Villarocker

Lose to the scum tomorrow and we could well send Blackburn down next week so look forward to ugly scenes there. Beat the scum tomorrow, Forest and the others above Blues win, Huddersfield beat Blues next week and we lose to Blackburn and we will all be happy bunnies next week.

Steve, if you only win one more game this season, make it tomorrow's!

When I was in senior school, we had a kid their who was a long distance runner. He took part in the school's annual period 10km run and he lead by miles all the way, before dying of heart attack at the end. Nobody could believe it because he was so fit. Going back to Ugo, when you think of all those young talented players coming through at Spurs, is it possible that we've lost a potential first black England manager? I think so.

Similar thing here RV but I used to shout "Uuuugooooo". What a fantastic player he was. I'm a year older and can't believe that a fit and healthy man could pass so quickly and so young. Sometimes, you wonder if these professional athletes over-exert themselves and put their bodies through too much.

Shocking news about Ugo. My favourite years as a Villa fan were when Ugo played alongside Gareth Southgate and God. I loved watching Villa back then and win or lose we always seemed to try as a team. Ugo was a great footballer and was a goal threat as well as a great defender. You only have to read all of the tributes today to realise just what a great man Ugo was and there's no doubting the football world has lost a real talent. RIP big man. You have been taken far too early and you will be sorely missed!

An ex boss of mine, who was an utter bell end, once told me a story about Ugo. This ex boss was a Baggies fan and hated Villa so you can imagine my great amusement when he told me that his missus left him for Ugo Anyway, get well soon big man. You were a great defender for us, one of the best I've seen wear our shirt. I hope you make a full and speedy recovery!

The only way Bruce is getting us out of this league is by adding strength in depth to the midfield and defence. Plus, he needs a new, experienced, 'keeper.

Interesting stats. Can you do the same for Kodjia?

No lineup consisting of Grealish and Gardner will be any good. Grealish scored a great goal but did nothing else. Gardner was rubbish. We need better from our midfield and you wonder why Bruce left Hourihane and Lansbury out.

Johnstone went down like a limp dick for their third but otherwise did well. Grealish was nowhere to be seen apart from a stunning goal. Jedinak seemed to be everywhere. The rest - meh. I'm really unsure about Bruce managing us next season. He's had roughly 105 points to play for. If you get 2/3 of them we have 81 points and challenging. 2/3 is pretty much what you're needing to get out of this league and we will finish way off that.

And that's when you wished you chinned the copper! I've been there mate!

We're getting slaughtered down both flanks and were lucky not to be two down before the goal. Amavi is piss poor but has zero cover from Grealish who, himself, has been diabolical. Grealish looks just like a poor version of Jack Wilshere, another over-hyped player who thinks he's God's gift to the beautiful game. I would sell Grealish to the highest bidder this summer. Kodjia was unlucky in that the guy kicked out at him first and he just gave him a nudge back and the 4th official saw something terrible that clearly wasn't that bad. We'll lose by 3 or 4 and I think that would have happened regardless of the red card.

If Wickes are so good at diy, why don't they make dildo's? Or, maybe they do. Thankfully, I've never had to check for one

Shit player who needs to be gotten rid of somehow. We need better options than him from the bench and he should never start a game.

We would have been OK had we started the season with a new midfield and an experienced goalkeeper. The lack of defensive cover, together with a lack of creativity, is almost certainly what cost us. The new "keeper" cost us a fair few points alone. Gollini was a terrible and costly mistake.

Space Age Playboys by Warrior Soul. Early 90's ballsy rock music that I would encourage everyone to listen to

Steve Bruce!

I think we're in a catch 22 situation right now. We're winning a high percentage of games but the football is shit. Personally, I see the reason we're not at least in the play offs is because of the slump before Bruce joined and the period following Christmas when Kodjia was away and Jedinak was injured. I can live with the shit football as long as we go up but, my biggest concern isn't the style of football more what happens when Jedinak and/or Kodjia are missing again next season? If Bruce can eradicate those fears then I'd be more than happy to go another season of crappy, but winning, football. Once we're in the Premier League we can bring a new manager in who can teach our new, Premier League quality, recruits how to play football.

If the ground is good, and it looks likely, Lord Windermere must have a chance tomorrow. When was the last time a Gold Cup winner carried 10st 10lb in a National? He was 15lb higher in the weights when he pulled up in softer than wanted ground. But, even then, he jumped 24 fences so has the experience of getting over 80% of the obstacles that day. If he retains anywhere near the ability he had 3 years ago he would be a great each way shout at around 50/1.

I couldn't give a toss how we win, just keep winning and if we don't make it we will have 1) Made those above us earn it and 2) Built a massive team spirit and brought a huge amount of confidence back to the players and everyone involved with the club and that can only be good for us going into next season.

