Villarocker

I like Steer but he did have a very nervy period of the game against the Baggies and, at Wembley, he needs to make sure he stays focused. Those penalty saves were actual saves though - not misses - and showed that he had that kind of ability in him, which is good to see. I also like the way he stared Holgate out as they walked up to the goal together lol.

Derby will give everything because it's a one-off game that results in the winners getting paid more money so there's no doubt they'll be well up for it. Villa should have the same attitude and if we apply ourselves in the exact same way, class and ability should prevail and we should win. There's one thing I just won't be able to stomach and that is the media wankfest that will take place around Frank Lampard's Derby winning. I would take a 10 point deduction going into next season if it only meant that Lampard wasn't splattered all over the sports pages.

So we did. I guess it felt like a loss after that cheat knocked it in with his hand.

Funny how the two sides that won the semis lost both league games against their opponents in the normal league season. Let's hope the same doesn't happen in the final!

Absolutely spot on! Keogh is an absolute donkey and Cole should have retired to a beach apartment in the states. With Cole at right back, maybe Green or Adomah may finally beat a full back! Derby did well to beat Leeds but let's face it, Wigan and Ipswich have beaten them recently and without Kemar Roofe they are beatable. They're a bunch of cheats and I would have feared them more simply because of their physical attitude in games and their ability to cheat the refs. Derby will be a more traditional game and Villa should have less of a pace attack to go at us, a slower defence for us to go at and be more open.

On Sunday, I looked at the odds to go up from the remaining sides and Derby were rank outsiders at 12-1. I felt then that they are too big a price due to the fact they have been proven in one-off games this season. Villa have absolutely nothing to fear from Derby because 1) They cannot defend and 2) They will constantly leave themselves open and give us the space to play that we so obviously need. But, we must not go into that game thinking it will be easy because we've already beaten them twice this season. Leeds beat them three times and have still gone down. Villa must be at full pelt against Derby and if we do that we will win.

Leeds got their just desserts there but don't count out a red for a Derby player.

I guarantee Derby will have a man sent off in this game due to those cheating twunts in white.

That second Leeds goal was clearly offside. I just rewound the game time and again and it's clear and the reason the linesman didn't see it was because he wasnt in line with play. Again, lucky bastards!

Leeds are all over the place. They simply cannot defend and are nothing unless they are kicking lumps out of the opposition or diving around all over the pitch. Derby have shown the way to play them and that's to get about them and five them no time.

The short corners was obviously a ply and no doubt because of Albion's strength in the air. The problem for Villa was simple - we just didn't execute them well enough, just like the rest of our play. We showed a real weakness last night against a really tired and poor Albion team.

Watching that game, I felt we weren't playing at a high enough tempo - hence we looked too casual - and that's why we were making unforced errors, we weren't "in the zone". Maybe the players were holding something back knowing there was another game coming on Tuesday night, keeping something in reserve? With two weeks until the play-off final, I'm expecting our lads to play at a higher tempo tonight and to give their all.

I watched the Derby v Leeds game yesterday alongside my Dad. At half time, I said that Leeds didn't look half as dirty as when we played them. Then, second half, they went back to type and started roughing Derby up. What you said about the referee is spot on. Get a solid ref who notices all the niggly challenges and cheating and Villa beat Leeds comfortably.

How this guy scored so many goals the season before is incredible. Albert looks to have lost complete interest and it's a shame. There was a point in the second half yesterday when Elmohamady wanted to play the ball to him down the wing but he went inside and gave no out-ball to Elmo. In the end, Elmo got trapped and ended up giving a throw-in away whilst trying to play the ball down the line. He then turned to Albert and clearly said "f#cking move!". That side of the pitch needs addressing for sure in the summer. Welcome Jarrod Bowen?

I thought he played well first half and there was one cross that came into the box that would have resulted in a shot at goal had it not been for Taylor being around on the cover. He didn't play quite so well in the second half but overall he looked decent to me. Having said that, I did think Hause looked good when he was playing left back.

I like him but think there's a lot more he can give. He looks a talented footballer but he doesn't look to me as if he has enough strength or courage. He looks a bit of a bottler at times but if he could add a bit of aggression to his game I think he could be a real talent.

When the team was published yesterday, all around me were questioning why Whelan over Hourihane? Then Whelan's mistake came and it just strangthened the question. But, as the first half progressed, you could see that Albion had no attacking intent and that Whelan needed to be replaced by Hourihane. Second half started and again we were asking why no change? Then Grealish got the ball about 22 yards out and played it nicely into the path of Whelan for him to strike at goal. The shot was tamely hit low into a wall of players. I looked at the guys around me and asked this question "did you ever think he would score that?" To which all replied "no, nah, no chance" etc. Then I said "but if it was Hourihane?" And all agreed that they would have backed him to have at least worked the keeper. Hourihane came on and did just that for his brilliant goal and that is why he should play over Whelan. He may not have that defensive mind to spot a runner but he gives so much more to the game than Whelan does. He can pass, shoot, take a great corner and his a cracking free kick. Hopefully we have two more games left this season and Hourihane starts in both of them.

Jack deliberately holds on to the ball longer in order to drawer fouls from his opponents and gain free kicks, often in dangerous areas, for his team. It takes courage and strength of character to constantly do that knowing that it involves you being tripped or kicked and a possible injury following the challenge. Messi and Ronaldo do it but they have the extra goals in them that make them the very best. For instance, I believe Messi did the same thing in the first leg of the CL semi against Liverpool then scored from the resulting free kick. Jack has knuckled down, trained hard to build up his strength and is now the player we hoped he would be. He drags our team up the pitch time and time again, game after game. Sometimes he adds a goal to his game but most time assists in the goal either directly like in both of yesterday's goals or indirectly by dragging his markers out of position. He's a very talented player who most teams would want in their starting line-up each game. We are lucky we can call him ours and one of us.

That's my thoughts exactly!

Deservedly so. Made a monumental mistake for their goal and passed the ball left, right and backwards over 5-10 yards for the rest of his game.

He makes you wonder just where we would have finished if he'd been between the sticks all season!

He should have started ahead of Whelan today.

Was bemused by the Whelan over Hourihane selection and the game materialised to prove that worry. Smith needs to get it right on Tuesday and, if he does, Villa will run out clear winners as Albion have nothing to scare us with, especially now Gayle is out. Play Hourihane and Villa win 2 or 3 nil on Tuesday.

I wish people would stop saying Albion are playing well - they're shit and there for the beating. Villa are playing at too slow a tempo and are just not moving enough for each other. The goal for them was a gift from Whelan (shouldn't have been in for Hourihane anyway) but Tuanxebe should have slid in to try to stop that shot as we was running towards the player. Poor performance from all Villa so far and unless they wake up they could cost themselves the chance of becoming Premier League players again. Dare I say it but, so far, the occasion looks too big for them.

I don't think many would argue that Liverpool deserved to go through tonight, they were brilliant. I know three Brummie Liverpool fans of which I like two and dislike the other. Brummie Man Utd fans are just scutters.