February 2009 Archives

Moscow is big.

You wouldn't believe how big.

You might think a walk down to the newsagents to buy a pint of milk might take the breath out of you. That's peanuts to Moscow.

So you're chances of bumping into a British football supporter are as slim as a supermodel on a diet.

Randy Lerner is staying in the biggest and plushest hotel of them all in Red Square.

He's bought some Villa fans a pint, so I'm told. Not bad when they cost £10 a throw.

I haven't yet worked out whether you are allowed to cross the roads on green, or even on a zebra crossing. Sometimes you just take your life in your hands and go for it.

And the street names and signs and completely undecipherable.

You can get lost in an instant.

Then you're in the hands of the dozens and dozens of taxi's which pull up looking for business.

Most would never get near an MOT back home. Some look held together by sticking tape.

It's cost you around a tenner to go a couple of miles.But that's takes a bit of bartering.

Each street full of opposites. A strange mix of extreme poverty and the fabulously decorative.

There are attempts to fuse Western culture - bright sparkiling lights added to old, grey office blocks, 100 foot cinema posters...

Starbucks in abundance. McDonalds too. Although you can only make out the 'm' and not the rest of the title.

The Kremilin looms large on the horizon. and the most beautuful, ornante architecture can be seen every few hundred yards.

Red Square alluded us last night.

We - and this is a group of a dozen or so supporters - walked the streets for two hours just searching for anything open late.

We didn't succeed.

Moscow was shut.

The casino, with a dozen sleek black Mercedes cars parked outside, definitely wasn't. But the guards outside were not open to the possibility of scruffy English folk taking a peek inside.

I take it all back about the cold.

Suddenly, after midnight, after we had been walking for an hour or more the temperature dropped alarmingly.

The canal was frozen right through. Even the edges of the wide Moskva River, were sludge.

Back at the hotel the only topic remains the game and the chosen team.

All agree the defence is strong and that John Carew can get a goal.

But the midfield?

One supporter on the flight over had suggested a win tonight would be as big as a four goal victory at Old Trafford.

Hope still lingers.

The coach is meeting these fans at 5.30pm local time, 2.30pm yours, to take them to the stadium around five miles away.

A police escort will drop them back in Red Square after the final whistle.

After recent trouble when England were over, and for that matter Arsenal, there is talk of more ahead.

But for the moment it is only rumour.

For these hardy fans the thought of defeat, coupled with a failure to beat Stoke City is not yet worth contemplating.

ZICO called Villa predictable?! Crazy fool!!

Martin O'Neill sent the curve ball of all curve balls with the squad announcement.

No one saw that coming.

Had Nostradamus been a sports reporter in the 21st century rather than a 16th century seer......

Had he concentrated on football rather than predicting the reign of Napoleon, the atom bomb, the moon landing, the rise of Hitler and the assassination of John F Kennedy....

Then even he would have out it in black and white that Martin O'Neill would send his big guns over to Moscow.

"The player who shall be known one day as Bareth Garry (he could never get his names right could Nostradamus - possibly a typing difficulty with the early parchments) will walk on the surface that is neither grass nor soil but made by the hand of man, leading his army into battle towards Istanbul......."

Sorry to whitter on again about it but it's still all the talk here in Moscow and I bet it is the same back at home in walmer climes.

I read with interest that the Villa boss now wants to meet the fans to discuss their points of view.

Good for him. There's a few here would keep him talking until next Monday.

Anyway, we've been landed a few hours now.

It's cold.... but nothing a fleecy jacket can't handle.

Northerners wear little more than jeans and T-shirt in weather like this.

And when you've seen one red district you've seen them all.

Although, curiously, the one here in Moscow appears to be in the shape of a square.

There's snow on the ground. But not on the pavements or the roads.

It's all heaped up onto the verges with mechanical precision in the hours of darkness by Russia's version of council workers.

Swiss Air serve a mean chocolate pastry.

It was a very early start to get here.

Very early.

The bloke at British Rail sold me the wrong ticket. What did I want with a West Midland rover in Russia? I had to pay 90 pence for an upgrade at Birmingham International.

