Muse,Rant,Rave & Bursting Bubbles

As I have reached the 8000 post mark in the forum I thought it would be an ideal time to have a rant, rave and smile at where we currently are.....

Just turned the corner of the 2007-08 season and I find my-self torn between grinning like a Cheshire Cat and waiting for the bubble to burst, I know we would have settled for where we are at the start of the season especially after the poor transfer window left us bereft of an established right back but its not been all about that has it. The players brought in by MON those who have played have made an Impact, Young NRC and Maloney (when played) have made a difference. The addition of Big John Carew to the forward line has been nothing but a masterstroke, getting rid of Baros was contentious according to some supporters but MON has proved him-self right with the results confirming his place in the starting line-up as vitally important to the overall game plan.

Young and Gabby have been spectacular, so much so that the England Manager will be blind if he can’t see what’s before him when he watches the FA Cup Game.

Barry is again proving what the Villa supporters have known for so long it seems like decades, he is our Captain Fantastic and again this season I will be surprised if he is not the Villa player of the year.

Laursen has been absolutely outstanding at the heart of the Villa defence, he has been no slouch in front of goal either.

Ditto for Olof and Wilf both having a great season, both will be playing in the European Cup and at least we will have someone to support......

We can look back at the first half of the season and look at what could have been, 1-4 at Spurs = 2 points dropped, battered Man City and came away with nothing, robbed at Chelsea etc etc that 5 points would have seen Villa in the top 4 just 3 points behind Chelsea....

As someone was quick to point out (thank you Neil) we also had the run of the ball against Sunderland and Fulham so I suppose it levels out at the end of the day.

The point I’m trying to make is..... even though Villa have not made Europe the expectation has been raised much more than it was last season when Villa went 12 games unbeaten, Jesus I thought we had won the lottery and European football was coming back to Villa Park.

If this is part of the 5 year plan where will we be in 5 years?
Pushing for the League? I just don’t want the bubble to burst, for years I have longed for Villa to compete with the Liverpool’s and Manyoo's of this world I feel if things keep going as they are going this IS going to happen.

Martin O'Neill is laying the foundations for the future it is there for all to see. The sale of Villa to Randolph was the start of the dream, he is giving MON a free hand and the free hand is working. It may not be this season but I know the wind of change has blown through the club.

Even attendances (if reports can be believed) are the highest at the club since the 1949/50 season with an average of 40,000 attending Villa Park for most league games, we even had 40,000 for Fulham, a fluke? No chance.

Bring on 2008 when all around us falter and the Team-Club remains resolute and driven towards where we all want to be, where’s that?

On top of the Premiership at the end of the season, I don’t mind winning it on the last day of the season, done it before and would not mind doing it again (played at Villa Park of course)

On to better things for us.....

Rant, Rave and Bubble Burst over....

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