Frank the Bank or John Terry? Aston Villa at Chelsea, facts and a video

This is another of those matches that we go into with nothing to lose. Frank the Bank on the other hand, he's a loss away from New Manager Syndrome getting mentioned in the same sentence as his real name.

I mean no disrespect and I think Frank was a great player and I'm sure he's a great guy, but he hasn't had to do it the way you should have to do it and it's his playing career that is allowing him to continue to make millions from the game, not his managerial career. I'm yet to see something about Frank that makes me think he's a decent manager.

Last season at Derby, he had one of the best squads in the League and failed. This season at Chelsea, he's got one of the best squads in the League and Leicester are above them. And that is why I'm sort of waiting for him to not succeed. And by that I mean him winning the League or silverware. I have zero doubt that he'll finish top four this season and with the squad he has, I think he should be finishing third.

But you see, that's also what most managers should do with that squad. A very good manager will get them second and a great manager, with that squad, could win them the League. My point is, Frank the Bank doesn't deserve the job he's got, he's got it because he knows the Club and with all things like this, as soon he gets found out and by that I mean not win anything, he'll be replaced.

And that is just because that is the game these days. It's also why I'm so happy we have Dean Smith. Frank will run out of desire and when it gets a bit tough for him, he'll welcome the sacking, because he doesn't need the money or the hassle. He's never had it hard or understood what real hard work is. Our Dean looks like he can look after himself and knows what graft is. And it's the little things that count.

Let me put it this way, Dean Smith would win the League with that Chelsea squad. And before I go and open a bottle of red, why are the questions below about John Terry and on that, is John Terry bigger at Chelsea than Frank the Bank? That's your question of the day.

Match facts from the BBC

Head-to-head

  • Chelsea could win five consecutive home league games against Aston Villa for the first time.
  • Their last four victories at Stamford Bridge came by an aggregate score of 15-1, including 8-0 in December 2012 when Frank Lampard scored the fourth goal.
  • Villa have lost eight of the past nine meetings home and away, with the exception being a 1-0 triumph at Villa Park in March 2014.

Chelsea

  • The Blues, beaten at home by West Ham on Saturday, have not lost consecutive Premier League games at Stamford Bridge since November 2011.
  • They are in danger of suffering three league defeats in a row for the first time in four years.
  • Chelsea's solitary loss in 55 Premier League home fixtures against promoted sides came against Bournemouth in December 2015. However, the Blues could go three games without a win against promoted opposition at Stamford Bridge for the first time since August 1991.
  • They have lost all four league matches in which they've fallen behind this season.
  • Only nine of Chelsea's 28 Premier League goals under Frank Lampard have been scored at home.
  • Lampard lost all three of his meetings as a manager against Aston Villa last season, with his Derby side beaten 3-0 at home, 4-0 away and then 2-1 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
  • Tammy Abraham scored 26 goals in 40 appearances on loan at Aston Villa last season.
  • Olivier Giroud has netted in each of his last six appearances against Villa, scoring eight goals - all for Arsenal.

Aston Villa

  • Aston Villa have earned just one point from their last 13 top-flight away fixtures against sides starting the day in the top four.
  • Despite opening the scoring in four of their five Premier League matches against established top-six opponents this season, Villa have only earned a solitary point from those fixtures.
  • They have only won one of their past 25 Premier League away games, drawing four and losing 20.
  • It's eight successive Premier League defeats in London for Villa, who have conceded at least twice in seven of those matches.
  • Dean Smith's side have dropped an unrivalled 13 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season.
  • They have conceded a league-high 11 goals from set pieces, including penalties.
  • Jack Grealish has been directly involved in seven goals in the Premier League this season, scoring three and setting up four, which is the most by any English midfielder.

The manager