Two aeroplanes and a brief stop off in Zurich and I am witnessing the funniest hats I have ever seen.

Kenny Everett couldn't top them.

Russian soldiers, sprinkled about Moscow airport as we headed for the mini-bus for the hotel.

Green in colour but tilted at an incredible 60 degree angle to the head creating the sort of slope that skiiers could have a field day on.

22 Villa fans have made this particular party.

How would I best descrbe the mood? Difficult to say in a sentence.

Part lethargic, part angry, part excited, part dismayed...

That squad announcement has really kicked these folk in the guts.

They've paid between £600 and £800 on flights and hotels to get here.

At least the match ticket is only £8.

One wag suggested he could have brought his Villa season ticket to the game and got in for free as it is the reserves.

Another bloke's marriage is on the rocks, so he says, because he is out here with his son against the wishes of 'er indoors.

Then he finds out yesterday that the first team aren't here.

He's not very happy at all.

Erland is here from Sweden. All six foot five of him and looking like a roadie for Status Quo.

He's non-too chuffed.

He got a phonecall from Villa Park yesterday, saying: "Milner, Barry, Young, Gabby, Petrov........."

"I thought he was telling me the squad and I thought: 'Great!' - but then he told me they were the ones staying at home."

Mike McKiernan, from Shenstone, and Steve Gough, from Cannock, are regulars on the foreign trips. They are frothing at the mouth: "We are no longer a club interested in winning trophies", says Steve.

"All we are after is the potential riches of the Champions League which might not lead to anything anyway," adds Mike.

Anyway, down in the lobby the mood has lifted somewhat with the imminent venture outdoors to find a suitable venue for a swift half or two.

That's where I will have to leave this then.........

The Red Square waits for no man.

MORE on that squad selection....

If you thought Martin O'Neill would be remotely apologetic about the decision to leave his key players at home.. more fool you.

The Villa boss staunchly defended his policy before boarding his flight this morning.

He did at least admit that it was done after much soul-searching.

And you cannot blame him for making this decision out of the blue. Remember his words immediately after the first leg. He said something along the lines of: "I don't want to put a dampner on the evening but ..." and then mused about the availability of players after the game against Chelsea.

O'Neill is insistent that the squad he has picked - where only Zat Knight, Curtis Davies and Luke Young can be considered current first teamers - is strong enough to get Villa through to the last 16.

He is also adamant that Randy Lerner is in full agreement, which says something about the lack of pedigree, or just plain finance, in the UEFA Cup.

O'Neill says the decision to leave eight first teamers at home was far from simple ahead of two crucial Premier League games.

"It was a difficult decision, we have to trust the players who are going," he said.

"I think it's a great opportunity for some of the younger lads in the side which is terrific.

"We've just had three games in six days and we looked a bit leggy to begin with against Chelsea. We need the players to try and stay as fresh as we possibly can so that was the decision we made.

"We're not going to be defeatist, we are going there to try and get through. We come back to Stoke City on Sunday and we are at it again Wednesday night against Manchester City and that was going to be hard.

"It's a pretty hectic schedule, it was a difficult call but the chairman has entrusted me with the decisions and I believe what we're doing is for the well being of the football club."

To those of you already making your way to Moscow.... perhaps that £1,000 might have been better spent elsewhere... like on a couple of season tickets for next season?

I am aleady receiving text messages from supporters bemused by the decision to apparently throw the competition away.

"Disgraceful", "shambles", "what was the point in entering the thing in the first place?", is the type of thing being said and I guess the message boards are full of such sentiment.

I myself will be reporting once again for the Birmingham Mail in Russia. Travelling tomorrow morning with 20 or so Villa supporters who have all paid the £120 or so for the tourist visa on top of the £600 flight costs.

It will be the first time I will have seen 5am for many, many months. Well, leaving the house at least... not so much arriving back... but that is a very different story.

I am immensely surprised by that squad announcement.

I thought there was a good chance of one or two senior players being left behind - but not eight.

Having already played eleven matches in Europe since mid-July, not to mention the efforts of playing 38 games last season to get this far, it does appear an incredible shame.

All those training sessions in early July... those trips to Denmark, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Germany.

