Gabby was missed, the run in and playing football the right way

You can not deny there is a renewed optimism around Villa Park at the moment and for me anyway, it comes down to hard work and honesty and because we are trying to play football the right way.

But I wrote before the match about needing to know how to win when there was less pressure to do so and on Saturday, I think we showed that we're not in that place yet. But we did show more signs that we are going in that direction.

But for the fantastic run of form of late, we are only three points above Wigan and they've also got two games in hand. As things stand, you'd have to be a very optimistic supporter to think we will not be in the bottom three after Wigan have played the games.

The run in

So, with five games to go, what does the run in look like for? In April we've got Manchester United away and Sunderland at home but by the time we've played them, Wigan will still have one game in hand over us.

They have Manchester City, West Ham and Spurs so we have to hope that they lose them all, because they still have a better goal difference and I think the best we can hope for is three points, but I'm trying not to get optimistic about our trip to Old Trafford.

In May, we have Norwich away before Chelsea at home and then what I think might be a huge match, Wigan away. I say think, because it might not come down to just us and Wigan, that is just how it looks at the moment.

If we look up the table, there are two teams above us on the same points, so it doesn't necessarily have to be Wigan that we should focus on. Stoke are in a horrid run at the moment and we have to play Sunderland. Norwich and Newcastle are also not out of this yet, so I think it is fair to write that this season could very well come down to the wire.

Fulham

But a quick mention of the match on Saturday and we didn't put Fulham to the sword, but we tried. We had more possession and more shots. You could get away with saying that Schwarzer kept them in it, but that would possibly be stretching it, after all it is his job to do exactly what he did.

But we looked good again, it was just at times, Fulham looked as good and here you go; we missed Gabby.