one to go

Perish the thought but just imagine if Villa are losing, or even drawing at West Ham tomorrow with just five minutes remaining on the clock.

News comes filtering through that Blackburn have taken the lead at Blues....

Fulham are already four down at Portsmouth and Reading are trailing at Derby.

Now then, amid all the rejoicing from 3,000 visiting fans down in East London, when the dust settles do Villa fans pray for a Blues equaliser?

It would be a Blues goal to keep them in the division at the point.

But it would also keep Villa in the InterToto Cup.

I'm just guessing that the majority of Villa fans would say: "S*@ the InterToto- the Blues are down!"

But I'm pretty sure that Martin O'Neill and his coaching staff and players would be thinking the opposite.

It might mean coming back a day or two earlier in the summer.

And it does mean playing two games on July 20 and July 27 against opposition from Finland, Denmark or Northern Ireland.

It then involves a UEFA Cup qualification round in early August at a time when a high profile pre-season friendly has been pencilled in for Villa Park.

All a little messy.

But well worth the hassle when you think of the high-profile fixtures enjoyed by Tottenham, Everton and Bolton this season, not to mention Rangers.

As for tomorrow's game... well, I am not optimistic of Newcastle helping Villa out with a win at Everton.

By all accounts they struggled to get out of their own half against Chelsea when Mark Viduka went off injured, and Joey Barton cannot enter Merseyside because of bail conditions.

I'm also pessimistic about Villa's chances.

That row between Martin O'Neill and Rafa Benitez about who said what to whom and why and when and wherefore, has been a headline writers dream but it has certainly heaped a whole load of pressure on Villa's skipper and best player Gareth Barry.

And then there's the Nigel Reo-Coker factor which will make Villa's end of season finale anything but an end of season sunshine stroll.

As for that O'Neill midweek rant....it was simply the best of its kind since Kevin Keegan had a pop at Fergie.

Rafa certainly bit off a whole load more than he can chew when he took on the Irishman.

"I'm not so sure he has respect for anything", said O'Neill. OUCH!!!!

And yet in the background I can hear water running...... must be that tap.