I expect Martin O'Neill will have some explaining to do to the few hundred fans spending around £1,000 to make it there.

His conversations with the 70 or so supporters on the official trip today could be interesting.

If Zico has the grace to leave ouit Vagner Love and a few Russian internationals then Villa would still have a chance. But you wouldn't give Isiah Osbourne and Moustapha Salifou much hope of giving Villa a platform to progress.

But there are three points to make here.

Firstly, he is not the first to do so and he won't be the last.

For Gary Megson last season read Harry Redknapp this.

Secondly, it is clear the UEFA Cup has fallen so far down the pecking order of teams' priorities in England because of the riches on offer in the Champions League.

It makes all those group games seem ludicrous. UEFA are revamping it next season into the Europa Cup. But, ridiculously, those group games remain.

O'Neill's decision will be the correct one if his side remain clear of Arsenal over the run-in, regardless of how heart-breakingly frustrating the loss of European competition would appear in the short-term.

Last year at the last 16 stage Bolton manager Megson had left seven available regular first-team players in England ahead of their relegation battle with Wigan.

He was crucified in the press. Not least when he lost that match to Wigan.

Redknapp's side have already won at Hull City after a dismal showing in the Ukraine.

Megson's post-match comments to the media last year can probably be uttered by O'Neill on Thursday night with the words "fourth place" substituted for "our".

Megson said after the defeat to Sporting Lisbon "I've said all along our main aim is to retain our ("fourth place" - O'Neill) place in the Premier League.

"In hindsight I still wouldn't change anything, and there's no sense of relief we are out either.

"We're disappointed. You only have to take a look at the players in the dressing room because we certainly didn't come here to get beat, but our priority has to be the Premier League.

"Now I expect all the players left behind to put a shift in at the JJB on Sunday ("against Stoke City" - O'Neill), and hopefully get us a result."

O'Neill has elected to leave Gareth Barry, Stiliyan Petrov, Ashley Young, Brad Friedel, Emile Heskey, Gabby Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and James Milner at home.

The make-up of the side against Moscow will probably see only Luke Young, Curtis Davies and Zat Knight, of the current first-teamers, in the side with Steve Sidwell in the middle and John Carew playing on his own up front.

Brad Guzan and Nicky Shorey would appear certs in goal and in defence with Nathan Delfouneso, Salifou, Osbourne and Craig Gardner also in the middle.

"The irony is we broke our necks to get into Europe. Now we are in the final 32 of the UEFA Cup and we are having second and third looks at it all", added O'Neill.

"We have to try and please Villa fans but I am sure they would think that the Premier League - which can help drive you into the Champions League - is the holy grail."

Poor Tony Pullis will have a completely fresh Villa to contend with on Sunday.

As for that third point I was going to make?

Who's decision was it not to supplement the squad in January with two, three or four extra players to accommodate a push on two fronts?

Was it the manager's in the face of extortionate prices? Or the chequebook holder's?

IT WAS Martin O'Neill who first alluded to the dilemma of chasing two goals at the same time and the worries that the one pursuit could jeopardise the other.

It was some weeks ago when he spoke about the difficulties faced by Gary Megson last season at Bolton.

Then at the end of last year, when the dust was settling on Villa's defeat in Hamburg, Martin Jol was keen to say how sympathetic he was to the headaches faced by O'Neill as he chased Premier League points aswell as European glory.

At Tottenham, he said, his head was in a spin because of the amount of matches he faced and the selection issues ahead.

Now here we are, on the eve of arguably the biggest game of the season at CSKA Moscow.

And within a few hours, some time in the late morning, we will have a vague idea as to where the UEFA Cup sits in the Villa boss' list of priorities.

That will be when he announces his travelling party.

Will he take Gareth Barry? Ashley Young?

There has been speculation that he will play the kids. I think not.

The difference between Jol's Tottenham of a few years ago and O'Neill's Villa was that Jol had the squad to cope.

If only O'Neill had brought two or three more players to the club in January, just squad players able to play a handful of games, then perhaps that UEFA Cup and Champions League dream might be all the more realistic.

All we do know is that he has already said that Carlos Cuellar and Nigel Reo-Coker will not travel tomorrow.

