Hillsborough is looking very good now - they've done a good job with the
seating, and surprisingly it's very comfortable with a reasonable amount
of leg room between seats.  On entering the ground last night the first
thing to be seen was a massive inflatable Puma boot in the centre circle.
This prompted comments form people around me that it was a new Puma boot
for Carlton so he could kick people easier !!!

Then about 20 mins before KO, we were entertained by the Puma Hi-lights,
10 women dressed in the new Wednesday kit dancing on the pitch.  Puma are
making a big deal out of the new sponsorship - the perfect match being 
"The Owl and the Pussy Cat" (groan).  They also had an enormous Shirt which
was lifted into the sky by balloons, and then passed around the Kop.  The
dancing girls kicked some balls into the crowd and then it was kick-off
time.

Villa won the toss and the teams switched ends (memories of two years ago
started flooding back).  Wednesday lined up as follows:

Woods; Nilsson, Pearce, Walker(c), King; Hyde, Sheridan, Palmer, Worthington;
Warhurst, Hirst; subs: Bright, Bart-Williams, Pressman

Villa started with:

Spink; Barrett, Teale, Mcgrath, Staunton; Daley, Richardson, Townsend, 
Froggatt; Saunders, Atkinson; subs: Cowans, Wittingham, Bosnich

After five minutes Phil King got a nasty gash to his head and left the field
for ten minutes to have it stiched.  I'm surprised Trev went for so long 
with ten men - perhaps he's confident after last Saturdays display :-).
In fact, we played some very good football in that ten minutes.  Hyde was
playing like a man possessed in the first half.  He was chasing around 
everywhere in midfield and winning the ball very well.  Sheridan too was
playing quite well but we didn't use the flanks as well as we could have -
too aften we went down the middle when a wide ball would've been better.
Perhaps when Waddle is in the team this will improve.  Townsend went off
half way through the half (how sad) with a pulled hamstring, and Cowans
came on to replace him.

Warhurst had a couple of breaks - one run from halfway but was stopped by
good defending, another where he got the ball to the by-line and pulled it 
back across an empty goal with no Wednesday player in sight.  Hirst though
didn't look interested for most of the game - he was our worst player on
the pitch.  The old enthusiasm for winning the ball and making runs was
missing.  One conjecture as to why this is so is too much summer boozing
in Doncaster.

Woods had to make a good save from Saunders but on the whole the ball was 
given away in midfield too much, and Wednesday gave Villa too much room on
the right.

Half time at 0-0 wasn't a bad reflection on play.  The Puma Hi-lights came
out to strut their stuff again for 10 mins and then we were off again.
About ten minutes into the second half Wednesday should really have 
scored at least one goal.  The build up play was good but there wasn't
anybody prepared to take a pop at goal.  Too intricate with too many 
passes when a simple shot would've been better.  Hirst got the ball on the
edge of the six yard box with just the keeper to beat and somehow put the
ball over the bar and wide.  Our best chance of the game.  We had a couple
more chances in this spell and then things evened up a bit.  

Atkinson always looked dangerous on and off the ball, and Pearce was having
difficulty keeping goal side of him.  Saunders missed a couple of chances
in the second half, which Wednesday finished with a flurry of corners and
attacks, but nothing came of them.  The crowd really got behind Wednesday
at this point and the atmosphere was good.

Des Walker had a very good game and looks to have got much better since
the Celtic game.  He won nearly everything in the air, was quick on his feet,
and managed to win the ball in tackles on many occasions.  Pearce had an
Ok debut - he's definitely your big, heave-ho type of defender.  But that
can be good at times, but other times he'd just boot the ball away when there
was a pass available.  Still, he's good in the air and should settle down
well.  Where this leaves club captain Pearson ???

Woods had his usual sort of game, making world class saves one minute, then
not coming for a ball as Roland shepherded it back to him with a Villa
player breathing down his neck, and we just clear the ball.  You'd think
after two years he's know his defence by now.

Bright came on with 5 mins to go, and as usual held the ball up well and
distributed it to others, but you can't tell much in 5 minutes.  My man
of the match was Graham Hyde who had an outstanding first half, and never
stopped running, as Carlton did also.  Midfield places are going to be
hard to come by, especially if Kings keeps the left back place.  Contrary
to what Paul said, I think King had an OK game, but think that long-term
Worthington must take the left back spot to free up the left side of
midfield for whoever plays there, maybe not Sinton.

For the Arsenal game I'd start Bright and Warhurst up front and put Hirst on
the bench.  This may give him the incentive to get his place back by being
more committed.


Prospects:  On this form, with Waddle missing and the defence just getting
to know each other, I reckon we should be there or there abouts come the
end of the season for the championship.