Here we go and what a Saturday of football. Liverpool play Everton, then we're at Chelsea before Arsenal play Spurs. This is what a Saturday is for. I'm not cutting the grass today.
But only one game matters and it's that game where our focus is and it doesn't matter what you say about individual players, creating chances. Today is about stopping them from scoring. That is what it's about.
We'll all happily accept a point today and we'll all happily accept a backs to the wall performance. Today isn't about anything other than fight, determination and putting your head on the line.
If one player were to get a chance and make something special happen, that would simply be the icing on the cake. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest that Paul Lambert has to send the players out to do exactly that; sit back and defend for ninety minutes like it was the last five of the FA Cup Final and we were winning 1-0.
They'll get tired and we'll hit long and counter and you never know what can happen, but today isn't about thinking we can win or hoping for it.
There is nothing wrong with it today
It's the state of the game and it's what Jose Mourinho would do, so it shouldn't be above us. I'll be happy and I go into the game fully expecting it. It's what we should expect and based on the previous games this season and everything we've seen from Paul Lambert as manager of Aston Villa, that is what we're going to get.
In fact, if we don't try and do this, you could almost say the manager got it wrong. But he will and as suggested; there is nothing wrong with it today.
Updates and team news
So with all that written again, we go into the game with open eyes and knowledge. We openly accept what is to come and we hope that we get what we set ourselves up for. We also hope for that piece of luck that has often come to us when playing Chelsea, but like written before; that really would be the icing on the cake.
So, breakfast is done and we're two hours from the first match. It's going to be a good Saturday. It's just about if you want to join in. I am.
The players
Starting we have Guzan, Hutton, Senderos, Baker, Cissokho, Cleverley, Westwood, Delph, Richardson, Weimann and Gabby. On the bench we've got Given, Clark, Bacuna, Bent, Sanchez, N'Zogbia and Grealish.