Gentlemen, some quiet please!

It was bound to happen. Anyone well-versed in football who looked at Villa's December and early January campaign would have seen it coming. Back-to-back games against Manchester United and champions Chelsea, not helped by the away draw to the Red Devils in the FA Cup.

Is it any wonder that our First Team looks tired, stretched and - for once - lacking in confidence?

United and Chelsea are much, much better teams than Aston Villa. Formed over a number of seasons, and able to rely on banks of talent recruited for three or four seasons and well bedded-down into a positive and attacking tactical structure, they were always going to get the better of us. Always. And indeed they did.

So is this the moment to question Martin O'Neill's wisdom and influence? Is it the moment to say, with us 15th in the league and showing O'Leary-esque form, that Martin is no better than David?

The Doc's view is this:

Villa have 4 world-class players, when fit, motivated and played in the right position. They are Mellberg, Laursen, Barry and Baros. Given the right coaching and the right service on the field, all four are game-changers.

The problem is that to compete for honours in the Premiership - and that includes qualification for the UEFA Cup - you need 11 of them. And Villa - though we have great young talent - simply don't have proven Premiership talent all over the pitch. Spurs, for example, do. Newcastle are mighty close.

Let's not kid ourselves here. In the same way as Martin O'Neill has managed our expectations, let's manage our own. If O'Neill is able to cheat relegation with a squad which, quite frankly, ought to go down - let's be happy this season with staying up. Europe, I believe, is beyond us this season.

MON has said repeatedly how much work has to be done. That work is going to take seasons, not weeks. Villa is a sick and under performing club: it's appointed the right doctor, but the danger is that the patient wants to be cured tomorrow. It ain't going to happen, folks, it just ain't going to happen.

So what can we do about it, if anything? Well - there is one thing we can do. If Bolton drew 28000 to Villa Park, then the suggestion is that the Watford game will be even lower. What the f*** does it say to the players if a shabby crowd turns up for Watford?

Get to the game. Wear your colours. Shout your heart out. The Watford game, trust me, is far, far bigger than either the Man Utd or the Chelsea games. It will define our season.