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All eyes will be on Stamford this Staurday at 3pm as a much improved Villa side take on the side top of the Premier League in Chelsea.


Mourinho is a fan of McGrath

The league champions, who bought nobody in the summer and sold players like Andre Salah and Mohammed Salah have performed amazingly well this season. Manager Jose Mourinho was full of praise for the way that Villa manager Paul McGrath has created the team he has now. Aston Villa are title contenders and we will need to be on the top of our game to beat them this Saturday. They have quality up front in Rondon, Grealish and Volland, between them I do not know of a team that can say they can handle them but we will do our best and try to exploit there weak area in defence to score more than they score.

Aston Villa manager Paul McGrath also was full of praise for Jose Mourinho, I think he is an amazing manager! He is very, very cocky but when you have a record like he has, which includes League titles, domestic cups and champions league medals, you have a right to be cocky. I think we can defeat them but we could also get smashed by them like we did when we lost 5-1 and 3-0 but we have also defeated them twice since I have been manager too so there is a way through them and with the attacking line up we have, I think we can beat anyone!

Pundits are split on the match and the popular belief is that if anyone is going to break the 13 game domestic unbeaten run then it is going to be Villa.

Prediction: 2-2 draw

Stay tuned for the reaction to the match soon!

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McGrath: Volland Injury Just Added To Defeat

On a cold, damp afternoon at Stamford Bridge a hungry Chelsea side defeated a very energetic Aston Villa side in what will be viewed by the purists for a long, long time.

With Villa manager Paul McGrath serving his 1 match touchline ban for repeatedly complaining in public about referee's, assistant manager Roy Keane took the reigns for the match and it will be one he will want to forget. It was advertised as a Costa vs Rondon duel but only one of the seemed to turn up.

It was Chelsea who struck first, as early as the 8th minute when Diego Costa beat the offside trap to drill home from about 12 yards out. Chelsea had started the first half well but in Sirigu, Villa had a keeper who did not want to be beaten again, saving well from Hazard and Costa when they should have scored.

They did score again though and it was Hazard who had combined well with Costa to hit the second, a crisp finish into the top corner that Sirigu had no chance in getting. If you thought the first Hazard goal was good, then you would have bitterly disappointed seven minutes later when he scored the scrappiest goal we have ever seen as the Villa defence could not clear there lines from a corner so when Vlaar smashed an attempted clearance against Hazard and it bounced into the net for 3-0.

Villa improved in the second half and created some chances with Rondon, Grealish and Cleverly going close but the second half was overshadowed by a horror challenge by Chelsea's Gary Cahil on Villa superstar Kevin Volland. The Raumduter got the ball on the left and Cahil flew in, double footed and took Volland straight out. To the astonishment of the Villa players the referee allowed play to go on and said it was no foul but Volland stayed down and Villa put the ball out of play and then all surrounded the referee.


Volland out for 3 months after Gary Cahil's horror challenge

Volland, who has been one of the reason's that Aston Villa are up in the top four this season, has scored 9 goals in 17 appearances, also aiding his side with 6 assists and an average rating of 7.26. The midfielder damaged his hamstring in the resulting tackle and will be out for 3 months. It is understood that Volland himself, is distraught that he will miss the important part of the season as Villa look to grab European football for the first time since 2002, when Villa were in the Intertoto Cup.

It is understood to be a straight shootout for Volland's place between three players. Gabby Agbonlahor is the more experienced choice and who you would call the bookies favourite for the job, Dorin Rotariu is deemed to be the natural choice but with Villa looking for stability, club insiders seem to think that Gabby would be the first choice but there is also young Luka Jovic, is expected to be given a chance at some point.

The last thing that Villa want though is to lose touch now one of there top three have gotten injured.

Villa Still In The Hunt

It has been a very hectic December but for the fans of Aston Villa they will probably find it has been a very enjoyable fastive month. There only defeat came at the hands of league leaders Chelsea and also included a win of Manchester United in which star striker Salomon Rondon ripped The Reds apart.



It did also however include draws against West Ham and Wigan, where in both matches how The Villans did not score is completely beyond us. The first match was the Manchester United match and after Juan Mata scored in the first half and combined with the fact that Villa were anonymous, you would never have thought that Villa would completely overwhelm United and in Rondon, Villa have a player that will pump in the goals and he struck with two headed goals to give Villa the most unlikely of wins. The most wierd part of the match was seeing former Villan keeper Jed Steer was named in the United lineup and made atleast 7 errors in the match.

The next match against Liverpool was one of three draws this month and again Villa got something out of a game that they played badly in. This is a good sign for Villa fans because all the best teams that have graced the Premer League in the past have known how to win by not being at there best.


Hugo Lloris' error allowed Villa midfielder Delph to score

Then a defeat to Chelsea was followed up by the most impressive performance of the season against a very strong and dangerous Spurs side where Villa's defence had there best match under Paul McGrath. It all started in the 15th minute when John Stones found himself down the left and he launched a 35 yard ball into the box to which Fabian Delph was trying to get too. Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris completely flapped at it and the midfielder got to the loose ball to make it 1-0. In the second half Spurs were non-existent but when Vlaar made a appalling back-pass Paulinho helped himself to the most unlikely of equalisers and that was the only lapse in a solid defensive match. Villa, however were not going to be beaten and just 4 minutes later Stones connected with a corner to make it 2-1 to Villa and against made sure that the regular top 6 new that Villa are here to stay.