Last season Megson concluded that league safety was paramount and tossed aside the UEFA Cup like a worthless toy found in a Christmas cracker.

Bolton were bottom when he took charge.

By February however they had beaten Atletico Madrid (who at the time were lying fourth in La Liga) to reach the last 16 of the UEFA Cup for the first time in the club's history.

Then with the home leg tied at 1-1, and days before a massive local derby at Wigan, he proceeded to play the reserve team at Sporting Lisbon.

Bolton lost by a late goal (Megson 0 Pressure 1) and went on to lose by the only goal at Wigan (Megson 0 Pressure 2).

Soon after they were thrashed 4-0 at Villa (Megson 0 Pressure 3) - a result which transformed the fortunes of both clubs.

Bolton took 11 points from their last five games and stayed up after drawing with Chelsea on the final day of the season. (Final result: Megson 4 Pressure 3).

Villa's defeat at Chelsea was immediately put down to weary limbs after that rousing midweek performance against CSKA.

You can almost guarantee that Brad Guzan, Nicky Shorey, Craig Gardner, Steve Sidwell and John Carew will start in Russia.

As for the rest? Take your pick.

One thing I would like to know much is that shoulder injury at Everton impeding Curtis Davies? What has happened to his form?

Two things are certain in Moscow. Firstly, that Villa's seven successive away wins in the league will give them cause for much optimism - freezing plastic pitch or not.

And secondly, Zico's post-match comments that seemed to suggest Villa are one dimensional in being only concerned with getting the ball to Ashley Young will fire O'Neill up to put on a rousing spectacle.

Whether it is enough to progress, only time will tell.

If it were a case of progressing through to the next round or taking four or more points from Stoke City and Manchester City on their return, then the latter appears to be the manager's aim every time.

It's been a busy old week. Where do I start?

First things first and to Paul Birch.

It would appear that the game against Chelsea has been nominated Paul Birch Tribute Day by supporters.

According to the website: "The aim is for fans to have the name Birch and the number 7 printed on the back of their shirts as a fitting tribute to the popular star."

One can only hope therefore that all proceeds go to Birch's charity, or to Acorns.

Birch's funeral last week became a Who's Who of professional football in the 1980s and 1990s.

If ever there was any doubt about the popularity of Birch it was in the number of folk who attended the service at West Bromwich Crematorium, and the number who then departed for the wake at the nearby bowling club.

I did not attend the service myself, although my paper did send a reporter and a photographer to cover the event.

I popped along to the bowling club for an hour to register my respect in that small way.

I just felt uneasy about transgressing on people's grief, even though Birch's best pal, Dave Evans, had invited me along.

Gordon Cowans was emotional some hours later.

The usual suspects were there from the 1982/83 squad were there in great numbers: Des Bremner, Allan Evans, Gary Shaw and Nigel Spink to name just a few.

Former youth team mates Ivor Linton, Noel Blake, Mark Jones and Brendan Ormsby were there.

Paul McGrath was there, sat between Doug Ellis and former physio Jim Walker at the servive - his two 'minders' from his playing days.

Martin Keown was present.

The names are others present are too many and varied to remember them all, but I'll give it a go: Mark Lillis, Derek Mountfield, Kevin Richardson, Bobby Thomson, Lee Butler, Geoff Thomas, Don Goodman, Ian Clarkson, Kevin Poole (both representing Blues), Brendan Batson, Cyrille Regis and Ray Wilson (representing Albion).

200 folk were crammed inside and as many as 300 were outside paying their respects.

Dave Evans and Karl Court, of Villa's excellent Former Players Association, gave moving eulogies.

Court's words best sum up what Birch meant to the footballing folk at Villa and at Wolves for that matter.

A close friend of Birch, Court penned his words in the days before he finally succumbed to a illness.

"The word legend is thrown around far too much these days," began Court.

"If you know nothing of Paul Birch, try to imagine a player who undoubtedly had talent, albeit unspectacular.

"Birchy was a player's player, unfussy and 100% committed to the cause, who would work his socks off each and every game, and who never shirked nor gave up.

