Saturday saw the return of Martin O’Neill and such as things are both O’Neill and McLeish were both booed. This is a sad statement of just how unsettled the club is at. Given the changes and the “fall” if you like of the club in the last 2 seasons, would relegation be such a bad thing?

This may be the wakeup call the club needs. We have a lot of youth coming through at the moment but there is clearly not the right balance with the senior players. What I mean to say is that the youth show more passion and drive then that of the seniors. As such a “clear out” is needed. Fresh faces and players that want to play for the club are a must for the new season. I remember back a few seasons ago when I was at Villa Park cheering on Barry when his goal helped send Newcastle United down. In hindsight Aston Villa did Newcastle a massive favour. Newcastle have come back bigger, better and stronger. The key to this is that the club is united. If Villa could emulate this then I am sure you would agree, a season in the championship would be worth it.

Over the past 2 seasons Villa have lost the likes of Barry, Young, Milner and Downing – the concern was always who was going to come in as their replacements. The fact is these players were not replaced with like for like quality, therefore I would not be shocked to see anyone go at the end of the season.

My own view is that Alex McLeish should never have been given the Villa job, however I support the club and unlike some, would not turn my back on the club because of such a decision. McLeish has had my support and I have to admit it, you can’t solely blame him for the club underperforming. There are, on many occasions have been times where the players simply are not fit to wear the shirt.

As we approach the January transfer window is has been strongly suggested that Aston Villa need to cut their wage bill further before any attempt to bring in new players. Many argue that we are not spending big but I have to say Villa are doing thing the right way in order to stabilise the clubs future.

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester City will buy their way to glory but in doing so they are risking the club’s future. I am proud Villa are doing business the right way as well as looking at the youth they have can continue to bring through the ranks.

So, as mentioned in my previous post I think we need at least 3 players. A defender a midfielder and a striker. Now the easy calculation would be to offload 3 players. In simple terms these would be:-

Habib Beye – even if Villa could let him go on a free elsewhere the club would save 40k a week

Stephen Ireland – really has not had the right attitude since joining Villa. The club could get at least £5millon for him as well as trim the 60k+ wages

Emile Heskey – Just does not get the goals, which Villa are seriously lacking at the moment. Again even if let go on a free Villa would trim his estimated wage of 35-40k

Simple? Maybe not so quite. The problem will be these players taking pay cuts elsewhere. Many won’t and therefore will be happy to stay at Villa to sit out the rest of their contracts.

Who would you like to see leave the club to make way for new players?

This time last season we saw Aston Villa stuggleing at the wrong end of the table. This ultimately saw Villa invest in one of the bigggest transfers in the january transfer window with the purchase of Darren Bent. I think whislt many questioned the 24 million spent, that now seems justifide as many of his goals helps Villa to prermiership survival.

This year Villa sit 12th and whilst the team are in not the same perils as last season they are not far off. There will be no doubt be some transfers in the coming weeks. The only question is who these who would need to make way to generate new finances?

Personly, I have the same thoughts as last season. I think we need much the same as last year a defender a creative midfielder and a striker. Who we would be able to afford or attract are other questions?

Who would you reaslistically like to see join the club?

Marc Wilson came closest to breaking the deadlock with a bullet header that hit the underside of the crossbar before being hacked away by Villa.

Nathan Delfouneso’s sliding effort was saved by Thomas Sorenson while Emile Heskey skimmed a post for the visitors.

Substitute Rory Delap’s arrival helped Stoke gain the upper hand late on but neither side did enough for victory.

The result, at a ground where Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea have all failed to win this season, will be welcomed more readily by Villa boss Alex McLeish than counterpart Tony Pulis.

The visitors had taken only eight points from their previous 10 league games, but the draw increases the gap between them and the relegation zone to six points.

Stoke hoped to exploit Villa’s vulnerability at dead-ball situations, but had little joy early on.

Robert Huth headed over the top from a corner and a free-kick, but the Villa backline looked untroubled as Ryan Shotton chanced his arm with several long throw-ins into the box.

Indeed, Villa threatened through a set-piece of their own as Heskey glanced a header on to the outside of the post from Charles N’Zogbia’s corner.

The former England striker’s effort was a rare moment of goalmouth excitement in a poor first half.

Both sides gave away possession cheaply throughout and, on the few occasions they were able to string passes together, neither suggested they had the craft to thread a telling final ball through well-organised defences.

Stiliyan Petrov briefly threatened to break the stalemate as he found himself in space in the Stoke box, but cracked a full-blooded effort into the side netting.

The quality of entertainment on display improved in the second half.

Substitute Delfouneso almost had an immediate impact after his introduction in the wake of a recurrence of Heskey’s Achilles problem.

The England Under-21 striker got his toe to Gabriel Agbonlahor’s low cross, but was denied by the outstretched foot of former Villain Thomas Sorensen in the Stoke goal before Charles N’Zogbia’s crisply-hit effort whistled wide.

The aerial route continued to look the most likely to yield a goal for Stoke and, after Huth had headed over again, Wilson was within inches of a breakthrough.

The defender’s header had plenty of power behind it but was kept out through a combination of the underside of the bar and Agbonlahor’s chest.

A skidding free-kick from N’Zogbia squirmed out of Sorensen’s grasp, while Delap’s introduction from the bench increased Stoke’s long throw options, but the sides remained resolutely locked together through to the final whistle.