Villa then followed that up with two very poor draws. The West Ham game again was a game Villa should have won but after the 4th minute when Noble scored for The Hammers, Villa were always chasing the game. There pressure paid off eventually and Grealish got the equaliser to give Villa one point.

So all in all Aston Villa had a good month but it could have been better, however they are still in the top 4 and now they might just be taken seriously.




Well it looks like Chelsea are going to win the league being already on 52 points but with 7 points covering Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Man Utd and Stoke from 2nd to 6th, there is still a lot of action to go this season. No one expected Villa or Stoke to cause problems for the top 4 but they are and it looks like they are here to stay this season as both chase an unlikely Champions League spot.

Villa Player Of The Month

John Stones has been fantastic this month and gets the award. He works extremely hard every match and never lets his head drop. When you have skipper Ron Vlaar saying he is the best central defender that he has ever played with, you know you have a good player!

The Month Ahead

Villa COULD make a statement this month with matches against the lower end of the table sides in Forest, Huddersfield and Southampton, who they beat 8-0 last season and the F.A Cup against Fulham too this could well be an amazing month for the Midlands club.

One In & One Injured For Villa!

Aston Villa today announced the signing of 22 year old Raheem Sterling from Liverpool for a fee reported to be around £37,500,000. The Liverpool winger, who has 26 caps for England in which he has two goals to his name is said to be looking forward to playing in a squad that have the talent to win the Premier League.

This shows just how far Aston Villa have come in being able to acquire players with the ability of Raheem Sterling and it is going to be a welcome signing with Jack Grealish also getting injured in the 3-1 victory against Fulham and will be available for the F.A Cup match against Norwich this weekend.

I am so happy to have bought Raheem said Paul McGrath. I think we are going to really make an assault on the top 4 now this season. I can not wait to get this side on the pitch again because we are now a team full of individuals but also they work as a team and think this guy is the missing link. The players can not wait to get out on the pitch every week.

It is though Raheem Sterling has signed a four year deal worth an estimated £110,000 a week.

More Reaction To Sterling Deal

After the sensational deal to sign Raheem Sterling was confirmed by in-form Aston Villa there have been many people wanting there say on the deal and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher asked What the hell was Sami Hyypia thinking!


Carragher think Hyypia has made a big mistake selling Sterling

I think the decision to let Raheem go was totally insane! I mean this is a guy that could possibly have been a Liverpool legend but with Liverpool having had two disappointing season's decided to cash in on the speed merchant. What a signing he will be for Villa though, I have been impressed with where they have come from since Paul (McGrath) took over and I am looking forward to see if in the next couple of season's they can challenge for the title, however I fully expect them to finish in the top 4.


Ian Taylor thinks Villa have an amazing side now with the addition of Sterlng

The other big name to comment on the signing was former player and legend to Villa fans, Ian Taylor. I think this Villa team has the potential to be the best ever Villa side. I mean look at there attacking options in Rondon, Grealish, Volland and now Sterling, they are amazing. I think they could atleast scare Chelsea this season, without winning the title but they are going to be one of the favourites next season for sure.

It is understood that several other big names are said to be shocked and surprised that Raheem Sterling decided to risk moving to a club that could easily fall outside the top 4 but also on the other side of the coin it could be a move that could win him the title eventually. Is it the right decision? Only time will tell!

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Rondon: If We Can Beat City, We Can Win The Cup

Rondon hit a hat-trick against Newcastle in the F.A Cup 4th Round and then roared we can win the cup

After Saloman Rondon destroyed Newcastle in the F.A Cup 4th round by scoring his second hat-trick of the season, the Venezuelan then said in the interview after the 5th round draw that if Villa can Manchester City then they could win the cup.

Looking at who is left, he might just have a point as the five favourites are Chelsea (5/4f), Man City (3/1), Arsenal (6/1), Aston Villa (7/1) and Tottenham (10/1) are the only so called Big Teams left in the competition. When you look that favourites Chelsea have been taken to a reply by Hull and Liverpool, who have Yeovil are nowhere near there best now and are really in decline then you have to think if Villa can clear Man City and avoid Chelsea, should they get past Hull City who are cup specialists you could see Villa going to there first domestic cup final since the League Cup final in 2010 and would be the first F.A Cup final appearance in 17 years.

I think we have a great chance said Rondon, we are playing well as a team, Raheem has come in and shook the squad up because of his amazing skill and movement off the ball. He is a joy to play alongside but we can win the F.A cup. We would have preferred Yeovil or Coventry but it is what it is and we will deal with it.

F.A Cup Draw

(L1) Coventry vs Blackburn (CH)
(CH) Yeovil vs Liverpool (PRM)
(PRM) Swansea vs Fulham (PRM) or Exeter (L2)
(CH) Hull or (PRM) Chelsea vs Arsenal (PRM)
(PRM) Stoke or (PRM) Everton vs Nottingham Forest (PRM)
(PRM) Tottenham vs Huddersfield (PRM)
(PRM) Man City vs Aston Villa (PRM)
(PRM West Ham vs Leicester (CH)