"A player who stuck with us through the highs and the lows, who came from a Youth Cup winning side, made his first team debut (coming on as sub) in a Super Cup final against Barcelona, and then played through some of the darkest years of our history, which resulted in relegation.

"A player who was pivotal in the 2nd Division side that bounced straight back up.

"A player who picked up the world's best midfielder of the day and put him in his pocket for 90 minutes.

"A player who never publicly moaned and never once asked for a move.

I"t is to his credit that when he eventually moved on to Wolves, their supporters viewed him with the same reverence as we did.

"As a footballer Paul was a fantastic pro and a true legend of not only the Villa, but Midlands football in general, as Wolves and Halesowen will also testify and the stint that he spent as a coach at that little club just across the city.

"When he finished playing he was not too proud to "go out and do a proper job like most of my mates" in his own words.

"He then played for the Aston Villa Old Stars football team for many years, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for those less fortunate than himself. And in the process renewing many old friendships and also making many new ones.

"He was a very proud father who absolutely doted on his dearly beloved daughter Olivia and many was the time that we asked him to play for the Old Stars on a Sunday to be met with the reply "Sorry I can't make it this week, I've got to take Olivia to a gymnastics event" Olivia I know that he was extremely proud of you and your school and gymnastic achievements, keep up the good work."

It was just a pity that Villa could not keep up their momentum with an FA Cup win at Everton to put smiles back on faces in Birch's memory.

Villa's woeful Cup record was just as woeful in Birch's era.

Villa only won four of the 15 appearances he made in the competition between January 1984 when Villa drew 1-1 with Norwich City and his last FA Cup match in a replay defeat to Wimbledon in January 1991.

Those four wins? Beating Portsmouth in a third round replay in January 1986, beating Leeds United in the third round in January 1988, and beating Blackburn and Port Vale in the third and fourth rounds in 1990.

Historians out there might like to know that his last appearance in the FA Cup came in Exeter's 2-1 defeat at Northampton in a first round replay in November 1997.

I will leave the final words to Court, who ended his eulogy with these touching words:

"Paul battled cancer the same way as he played his football, with great courage and dignity.

"As a person "Plug" was second to none, would do anything for anyone, was always there to help, and was great company to be in with his unique dry sense of humour.

"Plug, we all miss you and love you mate, you will be sadly missed but fondly remembered.

"God Bless and may you rest in peace."

Sunday's FA Cup tie at Everton will have the couch potato's at home wishing for a repeat of the 3-2 thriller at Goodison Park in December.

Well, the game wasn't enthralling. Not for 90 minutes anyway. And I defy anyone to tell me that Villa actually played well.

Martin Laursen certainly did. He was awesome all game - and that is a slight worry now with him injured.

Ashley Young certainly did. More than anything he has done before or since, that ending cemented his reputation as a match-winner of the highest calibre.

"Genius" as Martin O'Neill would whisper to him seconds after what will surely become Villa's Goal of the Season was scored and the final whistle blown.

That ending was right up there with the very best you are ever likely to see.

Maybe not up there with Sheringham and Solskjaer for Manchester United against Bayern Munich in 1999. But very sweet indeed for Villa supporters.

Rarely do you get the utter despair of a late, late goal followed by sheer jubilation seconds later.

Ashley Young will have been giving Joleon Lescott sleepless nights ever since.

Can someone tell me - two months after the event because I am still baffled- why boyhood Villa fan Lescott took to celebrating his last-gasp equaliser right infront of the away fans?

Anyway, it looks like there'll be no Carlos Cuellar or Nigel Reo-Coker, so judging by the fact that Craig Gardner played the second half against Blackburn at right-back you would have to say that he will play at full-back.

Barry's absence will see Steve Sidwell step in and Heskey is clearly fit enough for Villa to continue with their 4-4-2 formation of late.

Away from home only a trip to Old Trafford would worry O'Neill right now. And perhaps not even that. Not after seven straight wins for the first time in their history (five was the previous best in a single season).

As for the scale of O'Neill's rebuilding of Villa?

Statistics don't lie.

