Here you go kurt, the 4th spot on a silver plate is yours for the taking.

EDIT: There's been a goal in the Liverpool game. The awesome, awesome - and dst favourite - Xabi Alonso is the scorer.. for Boro.

I would't say so. You're 5 points behind, we have trips to Old Trafford and Anfield coming up!

WOW!!! Are you kidding me?? That's one great goal!!!

I know what you're talking about... also in the Villarreal-Panathinaikos game midweek the Pan. forward Mantzios made a splendid dribble... I can't find it anywhere but I can't even imagine what would happen if it was CR or Messi who did it.

WOW!!! Are you kidding me?? That's one great goal!!!

I know what you're talking about... also in the Villarreal-Panathinaikos game midweek the Pan. forward Mantzios made a splendid dribble... I can't find it anywhere but I can't even imagine what would happen if it was CR or Messi who did it.

Kurt, why can't your Villa win all of a sudden? What's going on over there?

One of the few positives from yesterday.

I dunno why great things down by 'average' players are over-looked all the time. Talking of Messi... @ Barcelona last night!

Found it.

It's a highlights clip, the play is on 2:50 and the replay on 3:27.

Here

VILLA 4-3 Chelsea

Wilfred Bouma couldn't have picked a better game in which to make his return as Villa beat Chelsea 4-3 in a cracking encounter.

Kevin MacDonald's men showed tremendous resolve as they twice came from behind before storming to victory.

Patrick van Aanholt opened the scoring on three minutes as he fired past Stuart Taylor, following a fantastic pass from Miroslav Stoch.

But Nathan Delfouneso restored parity with a smart finish from Marlon Harewood's impressive centre on 20 minutes.

Jacob Mellis headed home on 35 minutes to give Chelsea the lead but it lasted less than a minute as Jonathan Hogg slotted past Aldi Haxhia.

Barry Bannan's left-footed free-kick a minute before half-time slammed against the crossbar but Ciaran Clark was on hand to give Villa the lead.

Delfouneso scored his second of the night on 82 minutes with a thumping strike before Michael Essien set up a nervy few minutes with a deflected goal three minutes from time.

But the home side managed to pick up all three points and cement their position at the top of the FA Premier Reserve League.

BSkyB have secured the rights to five of the six packages to broadcast live Premier League football in the UK from the 2010-11 season to the end of 2012-13, with Setanta claiming the sixth.

The Premier League confirmed the overall value of the six packages, which each contains 23 live games, is £1.782bn. That represents an increase of £76m (5%) on the deal struck for the seasons from 2007-8 to 2000-10, a fractional rise considering the huge climbs in TV revenue since the Premier League began in 1992 though the parlous economic situation means any increase will be welcomed by the 20 clubs set to divvy up the monies.

Setanta have held on to the Saturday evening slot but the Monday night match has returned to Sky. The BBC retained their highlights package at a cost of £173m last month.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "The Barclays Premier League is a fantastic competition.

"The continued investment in playing talent and facilities made by the clubs is largely down to the revenue generated through the sale of our broadcast rights.

"The live UK rights are the largest contribution to the revenues we distribute centrally to the clubs and this deal gives them the stability to plan and invest in the most important aspect of our business - the football - everything else flows from that.

"I look forward to continuing our good working relationship with BSkyB and Setanta who both provide excellent programming for fans of Premier League football.

"I would also like to thank all of those broadcasters who took part in the bidding process."

An ESPN spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we did bid for Premier League rights and we are therefore disappointed in the outcome. But we were pleased to be at the table and we would like to congratulate Sky and Setanta.

"ESPN will continue to look for ways to serve the UK sports fan through our various platforms already in the UK (ESPN Classic, ESPN America and our digital properties, Cricinfo.com, ESPNscrum.com, ESPN360.com, ESPNsoccernet.com and Racing-live.com)."

Bendtner with a brace, who would believe it...

You should not have snubbed the UEFA Cup!

But it's certainly not over yet trigger-happy boy! The only thing you have done wrong was dropping two points last matchday. I know you have a tough schedule up ahead but now is when you prove you deserve to be there. If you think your team was there by luck then you don't deserve to see them finish in the top 4 places.

Ah... it's so easy to play it smart when your team's not involved!

MARTIN O’NEILL is close to wrapping up a summer deal for Manchester City keeper Joe Hart.


The Aston villa boss will shell out around £3million for the England Under-21 star, who is out of contract at Eastlands in June.

Hart, 21, has found his first-team opportunities limited since the £14million arrival of Shay Given from Newcastle.

The Shrewsbury-born ace believes he can make the breakthrough at Villa Park as well as getting European experience next season.

