So, we find ourselves at the start of another Premier League season. As of today, we're not going to win the league, but we can play a part in making it difficult for one of the two or three teams that could win it. And I don't think anyone has any fears of relegation this season.
And I optimistically predicted the best we could hope for is top eight, but football is a funny game and it's too difficult to predict where we'll actually end up. All that matters at the moment is Bournemouth and I don't think it will be that tricky a game as long as we go into it with the right frame of mind.
I'm only writing that because some will say it's a tricky game because they're a newly promoted side playing at home on the first game of the season and look how Leicester played against Manchester United last season. My point is that Manchester United didn't go into the game in the right frame of mind.
Man for man, we should have a better starting eleven than Bournemouth. Man for man as long as we want it more and we play the right type of football, we should win. But much like I wrote above, football is a funny game and we just don't know yet.
We don't know because nobody really knows our side and not many will know the Bournemouth team. Still, I'm predicting a win. And talking about predictions, we have a new game for this season, with monthly prizes and a season prize (yet to be determined and could end up as a case of beer).
Predict and win
Instead of a fantasy football league, which is getting a little old these days, I thought we'd play Predikta as it's a lot quicker than a fantasy football game and all you have to do is predict the results of the weekends matches. If you get right, you get points. A league table is created and you show off your footballing knowledge.
It really is quite simple too. You click here to register and join the league, you will then get a walkthrough of the game on screen before you predict the results for this weekends matches.
Points are awarded for predicting the right result and getting it spot on. You also get the chance to pick a banker - a match where you're absolutely confident of the result. get it spot on and you win even more points. If at the end of this month you're top of the league - you win an Aston Villa home or away shirt delivered to your door.
Join The Villa Blog Predikta league here!
Match post early tomorrow
So, with all that written, go join the league and get your predictions in by 12pm tomorrow. And tomorrow morning bright and early we'll have the match post up and hopefully a lot of banter pre-match, with no doubt links and images to lots of other things. I think it's going to be a fun weekend.
What is going to be interesting is if Carles Gil starts. Remember him last season against Bournemouth?
Video of the day
Some Aston Villa news
Something confirmed this morning; Callum Robinson is out on loan with Bristol City for the season. This is his season to shine and come back to us as a first team player. Ot he doesn't shine but then probably doesn't make it back to us. Will be interesting to watch.