A year ago Ashley Young scored one of the most spectacular goals in Villa’s recent history. A goal that not only turned a match we had blown but caused the manager to call him a genius and gave us one of the most spectacular Villa’s celebrations with Martin Laursen, it was brilliant !

Ashley Young scores a memorable goal and the celebration wth Laursen fantastic !

So a year on what has changed. For Everton a succession of injuries have robbed them of their best players and we go to Goodison on Saturday playing a side limping, out of form and ready to be beat. However for us a year on we have not progressed as much as I would like but there are very good signs of a good season to come.

Enough has been written on the form of the defence to fill many internet pages but once again against Sunderland the whole defence and James Collins once again showed what a solid unit we are. The concerns are up front though.

With the likes of Milner, Young, Carew, Gabby, Heskey we really should be creating far more chances than the last couple of games. Not sure what is wrong, not sure MON know but in what will be a tough physical game (Everton is always that) I do worry we lack the physicality to compete and create the chances we need to.

Games against Everton, the most games every played in the top flight, are always tough and close, this will be no difference but to carry on progressing we have to win.