Aston Villa at Chelsea: Please wipe your feet

There isn't going to be a better time to play Chelsea. The thing is, Chelsea have spent a huge amount of money putting together a team of some very competent players and that team should be able to turn things around. Most would also admit surprise that it has gone on this long.

But, everything is possible. Our football hasn't been completely horrible but we have lacked desire and passion. Maybe that desire and passion will come back today if Ashley Young starts.

Maybe also, Chelsea will continue to play like a team that seems to have recently lost something quite precious. But maybe also they'll have remembered it wasn't that important and have turned the corner.

Updates and team news

So, the match kicks off in just over three hours and we'll add team news and any updates as we get them. But we are led to believe that Ashley Young and Emile Heskey will be back for this match, so expect the team to look a little something like Friedel, Lichaj, Cuellar, Collins, Warnock, Albrighton, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Downing, Webcam and Heskey.

Now, that is just my team and I wouldn't be surprised to see Gabby and Heskey play, but I really do think Heskey has to start, if fit, all by himself up front with support from Webcam, but again, just me and I've got a little thing against Gabby at the moment.

So, game kicks off soon and we will update as we can, but before we go, the manager talks and this could get him into trouble. It shouldn't, but it could. And this is where I will leave you for a couple of hours.

Gerard Houllier
What's a fair timescale for me to be judged fairly? Well I didn't expect to go that down (the table). But at the same time I think it's an exciting challenge, even more so. What I need is to get some players fighting together to get some results and see where we are in February.

Odds at Chelsea

Team News

Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Clark; Downing, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Agbonlahor; Young and Heskey.

One the bench: Marshall, Pires, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Bannan, Lichaj and Herd.