to that it could be that his quality would put him ahead of young players we already have who are of a similar age. Could this be one of several that our new german scout has identified that he considers would be good and confident enough to hit the ground running in the PL?

Thanks 8pints & briny_ear. I can accept El Ahmadi made some impression on the game 8pints but I do not think he made enough of an impression and should be doing more for me given he has some games behind him now. I had not considered such a decline possible so soon under Randy briny but the way we were playing reminded me so much of the bad old days and the performances we gave at Villa Park back then. Surely Randy cannot just ignore the situation or can he? I have to feel we are getting short changed and I just hope he will show some ambition and back the boss he has appointed.

If you can't beat them join them! I thought we had in the days of Randy & Martin. But players from the 80-82 era had said it may already be too late to break into the elite and they were proved right. Only mega money could do it now as Manchester City have proved and we do not have it. The question now is whether the owner will provide the money to get us out of our current mess and to protect the investment he has already made in our football club. I do not see anyone wanting to buy him out and to then throw £200m + at players fees to get us into the top 4. Randy is still better than what we had before by the way it is just a pity that the money has dried up to the extent it has with the result that doing so was always likely to bring.

Source: Player Match Ratings – Dark clouds hanging over Villa Park!

‘Tis not the season to be jolly and there were dark clouds above and dark moods within Villa Park yesterday. Three defeats, fifteen goals conceded and none scored. Festive football does not get more depressing than this! This was a vital 6 point game that we lost all too easily. It was also lost against a team that started the day below us rather than in the top 4. The first goal was always going to be crucial and to have conceded it on 3 minutes to an unchallenged header from a corner was nothing short of criminal. Either side of half time we had the better of things and an equalizer might yet have changed the course of the game but it was Wigan who struck next with two goals in 4 second half minutes as the frailty of our defence which has more holes in it than the Emmental found on a seasonal cheese board was cruelly exposed for all to see. We had not lost three successive games for two years before yesterday and wins at Norwich and Liverpool had me thinking we may have turned the corner. This third drubbing in six days has left me wondering where the next point is coming from and looking at the fixtures that close our season at home to Chelsea and away to yesterday’s opponents with no great conviction that we could get the points we may yet need from those games to secure our survival. Yesterday reminded me of watching past Villa teams who were relegated and I had hoped that those days were behind us when Randy swept into town. The decline we have witnessed over the past couple of years suggests the prospect of a return to the bad old days of 1986/7 and the late 60s. No side is too good to go down and we have been flirting for too long with the prospect of relegation. Those that might see relegation as a chance to regroup may also want to consider if Nottingham Forest, Coventry, Sheffield United and Leeds fans once thought the same because there is no guarantee that relegated teams come back. Now is not the time to balance the books Randy because more is to be lost next season if we find ourselves outside the top flight and denied access to the extra television money that will be on offer to those who are in the Premier League next season. A central defender, two midfield players, a winger and cover for anyone we may choose to let go are needed as a minimum in this coming window and the type of players who will save our season who are of the right quality will not come cheaply if they can be persuaded to come at all. We have already shown where the loss of experienced quality defenders has put us, we lacked experience and quality in the middle to start with and where would we be if we lost Benteke for a few games and chose to deny ourselves of Bent to grab some of the money back that we were prepared to pay to ensure our safety a couple of years ago? We currently run the risk of ruining the young players who should be the long term future of our football club by putting those same shell shocked troops back into the front line each week or currently three times in a week and asking them to do a man’s job without the guidance of an experienced head or two alongside them. We also run a real risk of relegation and where would that leave our “bright future” Randy? Playing three central defenders might have seemed a reasonable insurance policy to cover for the prolonged absence of Vlaar not to mention Dunne either of which could have brought some much needed experience to the heart of our defence before we had conceded 12 goals during our last two games had we the players to play that way. But yesterday’s game was one we needed to win and we should not have needed that insurance policy flawed as it had already proved and that it again proved yesterday at home against Wigan as their forwards went on to go through the centre of our defence like a knife through butter. Surely it would have been better to have played another man in