Stil a Villa Boy

First the bad news.... one win in 15 matches.

Now the good news, Stiliyan Petrov is signing a new lengthy four year contract today.

That really is terrific news for Villa.

The Supporters and Players' Player of the Season had just next season on his contract and, as I have said before, there was interest in the Bulgarian from elsewhere in the Premier League from serious challengers to Villa's 5th/6th spot next season.

Petrov's future was in doubt until last week.

I would not bet against him being captain next season if, as expected, Gareth Barry moves on.

Petrov would also not have signed had he not been given some sort of assurances about team rebuilding.

The last few months have been frustrating for one and all - even sports writers.

No one wants to talk when the team is doing poorly, although I have to give a special commendation to James Milner for facing up to the music after the 5-0 drubbing at Liverpool.

Saturday's draw at Middlesbrough once again served up a right mixture.

The first half was bad. Very bad. As bad as that second half at Fulham.

But the second saw Villa back to somewhere near the form of late November to early February, at least for a sizeable portion of that 45 minutes.

Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor are struggling for form.

What on earth has happened to Villa's ability to take a free-kick? Young's were appalling at Boro and have been for some time. This from a player who is the nearest Villa fans have seen to David Beckham in years and years.

The winners for me were Milner who will surely not have expected to be playing at right-back from the start.

The early exit of Stewart Downing certainly helped Milner settle after a difficult start to the game.

But against, it must be said, a poor side apart from Tuncay Milner then picked up his game and came out with his head held high.

And I thought the centre-backs of Curtis Davies and Carlos Cuellar deserved massive credit.

Yes I know they were not up against much. But they did everything and more at The Riverside to suggest that actually they aren't bad players at all.

Martin Laursen's retirement was a massive blow to the preparations for next season.

The notion among many supporters I have spoken to over the last few months is that Cuellar has not been good enough and that Davies is a different player without Laursen shepherding him through games.

Well, let me tell you Davies has come out with some very strong words on that subject which will be printed in the Birmingham Mail later this week.

Congratulations to the 2,500 or so supporters who made the trip to The Riverside - and not just the row of 20 or so bananas - and made it such a joyous spectacle.

They could quite easily have decided to stay at home after such a depressing run but the fans have stayed with the team and the manager.

Ah - the manager!

I knew I'd have to address that one. He's still paying the price for Moscow and I have to say some of his public utterances since have hardly curried favour with the masses.

But now he finds his tactical prowess questioned at every level.

His critics are worried about an over emphasis on one or two favoured players, the fact that he plays so many out of position and that when he has to find cover for one position there seem to have to be five people moving around.

For two and-a-half seasons tactics was never an issue.

It goes back to the old saying of Graham Taylor. You will never win an argument if you are not winning football matches.

Anyway, back to Petrov. That's stage one in the rebuilding process for next season.

Stage two is to move out the dead wood - and there is plenty of that. Marlon Harewood, Isiah Osbourne - you know who they are.

Stage three is the tricky part - bringing in real quality. You might be surprised at one of the players who I have been told, by a good source, is on the list.

'Blast from the past' you might say.