My Stomach Feels Better Now!

Oh, that's a relief! Points on the board at last.

It was still not an ideal performance from the lads but, importantly, the spirit is there and also quite a lot of skill. It needs simply more time for them all to play together to get the understanding straight.

Wesley still needs better support, but he does work hard and took his goal well. Lovely play by Jota to see the opening, and Jota thoroughly entertained me throughout the first half. He seems to be a better signing than I had previously thought. El Ghazi came on with something to prove, and one rasping shot was bettered by a nicely-taken goal: he proved his point perhaps.

Jack continues to frustrate me. He has quality, without doubt, but is not stamping himself on the game enough, in my view.

But the rest of the team - with Mings outstanding as always - stood their ground pretty well.

Now, with some points on the board, perhaps the Villa will go on to show us what they're really capable of.

I feel positive we'll get something at Palace.

UTV!

Needed: A Fully-working Mojo!

Well, if you let the opponent in so early in the match then the game is bound to be difficult - especially when you're trying to find your feet in the PL with so many new players. Their second goal was bizarre, with a shot that went in off the post having taken a huge deflection off Mings' back. In fact, I thought the shot would have gone out but for the deflection.

It was also bizarre that having conceded such late goals at Spurs we start the second match in like vein! Five goals conceded in something like 30 minutes over the two matches!

The Villa's shooting shortcomings of last season were manifest in this match, with not enough shots going in on goal to test the keeper, and Jack still not showing the command that he continually promises to produce but rarely manifests. Two good chances to score for him early in the second half, and one of those should have been taken. If taken then the game could easily have swung heavily in Villa's direction.

I am more disappointed with El Ghazi, though, and I feel that Green should not have been allowed to go out on loan. I think he'd be a better proposition to El Ghazi given the right encouragement. El Ghazi showed up well in the Championship but he's got something to do to get up to scratch at this level.

Otherwise, it's a question of the team settling down, with Luiz and Trezeguet looking to me as being potentially great players once they really get their act together. The big trouble is that once you start having a run of defeats the pressure to win becomes greatly increased. I'd have preferred the third match to be away from home to take off some of the pressure, but Everton at VP it is and so all we can do is hope that all the lessons have been learnt from the two opening matches so that we do not have a hat-trick of 'nil points' matches.

It does occur to me, though, that Wesley needs to work in tandem with another striker. I feel that Davis may just be the man.

It's crazy, though, that having spent a basic £130 millions plus, we're still short of adequate cover in important departments.

In the end all I can say is, "Jack, please get your mojo working to fulfil that promise that keeps promising!"

UTV!

A Top 'C' For Clarity, Conciseness and Commitment

Since last summer, my confidence in the new owners has steadily increased. I think they have gone about their job very well, and Dr. Xia is now, having failed to settle Randy Lerner's final (over-the-top) pay-off, no longer a voice that counts. We must thank Dr. Xia, though, for bringing in what appear to be two very competent new owners.

Thanks partly to one of the new owners, we are developing an Egyptian flavour in the squad, with two Egyptians now on board. And in Trez we seem to have acquired what might well be a match-winner. So Egypt has emerged with more than the structures of the Giza plateau to show off!

But in Dean Smith and the other football management and backroom boys we also seem to have a lot of quality in place.

However, a key signing for me is one who is not a person with a history as a player or football manager or coach, but the man who runs the business of Aston Villa FC on a daily basis - Christian Purslow, the CEO.

In this interview, our CEO shows the enthusiasm that we'd hope for from someone in his position, and also the Clarity, Conciseness and Commitment to earn him a top-rating from me. A top 'C' to you, Christian! It's a pity your name is not Albert, for then I could award a top 'A'!

As I see it, we have in all these gentlemen a quality that is a huge difference to the crew that sat in control at Villa 10 years ago, and who proceeded to guide a great club downhill. 

It is today's men at VP that give me confidence in Villa's ability to succeed - a situation that I have not confidently felt in 40 years. In the setup we now have, I feel that we could go a lot further; not straight away, but soon enough.

UTV!