The Fish

They've played all of the bottom 3 teams at home (Leeds, Preston, Blackburn) and only taken 4 points from them. They've picked up two wins on the road, at Wigan (22nd) and Cardiff (18th). Their home form is pretty bad, 17th overall, and our away form is decent (5th). We've only failed to score in 1 game and have kept a clean sheet since Reading got a penalty in the 45th minute (4 1/2 games). Loftus Road's pitch is reportedly pretty small which should play to our defensive strengths. We're in stride without playing particularly brilliantly, so this could be another "professional" performance, or QPR's debutants may want to put on a performance. All of this points to a 1-0 win... Which is why there's no way I'm putting money on that

Just listened to the Football Ramble and one of them made a good point; 'Moyes said he'd have won the league at Everton if he'd had a top striker. Well Romelu Lukaku just put three past sunderland last night, there's your top striker you mug'

Well, on your head be it.

No. wrong. They're beige cunts.

What if he can't be arsed uninstalling and reinstalling?

You're better off trying twitter mate.

I'd love for us and someone like Huddersfield or Derby to go up automatically and Villa to lose out in the playoff semis. In front of 20k "fans".

Was that one quality striker Yahweh?

I'm 50/50 on Lazaar, and I think Yedlin will usurp Anita as 1st choice RB, but I honestly don't expect Atsu to nail down a starting place. Especially if he's played on front of an attacking fullback like Yedlin.

Does mean they'd be able to look at the Championship sides and buy their best players for £5-£10m without breaking the bank too badly though.

Yeah, even if the promoted sides go back down, they go down with all that lovely TV money plus whomever they managed to secure on deals for this season. Viktor Fischer in the Championship? Jesus...

To be honest I expect all of them to be used sparingly, more so than Yedlin. Murphy is a Mitrovic substitute, Lazaar may be too attacking for away days or home games against top teams, Atsu is surely an attacking substitute when we want to stretch games?

Huddersfield are playing well, but man for man, we're the best side. The energy levels required for that style of play are incredible and I'm not sure if they'll be able to maintain it, especially when teams get wise to it and deliberately wear them out in the first half with possession across the defensive lines and ranging passes down the flanks. Another point on RDM, I don't think he's operated under this amount of pressure before. As has been said, the Chelsea team picked (and managed) itself, and the expectations at West Brom were go for promotion, but at Villa... Xia doesn't just want to win the league, he wants to do it in style and isn't afraid of going online to voice his displeasure, the fans expect the title and good football because they're Villa. They've made a couple of big signings and a couple of good signings, but marquee players don't win you the Championship, a team does and Aston Villa are not a team at the minute. Mental isn't it, they should have bought strength in depth throughout their squad, instead they've spunked a fortune on a couple of strikers and centre backs. £23m on two championship strikers, neither of whom are up and coming. In fact, only 2 of the players they've bought are under 26, so when the season is over, up or not, their squad's average age will be 27 and the majority aren't going to be good enough for the Premier League and so another overhaul will surely be required, will Xia really be happy putting his hand in his pocket to the tune of £50m again?

Think with the games coming so quickly Rafa will rotate the squad for QPR and that's why we didn't see the likes of Hayden, Mitrovic, Atsu, Clark, Lazaar.

Di Matteo doesn't strike me as the man to foster a sense of togetherness when one isn't already apparent, either. The longer the slow start lingers, the greater effort it's going to take to get going, no? Who're their next games? Brentford at home. The Bees have 3 wins and a draw, they've done ok against traditionally fancied sides too. Ipswich away. McCarthy's sides are usually well drilled but look softer this year. Mind you they're unbeaten at home. Newcastle at home. We're comfortably the best side in the division thus far, but we still set up to grind out a result and with their strike force, we may invite more pressure than we can handle? Barnsley away - Tykes going great guns at the moment, but haven't had the toughest start. Point is, I can't see them winning 4 on the bounce to rapidly climb the table and with each passing fixture the ascent becomes steeper.

This is the internet, I don't imagine we'll run out of abusive language any time soon, you scat-worshipping ferret-cocked cuckold.

2-1 to the cocksnot snorters

Read this and thought "Aye, but how many were from miles out and/or off target". Well, Whoscored says Villa had 8 shots on target, 6 of those came from inside the box They had 15 attempts from within the box!

Sounds like Xia is turning on the team;

That goal gave me a big ol' lob on

What's their first team these days? Mannone XXXX - Djilobodi - Kone - van Aanholt Januzaj - Kirchoff - XXXX -Khazri Defoe - XXXX Uh oh spaghettioh

Pearson's apparently got them organised at the back, but they're struggling to find the net at the other end. Seems to be a few Derby fans unhappy with Nigel Pearson's football and not entirely enamoured with his character off the pitch as well. Looks like Hughes will miss the game thanks to getting a ball to the face earlier, whi8ch is fortunate for us because he's definitely a player who can control the play in this league. I was expecting a really tough game against one of this divisions top teams, but their nerves are giving me confidence. I'm not sure we'll score, but I'm now pretty confident that they won't. Be interesting to see who Rafa picks; does he go for consistency and stick with Dummett at Left Back? Or does he start the game with defensive debuts for Lazaar and Yedlin? Up front will he go for the man in form and stick with Gayle, or does he start with Mitrovic? 1-0 for Newcastle I reckon.

Typical bloke's comment