Although I was a little surprised to get a text message from Villa Park's media man Steve Tudgay on Monday evening which said simply: "The stats in your match reports are becoming ridiculous to read. How about some writing?!"

This was after I had revealed how the current 13 game unbeaten league record was the best in the top flight since 1910.

Forgive me here, but I think that sort of statistic needs to be shouted aloud.

The current run is not the longest in Villa history. It is in fact the joint- third longest.

iIt is their best since Villa managed 14 games unbeaten in the Second Division in 1959/60 under Joe Mercer whose team recovered from losing to Sunderland in August 1959 by winning nine and drawing five matches before being beaten at Liverpool in November.

The history books then show they recovered from that set-back to put 11 goals past Charlton next match!

Villa's club record of 15 unbeaten matches was set 99 years ago when Villa recovered from a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle to win 12 of their next 15 matches - drawing the other three - until they were beaten by the odd goal in five at Middlesbrough in late March 1910.

John Gregory's Villa of 1998/99 and 1999/00 both registered a dozen unbeaten league games.

Graham Taylor's promotion team of 1987/88 managed 12, as did Ron Saunders' title winning side of 1980/81.

Villa also managed 12 in 1948/49, 12 in 1930/31, 12 in 1912/13, 13 in 1898/99 and 12 in 1896/97.

If anyone out there thinks such figures are "ridiculous" can they let me know?

It'll save me the time and trouble, the pain-staking hours every Sunday afternoon when I'm trawling through the record books.

Or better still, can you mention it to Steve Tudgay?

CAN anyone explain to me how the Premier League's financial dominance over La Liga and the fact that the world's top players want to come over here has translated onto the national scene?

Because tonight it was hit and hope football against probing, patient, succulent passing.

That's no goals against Spain in three matches.

"A reality check", said the ITV commentator. You can say that again.

"No disgrace in losing to one so technically capable", said David Pleat.

But my question is why aren't we? How long have do our Academies - flush with TV cash- continue to hone the skills of Africans, Americans, Scandinavians, Australians and so forth before someone calls for change?

England created zip. Gabby Agbonlahor had nothing to latch onto.

Spain were patient and left us looking bedraggled. The gulf in class was there for all to see.

I do not blame the coach Fabio Capello.

But we get so caught up in the hype of our 100mph Premier League, where every run is amazing, every flick, awesome, every back-heel nonchalant, every tackle hearty and every spot of diving, kicking, spitting, shouting, elbowing is simply horseplay, and every hoof up the middle of the park is simply playing to your strengths that we forget that the league was set up 17 years ago to aid the national team.

I still ask: is the team of Terry, Ferdinand, James, A Cole, Lampard etc better than 17 years ago when the Premier League was formed?

Guess what? England's first game following the formation of the Premier League was a 1-0 defeat in Spain in September 1992.

An 11th-minute strike by Gregorio Fonseca saw England slump.

Manager Graham Taylor was already the butt of every media headline following the miserable show in the European Championships.

It woud get worse for Taylor soon after. And that night he did little for his relationship with the tabloids. Not in his award of a first cap to Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince, he would throw controversial caps to Manchester City forward David White and QPR full-back David Bardsley. Brian Deane also came on to replace Andy Sinton.

But that much-maligned England team would give the current crop a mighty game. Why? Because they had four or five world class players.

And this, unbelievably, was in the days before mega money entered the sport and before the Premier League promised to hand us back the World Cup.

The England team of 17 years ago: Chris Woods, Lee Dixon, Stuart Pearce, Paul Ince, Des Walker, Mark Wright, David White, David Platt , Nigel Clough , Alan Shearer, and Andy Sinton. The subs: David Bardsley, Carlton Palmer, Paul Merson and Brian Deane.

The world class players: Shearer, Pearce, Walker, Ince and Platt. The 'so sos': Woods, Dixon, Wright and Clough. The rest? Well, best forgotten.

But can anyone expolain quite what Carlton Cole is doing in an England shirt? That just defies belief.

Still, from a Villa perspective it was a night where Martin O'Neill will have come away mightily relieved.

James Milner and Ashley Young didn't even come off the pitchside couch, Gareth Barry - suspended at Everton this Sunday, I know - and Emile Heskey got 45 minutes and Agbonlahor 75.

