The real world and the summer of Randy Lerner: Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 3

Did it deserve to be three yesterday? You could easily say no but at the same time, it was three and it is very difficult to argue with the facts.

Should Gabby have had a penalty, for sure, but should he have been blown up moments before for shirt pulling; absolutely. If you follow the rules of the game we should have had a penalty and they should have been down to ten men, if Gabby hadn't pulled the shirt.

It doesn't matter, we didn't get a penalty and there was no sending off and we lost three-nil. This is the real world.

These are the facts. Ask yourself this; did you think we would win yesterday? Can you honestly, hand on heart say, you thought we were going into this game and were going to end up in the final?

I have to admit that I didn't. Four seasons in and I don't see the football getting better and many will know I have resigned myself to the fact it probably won't under O'Neill, which is why this really is the summer of Randy Lerner.

Randy Lerner has a very big decision to make. His PR man told us all of the five year plan and because of this you have to assume O'Neill will get the fifth season; but will he get the money?

Lerner might not know much about football but he sure as hell will have people around him that do and you don't have to be a genius to see it isn't progressing and you don't have to have played the game for 20 years to know it shouldn't really take four seasons.

Personally and I've said this a few times, I'm all for O'Neill getting the money, because it might work and I want it to with him and it might. Given the money and the ability to bring in the quality of player that can make it happen; no more kids or nearly men - the finished article is needed and it could happen.

But, it is the last chance. We were told of the five year plan and while I accept O'Neill has told us he doesn't have one - when we were told of it, it could have been a five year plan the owner had - the manager didn't need to know about it. What I mean is, they're not going to sack O'Neill after saying they had a five year plan even if it wasn't true - how could they?

So, we have O'Neill for next season and we need to hope he gets the money and enough to bring in the £30mn player we were also told about or he changes his entire footballing philosophy about to bring it more up to date. It is possible, I have seen people change over much shorter periods than a summer break and if he does adapt, it could all fall into place.

But for the record and the last time; I want O'Neill at this club next season, but he needs money. If he doesn't get the money, he needs to develop his strategy on how Aston Villa are going to get better and as supporters there is nothing wrong with us wanting excellence for our club, in fact, I think we have to demand it.

It we don't demand the best we will never get the best. If we don't demand better, we will never get better.

So, the season isn't over but Wednesday is important. We need to win to stand any chance, in my opinion of finishing sixth. Lose it and we could find ourselves finishing 8th and that would be very hard to take.

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