Apologies for the lack of content on the site recently, life in the real world can get a bit hectic from time to time. I must confess that I wasn’t around to watch the midweek FA Cup replay against Doncaster, but for once the Villa game wasn’t selected for live TV anyway. As far as I know it hasn’t been shown since either – my Tivo hasn’t picked it up anyway.

Not so today though. Villa’s visit to Ewood Park will be kicking off live in my living room in about 30 minutes. Given the fantastic home support Villa has enjoyed the last few seasons there’s a certain irony that our away form is so much better than our home form. In fact, Aston Villa are top of the league based on away games thanks largely to 6 straight away wins. Another today and it will be a club record.

Maybe we’re not quite able to match that form at home because so many teams come to Villa Park with the intention of putting 10 men behind the ball. That’s a sign of respect no doubt, but not something that will change as long as we’re flirting with the top of the table. MON will be aware of this and finding ways to put the more defensive teams to the sword will surely be on his to-do list.

But that’s for another day. Today we are away and Big Sam will hopefully be sending his Blackburn team out to play a bit of football. That’s good for us, although I wouldn’t expect a repeat of this fixture from last season when Villa thumped in 4 goals without reply.

Ashley Young returns to Premiership action after captaining the side midweek. Actually, I’ve just seen the team sheet… Friedel, Cuellar, Davies, Knight, L Young, Milner, Barry, Petrov, A Young, Heskey, Agbonlahor. Subs: Sidwell, Delfouneso, Salifou, Shorey, Guzan, Gardner, Carew.

A strong line up with some useful options on the bench. MON isn’t in the habit of making many substitutions, but who would bet against Carew seeing some action today?? Not me.

Anyway, we can’t afford to slip up today since the 3 teams above us face opponents you’d expect them all to beat. Not so concerned below us though; Arsenal go to White Heart Lane and who knows how that might turn out??