Well for a team that's got the highest goal difference (+29), the most goals scored (36), the least conceded (7) was the best team in the league for quite a while, and is in 2nd place at the moment, he's got to be doing something right. Sure, his home record is appalling, but I won't mind that one bit if Chelsea win the league title this season.

As much as I'd like to see Arsenal or even Villa win it, I know for a fact that it's a long shot. Chelsea is my only hope for any of Liverpool and Manchester United not winning it. And that's the reason the last few weeks have been pretty bad for me. I'm not a Chelsea fan, but there are some things I don't want. And those are: 1) Liverpool winning the league. 2) Man U winning it yet again. Plus the reason that I like Big Phil has got nothing to do with it, I promise.

Why do you thin Vialli was bad? Okay, he wasn't good either, but that Barca-Chelsea clash...gee, one of the best CL thrillers I ever watched (in that format)! Remember Ferrer score?

Anyway, in England I support mostly the smaller teams, Blackburn, Everton, Nottingham,...and Villa, after I met you Kurt. Even if Villa had two of my alltime hated footballers - Bosko Balaban and Paul Merson.

Blackburn have sacked manager Paul Ince after only three wins in 17 Premier League games left them languishing second bottom of the table.

Heck, I say let Scolari stay for the entire season and beyond. I'd like to see Chelsea revert back to their good old days of mediocrity before Abramovich started buying them EPL titles.

Eduardo will be making his comeback against Portsmouth in tonights reserves game. All the best to him.

Modrić still didn't achive anything much but his potential and capacity is much bigger then Young's, trust me on that one.

Modrić still didn't achive anything much but his potential and capacity is much bigger then Young's, trust me on that one.

I'm pretty sure if Young was playing in the top 4 he would be easily above Downing and way above the showboater J.Cole in the national team. It's a shame that he's not in the England team currently. When Villa knock Arsenal out of the top 4 this coming May we might see a change, let's hope so.

Robert Green for keeper as well, seen alot of West ham games lately and he's been top notch.

Ah 'the hobbit' good keeper though I agree.

Ashley Young - very good, very expensive

"I've been reading that Real Madrid are keen on Ashley Young, and it doesn't surprise me. Regular readers will know that I'm a big fan of this guy. Right now, he's the best player in the Premiership who doesn't play for a "big four" club. A guy destined to be a star for the national team, even if Capello hasn't managed to make him a regular starter just yet. The title of "the New Beckham" has caused quite a bit of excitement on the Marca.com message boards. But it's obvious that they are very different players; the Villa man is much quicker and trickier than David. But I will never grow tired of saying that, in my opinion Ashley is the best striker of a ball the Premiership has seen since Becks left for Madrid. So I understand that this comparison is based on a fundamental aspect of their games: free-kicks, crosses, defense splitting passes, creating chances with a simple touch of the ball. But I'm not going to devote this article to discovering a player many of our readers already know a lot about. All I'll say is, I'd sign him with my eyes closed. But I do want to make one thing clear: getting him out of Birmingham certainly will not be easy. He'll be bloody expensive, basically for four reasons.

1.) The amount Villa paid for him - Young was a star for Watford in the 2004-05 season when they won promotion to the Premier League. It took just half a season in the top flight before the big clubs came knocking. Aston Villa paid €13 million, an extraordinary amount if we take into account the fact that he'd only played 20 games in the top division in his entire career. He was the Birmingham club's record signing, and since then, he's never looked back. He's now far better known and a much better player than he was then. So, if he already cost over €10 million as a promising young talent, you'd expect his value to have multiplied by now, and not just by 2. In fact in England, the figure flying around is €40 million.

2.) The Gareth Barry saga - This summer, another important member of Villa's squad, Gareth Barry was the star of an incident which shows just how hard is it to sign a player from this club. Liverpool were very interested in him, but down in Birmingham they rejected one offer after another - according to the English press, the final one was €20 million. Not even pressure from the player himself worked. Barry publically declared that he wanted to leave, and even criticised his manager, Martin O'Neil for his attitude throughout the saga, but Villa stood firm and didn't give in. The captain stayed, and is a key player in the excellent season his team are enjoying. It seems the club wanted €25 million. Considering Young is younger and his departure would be more unsettling to the team, it doesn't take a genius to work out that Villa would want more for him.

3.) He signed a new deal in November - To dissuade possible buyers, Less than a month ago Villa improved his wages and lengthened his contract until 2012. The strange thing is that Ashley didn't ask for a new contract, it was his club who felt they should reward him him for his superb performances.

4.) O'Neil is crazy about him - I've never seen a manager give so much praise to one of his own players as the Ulsterman has to Young. O'Neil talks about him almost every week, always praising him to the heavens. Not long ago he even said he considered Young in the same bracket as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Improving his contract was O'Neil's idea. It's obvious that he will want to keep him at all costs, because the club's aim is continue to grow and to become a regular in the Champions League."

I wouldn't say Modric is a flop. I'd say Tottenham is a flop. And Modric just fitted in. Look at Corluka. IMO he had a great season with City, and now with the Spurs..he's pretty awfull. But yes, it was a bad mistake for Modric to come to England.

The German football association stipulates that Bundesliga clubs must be 51 per cent owned by members, preventing wealthy individuals taking total control as in England. It also monitors the amount of debt that clubs take on, stepping in if there is a threat of insolvency. The benefits are plain. The latest Deloitte report shows that Germany has the highest average match-day attendances in Europe, not least because fans enjoy the Continent's lowest ticket prices. And it is an approach that has contributed to financial stability. German clubs are the most profitable in Europe, and their debt is relatively low, leaving them much better placed in the present crisis than many of their English counterparts.

The immediate response of many in England to the suggestion that they follow suit will be that German football is boring, that it fails to attract the world's best players and that their teams are not progressing far in the all important Champions League these days. But will they be singing the same chant if the Premier League bubble bursts on the sharp rocks of profligate borrowing and reckless ownership? The coming year will tell.

- Ben Chu, Independent (about a month old or so)

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool.
-van Persie opened the scoring.
-Keane equalised.
-Adebayour sent off.

Chelsea beat Everton tomorrow, and they go top.

I still can't believe that we're 3rd in the league. Considering we have been poor 1 in every 2 games makes it even more confusing!

Maybe SAF was right when he said the Aston Villa could win the league this year? Anyway, the only thing I want for Christmas from Santa is Chelsea winning so they head into the new year as the top team. Arsenal I think are in a position, pretty similar to Milan - them becoming Champions will be nothing short of a miracle. Like us. Of course, I won't mind that one bit.

So, why are two matches scheduled for tomorrow, Kurt? Any specific reason for this?

Good to see A. Villa breaking up the Big Four at the top. Hopefully they'll stay there the rest of the season.

If we beat Arsenal on Friday, I think our fans have ever right to be optimistic.

I think they'll beat us, comfortabley, though.

Stranger things have happened, and Arsenal tend to run hot and cold. Be optimistic.

I'm pesimistic by nature, all Brummies are, we're a miserable bunch really.

Laursen is an injury worry for the game against Arsenal. Not only that, but it's a knee injury which is very worrying since he missed 18 months of football when he first joined us due to his knee problem, so there's a possibility it could be very serious.

Is it the same knee?

MON?

I think Villa can finish 4th.

That clearance by Sagna...still don't rate him Kurt?

wenger vs MON was gud as well

The Wenger, Wenger, you're a c*** chants were spot on.