I've had us to win tonight and that's been a rarity for me lately so I hope I haven't jinxed them!

I must admit that I was a tad disappointed with last night's series ender. Like others have said, Negan is too big a character to kill off so soon and the series has really just led up to what will obviously - you would hope - be a much better next series with lots of fighting between the groups. I still think that Dwight will kill Negan. Dwight's missus is fit and if Negan was doing that to my missus I would have killed him long before now!

The National is a quality race these days with very few nags getting in the way. That's down to the fact they have shortened the distance and the fence heights. I had followed Rule The World early in its career and was bigging it up for one of the Cheltenham Festival novice hurdles about 4 years ago but it didn't win. I then lost track of it and suddenly it pops up and wins the bloody National 2016 at 33/1 - typical! I have recently noticed a pattern where horses that run in big graded races do well when dropping down the grades into handicaps. A great example of this was Arctic Fire at the Cheltenham Fesitval. It was placed in the 2015 Champion Hurdle behind the great Faugheen and carried top weight in a handicap at the Festival. I was on at 25/1 and it came in for me. Many Clouds won the 2015 National after finishing 6th in that year's Gold Cup. That gives Saphir De Rheu and More Of That great chances on paper for Saturday's National. How's about a horse that absolutely loves good ground? If the rain stays away and the ground is good on Saturday, a great each way shout is Lord Windermere. It won the Gold Cup 3 years ago and done very little since but has been lightly raced to be fair. It pulled up in last year's National but the ground was soft and far from his liking plus, he carried a stone more in weight in last year's race than he will carry this year and must have an each way shout if the ground continues to dry out, its odds are currently around 50/1. Don't be put off by it being 11 years old either. Vics Canvas was third last year as a 13 year old and Pineau De Re won it as an 11 year old, I believe. Neither of those horses are anywhere near the same class as Lord Windermere either!

There are a lot of very well handicapped horses in this year's National. A couple that really stand out for me are Thunder and Roses and, Measureofmydreams. Both Irish horses that are owned by the Gigginstown Stud, the owners of last years Cheltenham Gold Cup and Aintree Grand National winners. Gigginstown's owner has recently had damning words to say about the British handicapper and, as a result, withdrew half of his declared runners due to them being unfairly handicapped, in his opinion. However, I think that the horses he left in can be treated as tips in themselves because the owner obviously must think they have been fairly treated by the handicapper. Measureofmydreams was 3rd, beaten around 6 lengths off level weights, by Minella Rocco and Native River at last year's Cheltenham Festival over 4 miles. He was ridden by a lady jockey, albeit a good one in Katie Walsh, that day. Minella Rocco went on to be a fast-finishing second in this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup with Native River a close third. That is great form for Measureofmydreams! To put it into perspective, after finishing second in the Gold Cup, Minella Rocco was installed as ante post favourite for the National and would have had to concede weight to Measureofmydreams, a horse it beat only 6 lengths off level weights just 12 months earlier. With Minella Rocco missing the race it has to leave Measureofmydreams with great place claims at a big price! Thunder and Roses won the Irish National 2 years ago, again ridden by Katie Walsh, and beat Rule The World off level weights. Rule the World went on to win last year's Aintree Grand National off 2lb higher than Thunder and Roses will carry this year. That has to give Thunder and Roses a great chance on form off a lightweight of just 10st 7lb. Other well handicapped horses are Vicente, carrying the same weight that he carried to victory in last year's Scottish National. Houblon Des Obeaux, who finished a staying-on 4th to One For Arthur in the mud at Warwick over 3m 5f. Houblon Des Obeaux got beaten 19 lengths that day but is now better off at the weights and was staying on all the way to the line and the extra distance looks ideal for that horse, although it does appear to need soft ground, as does One For Arthur, who would be another horse with a great chance given his apparent liking for extreme distances. The Young Master is another horse who looks to have a great chance. He won a big race at Sandown over 3m 5f with a good field behind him, including a few of the other National runners. Finally, 2 years ago, Many Clouds - the best horse to win the National for many years IMO - finished 6th beaten around 20 lengths in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and went on to carry the highest weight to victory (11st 9lb) since Red Rum's days. Saphir De Rheu finished 5th in this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup and was staying on at the end. He is weighted around 5lb lower than the weight Many Clouds carried to victory and must have a chance if taking to the National fences. More of that is also well fancied after finishing 6th in this year's Gold Cup but, for me, Saphir De Rheu just edges it out of those two. I'll be backing to win and place Thunder and Roses, Measureofmydreams and Houblon Des Obeaux at bigger prices on Betfair Exchanges and will probably throw in a few win bets on the other highlighted, lower priced, horses too.

JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK JK It will probably be Sam Johnstone.