It could have been so much worse ahead of what promises to be a Cup cracker.

IF you haven't got a ticket for the game of the day at Ewood Park - when unbeaten in 12 Villa travel to unbeaten in nine Blackburn (a recipe for a 0-0 or a 1-1 draw if ever there was one) then why not tune into the Sports Argus Live Blog tomorrow from 2pm?

Your favourite writers, and probably one or two of your least, will be at all the games in the West Midlands.

And I'm hoping that after technical problems at Villa Park last Saturday which prevented me from giving my tuppenny worth against Wigan, that even I may be able to join in.

Where are the guys from I.T. when you need them? Last weekend the message on my screen said something to do with my laptop not accepting something or other.

'Firewall settings?' somebody muttered. Does anybody know what a 'firewall' is apart from something a motorcyclist carrying flaming batons would drive around at a circus?

Anyway, I'll be at Ewood Park with my trusty sidekick Mat Kendrick giving you most of the gossip throughout the game.

Blues boys Colin Tattum and Andy Walker will be at St Andrew's for the Burnley match.

Chris Lepkowski and Rob Tanner are at The Hawthorns as Albion take on Newcastle.

And if there are any Coventry fans out? Your flurry of goals will be regularly updated too - from your local derby with Wolves.

Well, this is your big game now that Villa are long gone over the horizons.

I'm contemplating whether to stay up in Blackburn tomorrow night.

An old friend from school - Lee - that'll be the mid-1980s when we watched Miami Vice and listened to Ultravox - is from the town.

He's phoned to ask if I fancy a night out.

Well, I've not seen him in well over a year.

Back in the old days a school friend of his from Blackburn, a chap called Lionel Anthony - but who later changed his name to Mark Anthony (as for as I know he never read Julius Caesar) - used to join him at the occasional Blackburn game.

It was in the days where Jim Walker, the long-time Villa physio, was at Rovers.

Simon Garner was king. Noel Brotherston on the wing.

Anyway, I occasionally bumped into 'Liny'. We used to call him by that nickname - well actually Lionel Anthony's was "Liny Pants" on account of the fact that he always wore the same blue jeans and they appeared to be turning green.

Living up in Cumbria as myself and Lee did, a few of us used to play cricket with a bat and tennis ball.

We were in our mid to late teens and all of us used to think we were the next Fabian De Freitas, or Graham Dilley. My mate Lee used to think he was the next Graham Fowler, as he was the Lancashire star of the time.

But 'Liny' was hopeless. He used to bowl (that should read 'chuck') what we termed 'the pant ball'. Basically it would land halfway down the track (we played on tarmac, not grass) and then it would bounce in a totally haphazard fashion until you were ready to whack it for six over the nearby houses. But it would more often than not dribble under your bat and knock off your bails. The embarassment was enough to have to take a week off school.

I'm wittering on. But it's difficult to not think of Liny Pants whenever I go back to Blackburn.

Can Villa record a Super Seven successive away wins? Blackburn are unbeaten in nine,and Roque Santa Cruz may well want to prove a point to Martin O'Neill with one eye on a summer move.

It matters not.

The edge, or momentum, is with Villa.

Whoever they were playing, perhaps with the exception of an away game at Manchester United right now, they'd have the confidence to come through with three points.

I'm expecting a host of changes from the midweek team. Brad Friedel, Zat Knight, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Gabby Agbonlahor, Stiliyan Petrov and Emile Heskey will be back in there.

Only Carlos Cuellar, though at right-back and not in the middle, Luke Young, though at left-back and not on the right, Ashley Young and Curtis Davies are likely to keep their spots from the Doncaster game.

And perhaps Steve Sidwell will get the nod over Craig Gardner for this one - although that is the closest call of the lot. Gardner has done little wrong, but Sidwell signed for £5 million and has had a bit of a kick up the backside with being left out at Portsmouth and at home to Wigan.

John Carew isn't fit enough to start.

Another win and history is made. More importantly Arsenal - with their new February window Andrei Arshavin in place - will be eight points behind.

I wonder if Liny Pants will be at Ewood Park?