the middle such as Ashley Westwood alongside Bannan thus giving Ireland more scope to get forward and to create something for our two strikers? My player ratings from a game that has left us sitting just one point clear of the bottom three as we go into the New Year and that will have left the many Wigan fans who chose not to make the trip regretting that decision are: Brad Guzan – 6 – Collected a shot from Kone on 56 minutes easily enough but might have expected to have got his outstretched hand to their second on 52 minutes. Kept out a shot from substitute McManaman on 90 minutes but there were no heroics this time. I wonder whether it may now be worth trying Given for a couple of games to see if he can use his experience to organise the defenders in front of him? Eric Lichaj – 4 – Made way for Albrighton on 63 minutes as we belatedly went to four at the back. Matthew Lowton - 4 – Made a very weak challenge on Kone who brushed him aside with ease before taking the ball past Guzan and slotting it into an unguarded net for their third. He was also fortunate not to concede a penalty when the ball hit his raised arm inside the box when he was running onto the ball with Di Santo but they scored from the resultant corner anyway. He really needs to be playing in the role we signed him to fill that of full back where he has been steadily improving rather using him as a makeshift central defender. Chris Herd – 4 – The jury is no longer out. Chris is no central defender and would have been better played in the middle. Ciaran Clark – 4 – He is not a captain yet or a defender that can organise those around him. He needs someone like that playing alongside him to bring him on where is Vlaar by the way? Joe Bennett - 5 – Looked useful at times when moving forward. Barry Bannan – 5 – Not at his best again but not the worst of a midfield that was made to look ordinary as a unit by the opponents they came up against. Brett Holman - 4 – I know he works hard but I fail to see why he cannot last longer than an hour before needing to be substituted as he was again on 63 minutes yesterday when he made way for Bowery. Starting him effectively leaves us with just 2 tactical or injury enforced substitutions available to be made. Surrendered possession too easily particularly early on and had our best if not only goal scoring opportunity on 43 minutes when Benteke headed the ball onto him and his hurried shot from what was admittedly not an easy angle was placed above Al-Habsi but onto rather than under the bar. On chances like this games are won and lost. Stephen Ireland - 5 – Our one player who can produce something from nothing and although this was a below par performance from him he was still more likely to get us something from this game albeit no more than a consolation goal than the player that replaced him on 63 minutes. He was also lucky not to concede a first half penalty when he took the no longer homesick Maloney’s legs just inside the box. Andreas Weimann – 6 – MOTM - Great to see him back following injury. He provided some energy we had been missing and links very well with Benteke. Forced an early save from Al-Habsi on 5 minutes but did not quite make the most of the odd half chance he had which may be due to rustiness. He did however seem the one player who was up for it from start to finish. Christian Benteke - 5 – Won more than his fair share of balls in the air and having Weimann alongside him seemed to enliven him a little. Found the back of the net on 36 minutes with a sweet finish past Al-Habsi after Weimann had played the ball back to him unfortunately from an offside position as the defenders around him had moved up to leave him stranded a couple of feet offside. Climbed well on 47 minutes to meet a cross from Lichaj but he failed to direct his header that went harmlessly past the far post. Lost his man on the third minute for their crucial opening goal and the ball sailed over his head to be met by Ramis. Substitutes: Karim El Ahmadi - 4 - Replaced Ireland on 63 minutes and made no particular impression on the game. Marc Albrighton – 5 - Replaced on 63 minutes and looked bright enough giving some width and although his crosses too often lack accuracy he may well be worth a start given our current lack of alternatives. Jordan Bowery – 6 – Replaced Holman on 63 minutes. Not on long enough to get acclimatised or to make too much of an impression but he did get a shot on target that was gathered by the keeper on 89 minutes. Up the Villa, A Happier New Year to all readers and Stay Strong Captain! John Lewis

I would be happy enough with that trend wedge because we would then follow that up with a 0-0 with Southampton, a 1-0 win at WBA, a 2-0 win against Newcastle, 4-0 at Everton and 8-0 when we meet West Ham at Villa Park. But more seriously the first goal is so vital and we need to be the team that gets it.

I thought the subs gave us something we were missing in the game up until then rjw63 although I do take your point. For me Ireland can create things and we otherwise lack someone with experience who can do this although he needs to do this more often and consistently as for Marc he has not maintained his early form but looked better last night but it may be they both did because of how the rest of the team had played up until and following their arrival.

Nice ones Richard. I am glad we can still just about see the funny side as well as the sad side of the situation we are now in. I had considered something like "Just 4 after 8s" but could not quite bring myself to do it.

