Holiday Hiatus. Villa v. Arsenal, 27 November 2010, 7:45 a.m. EST

After a dire game at Ewood Park that Blackburn won, Villa return home to face Arsenal this weekend.  Yours truly will be up in New York, but anyone interested in watching the match can find it on live at Fado starting at 7:45 a.m. EST.

Villa will be without Marc Albrighton, who missed last week's match due to appendicitis, as well as Petrov, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Cuellar, Delph, Gary Gardner and Emile Heskey.  Possibly returning from injury are John Carew and James Collins.

Bienvenue, Robert: Blackburn v. Villa, 21 November (8:30 a.m. EST)

What's youth without some strong mentorship?

Well, we almost had 'em.  With the central midfield injury crisis mandating that Houllier select Jonathan Hogg alongside Barry Bannan in central midfield, Aston Villa put in their best 80 minutes in quite some time, trotting out to a 2-nil lead against Manchester United as Marc Albrighton terrorized one of the best left-backs in the game, Patrice Evra.  Unfortunately, United clawed back through Kiko Macheda and Nemanja Vidic to earn the point, and though Villans like you and me may rue the dropped points, we can take heart in the way the team, and especially the younger players, performed.

What remains to be seen is if that particular show can be taken on the road.  Villa will test that at Blackburn on Sunday-  with new signing Robert Pires likely to be unveiled to the visiting crowd on the subs bench for Villa, wearing the number 8 shirt.  The World Cup, EPL, and FA Cup winners' medal holder was added today on a free transfer.  Villa's last time at Blackburn was Houllier's first game in charge for the Carling Cup, and Villa responded with a 3-1 victory.

Villa's injury list will look familiar- Carew, Heskey, Sidwell, Petrov, Reo-Coker, and Cuellar are all likely misses, and Richard Dunne and Ciaran Clark are doubtful with knee and calf injuries, and both will miss Ireland's international friendly match against Norway tomorrow. James Collins was also just added to the doubtful list after picking up a calf injury in training. In other international news, Gabby Agbonlahor will miss England's match against France, but Stephen Warnock and Ashley Young will be in the squad, while Marc Albrighton and Nathan Delfouneso will play for the England u21's against Germany.  Barry Bannan will make his Scotland senior debut against the Faroe Islands.

 For Sunday's match, The Capital Villans will be at Fado for kickoff at 8:30 a.m. EST.  See you there!

Blackpool Blackout and Early Risers: Villa v. Blackpool, November 10, and Villa v. ManUre, November 13

More goals to come from Super Marc?
Time will tell. . . 

Despite dropping points with the last kick of the game via Brede Hangeland's crushing equalizer at the Cottage, Aston Villa got a boost from the emergences of Villa Academy products Ciaran Clark and Barry Bannan, the former filling in ably for a newly injured Nigel Reo-Coker, the latter producing a beautiful cross-field pass to set up Marc Albrighton's opening tally.

Also a boost will be the fact that Gabby Agbonlahor will return to senior team action for tomorrow's home tilt with Blackpool.  Gabby starts the game against the newly-promoted northwest coast side on the bench, with the aforementioned Bannan likely to start against his former loan employers.  Steve Sidwell and Nigel Reo-Coker are new additions to the injury list, with The Ginger Ghost undergoing Achilles tendon surgery, and NRC suffering a knee injury in the early stages of Saturday's match.  They join John Carew (calf/disgruntledness), Emile Heskey (knee), Stiliyan Petrov (knee), and Fabian Delph (knee) among those unavailable for tomorrow's clash.  The match will be on at 2:45 p.m. EST; no place in DC is showing it, so consult your Interweb for a potential stream.

Villa also welcome Manchester United to Villa Park at the weekend; The Red Devils will be coming to B6 fresh off of the Manchester Derby, and have a few of their own injury woes.  Wayne Rooney (ankle, pride), Antonio Valencia (ankle), Michael Owen (hamstring, general Michael Owen-ness), and Owen Hargreaves (hamstring) are all likely misses.  Villa should see the full return of Agbonlahor, who delivered the game winner at Old Trafford last season.  The match kicks off at 7:45 a.m. EST; Fado will be showing it.

In Youth There Be Truth. . . And Hopefully Goals. Fulham v. Villa, November 6

First Premier League start?  At the Cottage?
EYYYYYY. . . No Problem

After a dire derby draw that saw Villa's promising center back prospect Ciaran Clark deputizing quite ably as a defensive midfielder, a fiery fracas between newly minted captain Nigel Reo-Coker and former Villan Craig Gardner, but no joy from the forward line, Villa travel to Craven Cottage in Southwest London to take on Fulham, who have only won 3 of the last 18 EPL meetings with Villa.

Villa come in with a fresh raft of injury woes.  Gabby Agbonlahor remains out after only returning this week to light training following groin surgery, Emile Heskey has been ruled out for the next month with a medial ligament strain in his knee, Stiliyan Petrov will miss until January with a knee injury, and John Carew was just shelved today with a calf muscle tear.

All of which means that Nathan Delfouneso will make his first Premier League start for the Villans as the squad's only fit senior striker.   The Fonz scored his first league goal last season as a late substitution against Portsmouth, but has failed to press Agbonlahor, Heskey and Carew for a starting slot since.  However, the youngster's eye for goal, coupled with the returns from illness and suspension, respectively, for Steve Sidwell and Marc Albrighton, should lead to Villa breaking their three game goalless streak.

The Capital Villans will be taking in the match at the Elephant and Castle on 19th and I at 11:00 a.m. EST.  Come join us!