Speaking With A Villain....

1) So guys, you seem to have hit the ground running this year and find yourself in a similar position to ourselves... is this what you expected?

Yes, with a big money owner and a highly rated manager, I expected a good start, I expect a good middle and I'll be holding on for a great end (I might need to rephrase that!). There is no reason why Villa can't start doing what they historically did, qualify for Europe regularly and then push onwards and upwards. The nice thing is we aren't exactly firing on all cylinders but have picked up the nice habit of winning, long may it continue.

2) Is there any aspect of your side you would like to change??? (a.g. a weak link in the side?)

The weaknesses are apparent and the manager knows them well. We are without a recognised right-back at the moment but Martin O'Neill appears to have a target in mind, a player he was prepared to wait until the January transfer window to get. We also need more striking options, but then again, don't all teams?

3) How far can Villa go this year?

If we stay free of injuries up until the transfer window and then purchase a couple of quality players (minimum) in January, Villa can qualify for Europe but there are a few other decent clubs also in the chasing pack.

4) Are there any players in the Blackburn side you feel Villa will need to be wary of tonight?

Not over much if Benni McCarthy is out. I do like Bentley as well, as long as he isn't too tired to play obviously.

5) Do you expect that Martin O'Neill will be looking to invest heavily come January?

He has to. The only thing that has disappointed Villa fans so far is the luke warm spending in the summer, so hopefully he'll pull out all the stops in January. We certainly do need some quality additions to bolster our push for the top six and to give both the current players and fans belief that Villa really are surging forward after years of stalling under the previous regime.

6) What do you make of Ewood as a ground in terms of appearance and atmosphere?

No ground compares to Villa Park!! Ewood Park is a traditional ground though, not one of the horrible new identical and bland newly built places and it is good the club keep the prices down, would be even better if your fans really backed the manager, players and club by attending in better numbers though surely?

7) Fancy making a prediction??

Yes, I'm feeling positive today, so I'll go 2-1 to the Villa in a rip roaring encounter.

Thanks to the guys at Vital Villa and in particular J P for this one... a good read I am sure and a good build up to what is sure to be a storming clash later.

Mikey