Source: Player Match Ratings – An Unhappy 12 goal Christmas!

No Villa fan could have dreamt in their worst nightmare the extent to which our football club could be so humiliated either side of Christmas. Our next two home games are now against 2 of the 4 teams who are below us and our results from those two games will determine just how bleak our mid winter will be. The first half was as one-sided a game as you could ever hope to see. We had only 25% of the possession and the corner count was fifteen to one. We spent the half encamped in our own half and it took 35 minutes for us to offer any cause for concern to the Spurs defence. Had it been a boxing match the fight would have been stopped well before the break to prevent us taking any further punishment. Surely things could only improve in the second half and they did early on as for the first time we took the game to them briefly but the change in our formation at half time created more spaces and openings that were gift wrapped for our Boxing Day visitors. The inevitable goals then came flooding in during a second half that left us battered, bruised and embarrassed well before the end. It always seemed the first goal would be decisive after that debacle at Stamford Bridge just 4 days earlier. If they got it early an avalanche of goals seemed a distinct possibility. But fortunately that first goal did not come until the second half but when it did it opened the flood gates wide and another three followed in 27 minutes and I could not help but wonder if one had gone in during the first half that they so dominated whether we would have had a record home defeat to add to the record away defeat we had endured at Chelsea. The win at Anfield has proved to be a false dawn. It raised our expectation levels above the level that this young team can realistically be expected to achieve on a consistent basis at their current stage of development. It may also have led our owner to wonder if he can get away without any investment in players in the next transfer window. Any such question has now been answered as to do so would place our future in this top division at more risk than it already is and it represents a risk we cannot afford to take. Before the games against Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs a return of 3 points would have been welcome and that is after all what we did get. But to have got those points from the first of those games and then to be embarrassed in the next two to the extent that we effectively lost one of those three points by conceding 12 goals in losing them to make our goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded totals the worst in the Premier League is not acceptable. We now face a game that before the festive fixtures began we knew would be one we needed to win and could ill afford to lose. It will be a real six pointer when Wigan ride into town and they will be the more confident of the two teams of winning a game that would take them above us and which might just plunge us into the bottom three for the start of the New Year. We cannot let that happen and the win we need would push us 6 points clear of the bottom 3 and make our position much less precarious. The team’s confidence may now be very brittle but we need to find some of the belief that we had shown before our last two games and we should as a young team have it in us to play with intensity, energy and to be able to close players down in a way that we have now failed to do in two successive games. Nothing less will be good enough. My player ratings from a game during which we badly missed Vlaar and Weimann to name but two and which was more than a little like men against boys are: Brad Guzan – 8 – MOTM – The fact that Brad having conceded 12 goals now in our last two games was undoubtedly our best player in both games says it all for me. Did well to tip a Bale shot over the bar on 11 minutes after Bale (not for the last time last night) was given too much space. Brad then got down well to a Gallas header from a Walker corner on 23 minutes and a minute later after Benteke had given the ball away did well to deny Defoe with his feet and the assistance of Clark when an opener looked likely. Brad then clutched an Adebayor header from a 31st minute corner at the second attempt. He then beat out a firm Bale shot for a corner on 40 minutes. Matthew Lowton - 4 – Caught lacking concentration and immobile on 57 minutes when the ball was played past him and through to Defoe who put the ball through Guzan’s legs for their first. Needed to stick tighter to Bale on 84 minutes as did others when he completed his hat-trick when left in far too much space and he hit the ball in past Guzan’s shoulder. Chris Herd – 4 – Did well to recover the ball after his own poor header had presented the ball to an opponent on the edge of our box on 50 minutes. But he was caught flat footed on 61 minutes when Bale reacted quicker to a ball that ran loose from Bennett into the middle of our half after Clark had given away possession and Bale ran on to get their second and his first of the night by taking the ball wide of Guzan and placing the ball into an empty net that no defender had got back to cover. Ciaran Clark – 5 – The best of what was a poorly performing defensive unit over the last 45 minutes last night. Nathan Baker – 6 – Did well to get a block in on an Adebayor effort on 34 minutes. Replaced on 45 minutes due to injury which led to a formation change and to gaping holes in our defence. Joe Bennett - 5 – Will have better games for us than this one. Ashley Westwood – 5 – Seemed to miss having Bannan alongside him. Gave the ball away unnecessarily on 23 minutes and Herd spared his blushes by slicing the ball wide of the post for a corner. He was replaced at half time but for me there were other contenders for the bench. Brett Holman - 5 – Stretched to reach a Lowton cross on 35 minutes but could only help the ball over. Struggled to make his usual impact. Karim El Ahmadi - 4 – Will soon be missing for the African Cup of Nations and went missing too often last night. Fabian Delph – 4 – Failed to step up to the plate again. Christian Benteke - 5 – Starved of service and games like this will leave him questioning what he is doing here and I am sure those thoughts crossed his mind more than once last night. Possibly that happened on 61 minutes when his poor attempted pass was placed well behind Ireland inside the box leading to their second rather than to a potential equalizer for us. Did not seem to get involved and to try to make things happen in the way he usually does. Substitutes: Stephen Ireland - 6 - Replaced Baker on 45 minutes and worked well with Benteke a couple of times particularly when he put a nice ball towards him that Benteke dived to head just wide which was ruled offside. Marc Albrighton – 6 - Replaced Westwood on 46 minutes and looked bright enough on this occasion giving us some width during our rare moves forward. Up the Villa, A Happier New Year to all readers and Stay Strong Captain! John Lewis