Villa, meanwhile, have extended their shirt sponsorship deal with the Acorns Children’s Hospice for a second season.

The club won huge praise for the move and have again rejected the chance to secure a money-spinning sponsorship deal.

They will carry the Acorns logo on their shirts for free to help the hospice continue to raise funds.

Hiddink Angry With Ashley Cole & John Terry For Midweek Antics - Report

The Dutch coach was distinctly unimpressed by the antics of Cole - and not happy either with his captain's behaviour...



Although Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink had earlier said he would be dealing internally with the consequences of defender Ashley Cole's arrest this week for being drunk and disorderly, British tabloid newspaper The Mirror has revealed that the Dutchman vented his anger at both Cole AND club captain John Terry.

Hiddink is reportedly furious about the pair's late-night drinking, and has warned the whole first-team squad about their behaviour in future.

According to mirror.co.uk, the Chelsea boss told his players that he will not tolerate a repeat.

He also confessed to being "amazed” that he needed to enforce off-field discipline among his senior players.

Cole spent three hours in a police cell for drunkenly swearing at police officers in the early hours during the week - and England captain Terry, who was inside the Kensington nightclub where Cole became abusive with photographers and police, was also severely rebuked by Hiddink.

Hiddink is quoted by the Mirror as saying, “I don’t approve of what happened.

“We ask from everyone that they live a proper life. That’s not to say that they don’t have the right to go out."

the team with the worst disciplinary record over the last decade

They are?

Yep.

There was something on SSN about it a few weeks ago. Since Wengers took over they have around 75 red cards I believe.

Still, most of those came before 2005, when the whole team started to calm down and stop winning things.

You need a new Patrick Vieira! I still can't believe you sold him.

I find Hiddinks last line a bit of a contradiction.. he's saying he's not stopping them from going out, yet is angry at JT.. errr... he didn't actually do anything.

You need a new Patrick Vieira! I still can't believe you sold him.

That's because you don't have a brain!

... and Flamini... and Silva... and the guy they'll sing next... and the one after that...

He says he will let his players go out.. then has a go at JT for going out. Please explain.

Why will they sing a player? Isn't that the fans job and not the clubs? Will Wenger have a solo in this song?

Fulham 0-4 United. 2 from Tevez, Rooney & Park with the others. They're better than United '99 and are becoming the best team I've ever seen play. No Ronaldo and they still played superb, even Park looks like a World class player now!

They're much better than that team and surely the best United team I've seen... [under SAF is not even needed ]

ugly, thank god i support milan and aston villa. I dont have to look at those ugly kits.

Harry Redknapp has been assured of "strong security" by Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill when he returns with Tottenham for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash.

Redknapp called for increased protection when a 50p coin thrown from the crowd missed him but struck referee's assistant Phil Sharp during the closing stages of the game with Portsmouth at Villa Park in October.

Sharp was left with a cut forehead and needed treatment before being able to complete the game.

John Billington was fined £2,300 by local magistrates and given a five-year football banning order after Villa and police conducted a joint inquiry into the incident.

Redknapp had also hit out following the corresponding fixture the previous season after abuse was directed towards him from behind the dug-out.

But O'Neill believes the former West Ham boss will have nothing to be concerned about this weekend.

He said: "Why should it be a worry? The gentleman who threw the coin at the assistant referee has been found guilty.

"I'm sure that the people around the dug-out area will be aware of it and I'm quite sure security will be strong."

Redknapp had said after the goalless draw in October: "I don't get any aggro anywhere else. I've only had it here for some reason, probably because we beat them here 3-1 last season and they weren't used to losing often at home.

"The coin was thrown at me. Why do they do that? What have I done? Whoever does that sort of thing is a coward and a moron."

O'Neill accepts there is no place for such behaviour from fans but is mindful of the part they can play in a positive way in helping Villa clinch a Champions League spot during the remainder of the season.

He said: "The relationship between crowd and players in this vital run-in is of the utmost importance.

"Crowds can get agitated very quickly, although I don't think our crowd has had too much to be agitated about this season.

"There will be twists and turns, ups and downs in games, and it's important the crowd stays with the team throughout everything. That's absolutely vital. It's so, so important.

"I have said many times in the past that fans who pay their money have a right to voice their opinion but I think now, more than ever, it is essential we have a genuine team effort.

"This is about crowd and players teaming up together. We must work hard together to stay in that top four.

"There is a dual responsibility, the crowd has to lift the players when things are not going so brilliantly and players have to lift the crowd too with their performances."

I'm not sure how having extra security can stop a 2cm object being thrown through the air towards someone..

The cast of Wanted are using rifles to curve bullets onto any objects thrown towards the field.