Villarocker

Sam Spinner in the Stayers for me. That's a tough horse and he'll love the soft ground if it stays that way. Kalashnikov would be another with a great chance on soft ground in the Supreme Novices. Both of them are trading around 5/1.

For me, Native River is the certainty of the week at Cheltenham. He was only beaten a few lengths in last season's Gold Cup and that was after two massive races in winning the Hennessy over 3m 2f at Newbury and then followed that up with an unbelievable front-running performance to win the Welsh National, carrying top weight, in the mud, over 3m 5f at Chepstow. The runner up in that race came back to win it this year so that showed how gutsy a performance that was by Native River. This season has been easier for him and he looks like he'll get softer ground so won't be outpaced on the run-in this time. I just hope Richard Johnson takes it up when they turn for home and runs the finish out of the others. Native River proved his battling stamina qualities in the Welsh National so Johnson needs to make full use of them this time. I still cannot believe he's 5/1 and I'm chuffed to have gotten on him at 10s back in January

We need Bruce not to bottle it. He needs to have faith in our players and go after Wolves - getting them on the back foot from the first kick and get our crowd up for it and behind our players. Do that and we will see just what they are made of. If he picks a defensive team it will backfire and we might as well just give them the three points without kicking a ball.

I just did a predictor for ours, Cardiff's and Fulham's last games. I got Cardiff finishing on 92 points, Fulham on 91 and us on 90. The key fixture was us drawing with Cardiff. Win that and it puts us on 92 and Cardiff on 91. Those results also had us drawing the Wolves game. I know this is stating the obvious but we could really do with beating Wolves. Win that game and it does wonders for our automatic promotion chances. The three points. The players' confidence. The euphoria of beating top of the table in a local derby. The psychological damage it does to Wolves. I honestly think that Wolves will implode if we beat them Saturday and it will then open up another automatic promotion place to fight for.

^This^ Total no show from the players yesterday. What was the manager thinking of, restraining them like that? Bruce out!

I remember being a young lad and seeing my Dad leave the house with a garden fork to go down the Villa to help the groundsman with the pitch after the club asked for volunteers. It would be nice to get today's game on and get 3 points on the board to apply some pressure.

Villatalk breaks out into Raptorous applause

I think we will win all bar the Wolves game, which I think we will lose again, unfortunately. Bruce will be too cautious and concede too much possession and space to them and they will hurt us with it. But, the rest we should be able to beat and, I think we will. On top of that, with our run-in, I think we will need to win them to stand a chance of automatic promotion.

If true, someone needs to tell our players to get stuck in a bit more!

I tore my right upper calf muscle a few weeks ago - it is bloody painful.

No pressure Conor!

I think we will need to finish above Fulham to finish second. Put it this way, if we end up in the play-offs, I hope Fulham have finished second.

That is a fair point mate. Look, I share concerns too about the likes of picking Onomah over O'Hare or Lansbury etc. I think questioning team selection is fine but questioning Bruce's position whilst we are 1 point off second is petty.

We've got to stop this moaning. Win or lose, I'm with him. If we don't go up he goes, simple as that. But, it's too late to change anything now. We are where we are and love or loathe him he is here until the end of the season so we might as well cheer him on - win or lose - and then voice our concerns, if any, at the end of the season.

When was the funeral for Lansbury's ability or did I miss that one? Did we really sign one of the better midfielders for assists in this league last season and just turn him into a ghost? Why couldn't he get on that pitch at half time? The subs and the way we are set up seems totally lacking in ideas and reminds me of how Lambert looked when we played Bradford in that famous cup defeat at home and he hadn't got a clue how to break them down.

Onomah needs replacing. O'Hare or Lansbury surely couldn't do any worse in the attacking role?

No need to panic guys. The only game we will possibly lose away from home is Millwall and by then we will be up. Home games are now pivotal to our promotion challenge and a packed Villa Park is a must.

Taylor for left wing? Can cross a ball and will obviously stick to his defensive duties. Either that or persist with Thor or Snoddy in their weaker area?

Bruce doesn't become a bad manager because of that. The attacking midfield was ripped apart and reorganized accordingly. That second goal killed us and, by changing to 442 we lost any control of midfield and was never going to get it back. We can't lose faith or hope by losing at Fulham. We will be fine if everyone keeps their heads and backs the team and coaching staff.

Looks a beast - sign him up!

Tough game today. Disappointed we didn't look like winning after they took the lead. Can't compensate for what Johnstone did and was always uphill struggle after that. We were lucky to only concede two so will take that positive out of this one.

For Pieface, only 15 wins in a row will suffice

That is my feeling regarding the players - I trust them. This group seem to really try and work hard and seem to care about getting the club back to where it belongs.

Excellent performance

This picture, during the game, got to me too. It's unbelievably difficult losing a parent but, to lose your Dad and have your Mom seriously ill in hospital, that's unthinkable. Personally, I wished for him that he didn't have to go through the torment of such a big game but fair play to the man, he showed up and did everything right about his job today. Well done Steve - you deserved that victory more than anyone today