Today is a big day. Not only is it a local derby, but we need three points. We can't be happy with one. Today is about all three and moving further away from the drop zone.
Today is also about finding out if the twelfth man at Villa Park is in attendance. We all know he sometimes shows up because we've all heard him, but it's almost as if he has given his season ticket to someone else this season and only decided to come for the odd game.
I'm a firm believer that when the twelfth man turns up he does make a difference and today, he is needed for the reason I gave above; we need three points today.
Early team news
So with not a scent of speculation, we turn to the match and we have some hope, followed by bits of desperation. King Carlos is fit again and Jean Makoun also returns from his suspension but Luke Young, James Collins and Richard Dunne are all out injured and Ciaran Clark is also missing as he starts a two match ban for picking up ten yellow cards this season.
But we should be fresh up front and the manager will have to spend a bit more time thinking about who plays and who doesn't and as long as he gets it right in midfield and up front, I'm confident things will fall into place.
I can't accept it won't today,because today is massive and seeing as we are unbeaten in the last 17 league and cup matches with Wolves, I don't want to see that statistic change tonight. If it does, I dread to think what some will write about the manager.
A game of ninety minutes
We have to go out today and play to win for ninety minutes. I know that seems obvious, but we have given away too many matches this season because we try and protect a lead and when you do that you are only inviting pressure.
When we get one today, we need to be looking for the second. When we get that, we need to be looking for the third.
When we get that first, we don't want to change anything. In fact, we need to push up and look like we want the second more and the twelfth man will play a part. The twelfth man can demand it. The twelfth man can put the fear into the Villa Players for sitting back and he can, if he turns up today, demand more.
Updates and team news
You know you can watch the game here and you know that about an hour before kick off we will have team news and you know that during the match there will be updates and links posted below, so leave your prediction below and come back later.
I'm off for a cheeky bet
Team news
Friedel, Walker, Cuellar, Herd, Baker, Albrighton, Makoun, Reo-Coker, Downing, Young and Bent. On the bench: Marshall, Pires, Agbonlahor, Bradley, Delph, Heskey and Petrov.