What a wonderful way for Villa to finish the year

And boy did Villa fans need a pick-me-up, stuck in the Premiership middle lane with car that doesn't work and a driver that fans cant stand is no fun.

But beating Chelsea away made me fall in love with football again.

Just as the millionaire racist players, billionaire weirdo owners and the rigged Premierhsip got on top of me the game at Stamford Bridge reminded me why I love 22 men kicking a bag of air around a park so much.

I almost knocked down the Christmas tree jumping around the living room celebrating our 2nd and 3rd goal.

And I was on my own.

We have surrendered against most teams from the top six this season and that was mostly down to the ultra-defensive line ups McLeish played.

Every team sheet screamed 'we don't want to lose by too many goals today' but a better performance against Arsenal might have kick started our season.

The team got clapped off, and we lost.

Perhaps Flaming Eck realised he was getting stick not because of his ex-employers but because of not having the bravery to attack.

We deserved to win against Chelsea. It was not one of those score a goal off the striker's shin and then hang on for dear life kind of wins either, we actually looked a good football team.

Finally snake-skin trouser wearing, hukka smoking, stupid mrs loving Stephen Ireland looked like the attacking midfielder we have been crying out for.

He can spot a pass which no-one else in the team can and he doesn't lose the ball that often, he might look a bit simple with his lightbulb head and strange Ming the Mercillous beard but the boy can play.

Combining with the improving Zog brilliantly for his first goal and then helping start break aways Ireland suddenly showed why playing an attacker, Heskey, instead of a specialised midfielder like Ireland ensures the team looks so lethargic in the final third.

I'd give Ireland a run in the team now hopefully he will start against Swansea, Bristol Rovers and Everton and will be one of the first names on the team sheet by the Spring. For interesting and attacking football down the Villa we need him on the park regularly.

We can not afford to buy some-one with his talent, ok he's a bit barmy but a club like the Villa can only get top talent if they have something wrong with them between the ears, we just have to have the managerial nouse to give them confidence.

But it wasn't a one man performance by any stretch at Chelsea there were many man of the match contenders. Gabby was unplayable and though missing a couple of chances he was a brilliant outlet, better than a half fit Bent would have been.

Petrov again showed why we should be grateful he is our club captain and Kieran Clarke had a very good game beside him.

Even twin disaster zones Warnock and Alrbighton had good games. In fact Albrighton has obviously responded to being dropped after a stinking start to the season which he probably started thinking he'd be the first name on the team sheet after Young and Downing going.

And The Zog. Oh the Zog. We are waiting to love him. And he is getting better every game now. He looked dangerous and the word from Wigan is that he always does better in the second half of the season.

And the Chelsea game should also signal the return of King Carlos to the fold. Whatever he has done wrong to annoy McLeish, and in fact MON, has to be forgiven, I can not understand why he gets overlooked so often. I can only venture his massive amount of body hair might lead to the plugholes in the changing room baths being clogged up but that is no excuse not to have him on the pitch.

We look so more solid with him in the team, ok he might not play it out of defence like Franz Beckenbaer but he very looks like a key-stone cop like the rest of the defence do every so often.

We are ninth, not nineteenth so hopefully fans can get behind the team and help the club push on to try and clinch the Race for Seventh. Newcastle are just seven points ahead of us and are dropping faster than Craig Gardner's chances of playing in midfield at Sunderlands.

Now lets just hope we dont get undone at home by a team which really does and try football, Swansea, but we should have the strength to beat them at home and then hopefully go on an unbeaten run.

It is amazing what a win can do isn't it?

Up the Villa.

And have a claret and blue New Year!

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