Match Centre: Aston Villa v Arsenal

we need laursen today any news

and King Carlos,please not Knight and no Hokey Cokey at RB.

Hoping Carlos is fit for today, nothing against Knight but we will be so much more solid with Betty and Curtis in the middle. Really hope we can pull this off and stretch the gap over the arse to 6 points, especially with results going the way they have today, i'm still hopefully we might manage to get ourselves into contention for something a little more memorable than 4th place ;)

An Arsenal (season ticket holder's) view, if you'd like it (or not):

Villa should be favourites for this one - especially with Adebayor out, Nasri and Sagna looking unfit, Toure still seemingly suffering the after-effects of malaria (and being fat), as well as all the other injuries. Am struggling to see how the likes of Song, Denilson, Eboue, Diaby can keep the ball better than Barry and co.

Of course there's always a threat we'll nick it, certainly while v Persie's lurking, but one is not holding one's breath.

Incidentally, the tabloids' reporting of Wenger "taunting" Villa is of course absurd; he's done no such thing. I too predict that Villa can't win the League (admittedly, neither can we) and so would most people. No taunting, just an honest prediction; the alternative is to have managers / players reciting meaningless on-the-fence nothing-lines.

Btw, this seems to be our side:

Almunia

Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Silvestre

Eboue, Song, Denilson, Nasri

Diaby

van Persie

Good to hear your view Julian,have to agree neither side will win it. I just wish Wenger would stop spouting off and concentrate on his own team's problems (what's Terry's sending off got to do with Arsenal?). Anyway no offence meant but i hope you get stuffed today!!!!

Oh god just heard Knight is playing and no Carlos!!!

Hmm, well he was asked two questions by journalists: firstly, did he think Villa were title contenders, and secondly are they a threat for a top four place. He responded no to the first, and yes to the second. Both reasonable answers, I think. Should he have refused to answer such innocent questions? As for Terry's sending off, Wenger only commented on Graham Poll's own comments; and again I think this was justified. Looking at today's ManUSA game (in which Fuller was booked for dissent, but Rooney as usual got away with swearing at the ref, the linesman, a violent elbow et cetera) it's no wonder people suspect that refs are reluctant to act against big-name British players - and Poll virtually admitted that this kind of bias exists.

oh god not knight...... im not so confident now

So how does the cheating diving Portugese chap get away with it,if there is a bias towards big name English players.
(and by the way i hate Manure)

Fellas,
if Knight plays give him a chance. Last year when Davies was injured he was solid enough alongside Laursen. He’ll be solid again today. He wasn’t the only poor player in the UEFA Cup – the whole team was in disarray.

Knight's playing in Claret and Blue. Get behind him.

Well said Churchil, really hope he does himself a favour and has a good game today, especially since he's a Villa fan himself.

Damn good game of football. 2-2. Watch out big four!

AND WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED

oh god not knight...... im not so confident now

ill happily eat my words

zat knight is john carew in disguise

I wish everyone would get off Zat Knights back. He had unlimited potential when he was younger,it's just a pity he didn't have the chance to work along with someone like 'God', Chris Nicholl or Ken McNaught would be great second choices. I like Charley,even playing out of position,at rightback,he shows some great defensive quality.I love the way he's quick to cover Brad by getting back on the line.I just wish he wouldn't have those two or three minutes in a match where he seems to turn off.Overall I am more than pleased with the way MON is taking the club onwards,I must add he's done it two seasons quicker than I thought he would.Have patience we'll get there with the manager wwe've now got and a brilliant chairman/owner.