There really isn't much going on at the moment and when you've got to start a post with the words 'new contract for Petrov', you know you're in trouble.

Don't get me wrong, I like Petrov, but we've got six other central midfielders and for all the money he has been paid, for all the money he cost and then factor in that 29 years old - I'd not give him another two million (conservative guess) quid to potentially get another ten games good performances in two years.

James Milner scored a penalty after Muamba was 'fouled' (I'm not sure it was a foul) as he went to score from a Gabby cross.

Gabby, the Man of the Match, played despite having a stomach bug and added a second in the 63rd minute before being subbed 13 minutes later for Frazier Campbell.

Since we reported the Daily Mirror 'exclusive' about MON chasing Joey Barton, the rumour has not gone away.

Several 'news' agencies have reported over the last few days that we are going to go back in for him as a long-term replacement for GB.

There is a great moment in the children's classic movie which reminds me of the situation increasingly faced by Premier League managers.
 
Wicked Baron Bombast, wealthy and powerful, has managed to get his hands on the legendary flying car. Grandpa Potts, mistaken for the inventor Caractacus, has been kidnapped and ordered to "make it fly". The consequences for his not being able to do so are gruesome.

First, apologies to Carlos, but this is coming from my phone and it's too much hassle to look up the actual spelling of his surname, but he's mentioned becasue he played, along with Steve Sidwell for ninety minutes last night.

Now, if my reckoning is correct, I can see Sidwell and Carlos playing a lot of games for us this season and as Andy suggested yesterday, I could see Martin O'Neill playing five in the middle to accomodate Barry and Sidwell. It's all good.

So the transfer window went quietly by for Villa and even though I was hopeful that Dean Ashton might be upgrading his claret and blue shirt I am not too disappointed.

Generally our squad has been improved during the last two months and with Gareth still there I am feeling confident. The only shortage seems to be with the strikers and it is interesting that Martin O’Neill states on the Official Website that he is looking to give Nathan Delfouneso some games.

It still leaves us with only four recognised strikers and an injury to either Carew or Gabby would leave us very thin on the ground. However, I think Martin is thinking more about five in midfield and only one up front.

Silly season is finally over and we can now get down to the nitty gritty of supporting the greatest football club in the land; the football.

But it would be remiss of me to not start a discussion about the squad or at the very least look at what we finished with last season and what we have now. So in a time honoured fashion, I'm going to look at where we are and where we can hope to finish this season and not for the first time this year.

Okay, the title is slightly misleading as I'm taking a cheeky swipe at Man City. They've been bought by mega-rich Arabs who have already made bids for Berbatov, Villa, Robinho and Gomez.

But how bizarre would it be if they bid for Barry? They will happily pay our £18m if they wanted him but whether he would go is a different question. I doubt it, but money talks and it would tell us more about Barry than this whole saga has before.