A great draw for both clubs and very much so for us. Over two legs the team that won at Manchester City, Swindon and Norwich should be good enough to get to the final and beat whoever we meet there. Now is not the time to worry about Europe or whether we would qualify if we lost the final. When was the last time Swansea won one after all? Well done to Bradford for getting to the last 4 and to those of their fans who have shown us some respect in the comments they have made on their site. They will give it everything and I recall a close semi final in 1975 against Chester that we won by the odd goal over 2 legs but to use the words of Ron Saunders "Do you want to bet against us"....

I do get the feeling that our results in the cup this season suggest that our name may again be on the trophy this season. The best game I have seen in this competition? Beating QPR 3-0 in the semi-final replay in 1977 with a Brian Little hat-trick and then beating Everton in the second replay of the final 3-2 at Old Trafford, turning over Manchester United 2-1 in our 1970 semi-final and that 1994 win against the same team 3-1 and singing "where's your treble gone" to them. Great games and great memories from all of them but for me beating a Manchester United team who had lifted the European Cup 2 years earlier that contained George Best who had said, "I know we've still got to meet Aston Villa in the semi-final, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that, so far as I am concerned, we must be there already" as a third division club in front of 62,500 at Villa Park was the best of the bunch.

I think Ince would be a great signing but like his father I guess he will never join us Kbdrum88. The time to have tied him up was during the summer when his potential was clear to see but he has moved on since and has now increased his value to a level beyond what I suspect we will be prepared to pay and I also wonder if he really would put getting more games for us above getting a higher wage but warming a bench more often than not at say Manchester United or Liverpool.

I agree keefa3011 and look forward to that good run. 4 without defeat and a win in the cup since this game looks a decent start for one.

I had thought he made his name playing in the middle for Crewe rjw63 (although I did not see him play before he made his debut for us at Blackburn). But in the same way that I would describe Allan Evans as having been a defender with us (although he played as a striker with Dunfermline) I would list Platt as being a midfield player for us rather than as a striker.

My secret is out, "never knowingly undersold" AVFCforever1991!

Source: Player Match Ratings – We cancel each other out!

