It's nights like tonight that can make football special. It's nights like tonight that can create that first memory or even give you the perfect excuse to take the next day off work. It's nights like tonight, where we don't care what happens next. It's nights like tonight where we look at those eleven players walking onto the hallowed turf of Villa Park in the shirt with envy, pride, hope and belief.
It rests on them and it's a big ask. But we ask it of them because the chose to put the shirt on. They are not just playing for themselves, they are playing for us tonight. All of us.
And it wont be easy. Leicester are a decent side. Earlier this season they showed us how to play football at Villa Park. But we saw just recently that they are beatable. It all comes down to how you approach to them.
Tonight, we have to approach it the right way. We wont beat them hoping to snatch something, we will only win tonight if we go out to win and we go out to keep scoring. I write that because we can't score one and hope to hold on to it. Yes, it is possible, but we know they're not the best. And when a team attacks against you it creates opportunities at the other end.
Me, I'd far rather many opportunities over one or two where we have to rely on execution. But I'm an ideas man and the more ideas you have the more chance of success.
I'm away from home tonight, but I'll be somewhere with a TV and the match on and I will be back about an hour before kick-off for the team news. I expect Samatta to start and I expect him to have lots of energy. I hope he doesn't drop back as much as Wes, but if he's told to I'm sure he will. I just hope we get the crosses in to him that I believe will give us the goals.
Until later, be safe. And have faith.