Tomaszk

Was very unimpressed when we signed Micah. He never looked good for us.

I've spoke to my mate who's had a season ticket for three years at Preston. What he said has worried me. They have 7 or 8 key injuries and he said 100% we'll win. His mate who he goes with has put £200 on Villa at 7/5 which he says is bargain of the century. Ever the cynic me. This is a must win for Deano and the boys. Let's scare people. I think Albert will start and McGinn/Tammy will be brought off if we're three goals up on 60 mins.

They'll thump Arsenal and go to city as slight favourites.

Proper laughed out loud at that. Good stuff Agree with middle paragraph. Unless it's Steve Bruce

Don't like this sound of this.

I disagree. Grealish and McGinn a couple of levels up from Hourihane.

I know this is an ongoing joke on here, but no way he's that tall. If he is, he's making himself very small when attacking headers. If we're paying his wages what the hell is he doing at Hull. What was the thinking from Bruce. Oh yeah, that be knew best and Jedinak is suddenly a centre half. Clearly you didn't Steve.

Thought he said ill? May have misheard. Interestingly, he definitely said Jake Doyle-Haynes has been ill, which makes you think he's viewing him as a bench option. Why mention him otherwise.

Yep, after 37 matches, so I think it's Forest away. Hopefully he can miss the fa cup game in the meantime. Bit worrying he's on nine. He's probably going to go into the end of the season on 13 or 14. Imagine him missing the entire playoffs!

Can't believe they beat Stoke. Putrid to watch Blues. Stoke really good ball players. 33% possession at home. Same crap as us under Bruce. It's not sustainable, it's no good to watch, and you'll never do anything useful with it. Waste of time.

We absolutely did deserve to win that. Loads more good chances than Swansea. Even if you think we didn't, it's about time we had something to our way. Sick of stuff going against us. Nyland 9 Elmo 6 Bree 8 Chester 7 Hutton 7 Whelan 6 Hourihane 7 McGinn 8 Bolasie 7 Tammy 7 El Ghazi 6

This is great to read. Earlier the better for our reinforcement.

It's incredible. The football. The entertainment. The pride. The respect. It's easily the best feeling since MON days, and the best football for around 20 years.

He was absolutely **** screaming for the ball from Bolasie. All the way up and past him, bellowing for it. Then produced probably the best left foot clip of his career. Good defending from set pieces again. There's only him and Tammy with any height in the side, so they play a big role from corners and fks.

Literally everything he did first half went wrong. Most of the second as well. Better once Montero came on funnily enough, as he's usually quite good against us.

Nope. Mostly good all round today.

Will be the highlight of his Villa career and it was a pleasure to be there watching it. Great feet throughout again.

Thought he had a slightly deeper role today. Felt like bit more of a 4231 instead of usual 433. McGinn very much the main man going forward in general play. Loads of pressing. More ball carrying. A goal. Excellent.

The parties in Lapa do get pretty lively.

Backup/weak players too intimidated to pass the ball around with a press on them.

Agreed. You can only imagine the praise the previous manager would be getting if he'd have turned it round and put forward these exact performances and results

I know he can't carry it like Grealish round players, but I think a central midfielder should be able to carry it 20 yards into open space and then go from there. He should realise we're massively up against it and have hardly had the ball and this is a good chance, not knock it away straight away as soon as he has the ball in an advanced position in case he's the one to lose it. He shovels off responsibility at every opportunity. We've got some easier fixtures coming up anyway so his performances will improve as soon as the pressure is off. He's not crap. Which is why I want him to do more when Grealish isn't around. I wouldn't expect Glenn Whelan to be creating us chances.

Leeds have chucked their kids in and they've largely all done well. We're in the league above them at U23 level! Might even be two, can't find a pyramid. I think we should be seeing more youth yes. And hopefully we do now ahead of the likes of Elmo at RB. Our midfield does not have the confidence to get on the ball without Grealish. Trying O'Hare sooner rather than later is something Smith has to look at.

They should have had a man sent off after a minute. 89 mins v 10 sounds nice. Yes we are defensively woeful. Yes full backs embarrassing. Yes Bruce stench.