Another clean sheet at home and a fourth game without defeat but this was also an opportunity we did not take to pull clear of the bottom dwellers. So Stoke are still waiting for their first win at Villa Park since 1965 and they paid us a big complement yesterday by looking to stifle us rather than to go for the win themselves. We did the same to them by aiming to handle their aerial threat by playing three central defenders and to match their work rate in the middle. But in achieving those objectives we diminished any threat we may have otherwise posed to them up front. We had the lion’s share of the possession against a team that looked like they were extras from “The Land of the Giants” and were the better team on the day but this was a game in which neither team created any clear scoring opportunities and which predictably ended goalless. We took the game to Stoke and they were prepared to sit back and hold onto the point they started with. Their fans might have expected more of them but we have a young and improving team and have proven in our last two home games that we can be a threat at home to even the best of teams. We might have expected us to start with two strikers and to risk losing a point to gain three. So for me both teams settled too readily for a share of the spoils and at some point we will have to start winning games if we are not to become embroiled for the rest of this season in a relegation dogfight with the likes of Wigan who have shown in past seasons that they can put winning runs together when the going gets tough. My player ratings from a game that has left us on of three clubs who stand 2 points clear of the final relegation place are: Brad Guzan – 6 – Very rarely called upon but gathered crosses when necessary with confidence. Matthew Lowton - 7 – Solid at the back and the more comfortable of our two full backs in moving forward. He looks better with every game. Chris Herd – 7 – Very steady and alongside our two other central defenders he quashed the bruising threat that Stoke strikers usually produce. Ciaran Clark – 7 – Another very solid all round defensive performance. Nathan Baker – 7 – Covering very well during Vlaar’s prolonged absence and he might just be starting what could become an impressive long term partnership with Clark. Eric Lichaj - 6 – Eric is not a wing back which can make playing three in the centre something other than a defensive set up but he was solid at the back and did OK when he ventured forward particularly on 35 minutes when Benteke was just beaten to his good cross by a defender. Ashley Westwood – 8 – MOTM – He is looking likely to prove as big a bargain as was the last midfield player we picked up from Crewe. Always found space and used the ball intelligently. Brett Holman - 7 – We missed his hard work and willingness to run himself into a standstill when he came off. Barry Bannan - 6 – Always makes himself available to receive the ball. He can hit the odd loose ball or two but he keeps busy, works hard and works well alongside Westwood. Hit a shot just wide of the post on 12 minutes after Benteke had an on target shot thunder off Shawcross. Gabriel Agbonlahor – 6 – Started well but was on the edge of the game at times and needs to look and move for the ball when it does not come calling. Looked for a penalty on 51 minutes but he was not impeded when failing to get a decent connection on the ball. Christian Benteke - 7 – Looked good, held the ball up well, tried to make things happen and was again our primary threat but the service he got was so very limited. Bannan played a nice ball towards Lowton on 46 minutes whose header fell slightly behind his feet and although he managed to get a shot in it was easily gathered by Begovic. Tried to work a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box on the hour but could not get the shot in he was looking for. Substitutes: Darren Bent – 5 – Surprisingly chosen to replace Gabby on 66 minutes and had an opportunity to show the manager that he should be starting games that he did not take which cannot be totally blamed on the lack of service he had or his recent inactivity. Stephen Ireland - 5 - Replaced Holman on 66 minutes and he like Bent also failed to make the impression we would have hoped for. Fabian Delph – Not on long enough to earn a rating having replaced Bannan on 78 minutes but did not seem as effective as the player he had replaced but like the others who came off the bench he will have been a tad ring rusty. Up the Villa and Stay Strong Captain! John Lewis

Might this be revenge for them knocking us out at the same stage in 1981? Oh I forgot we got our revenge in later that same season when they were second and we were champions. We have gone far too long without adding to our 7 FA Cup wins and a win in this game would leave us 3 wins off the semi final and 2 off lifting the trophy itself. 3 trips to Wembley this season would be nice along with a top 17 league place!

A vital point at QPR EddieB and despite our concerns a run of 3 unbeaten games does support the view that teams can find us hard to play against and long may that remain the case.

Thanks for the positives Eddie B. But, I am not so sure we have enough creativity and I think we need to bring in a minimum of one and would prefer two to create competition for places and cover for suspension and injury. I also have concerns about the theory that teams play badly against us and will continue to do so when the going gets tough. The Saints showed that teams can also play better than they have done previously against us and I worry a Harry inspired QPR might do the same this weekend. It sure does beat the pain of defeat keefa3011. I guess we all need to get some more practice in when it comes to celebrating as the opportunity to do so has been very rare over the last couple of seasons and we have therefore become a touch rusty.

Although the Ryder Cup team would have walked it in a normal year.

Bradley for me but in any other year Murray, Mo, Ainslie, Rory, Jess or Hoy would be very worthy winners. The competition this year is just too hot possibly they should share it.

He burnt his bridges when he left us Morpheus so I do not want him back. Let him regret the error he made joining them on the bench at Pool or playing the likes of Small Heath with Boro and watching England games on SKY rather than playing in them. But, I guess the wage increase he got would cushion those blows.