BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Meek Villa can finally deliver a thumping

I REMEMBER as a kid I had a rabbit as a pet. Decent enough company for a while until it got ill. We all thought it was going on its last legs but every now and then it would show heart-warming signs of life before going all limp and pathetic again. And then it finally pegged it.

Which brings us neatly on to Aston Villa's performance at the weekend.

Villa were a metaphor for that poor little bunny. They went into it seemingly at death's door, bravely fought off their sickness for 45 excellent minutes of combat with West Brom, before meekly giving up once more with a late capitulation.

In the bottom three one minute, out of it the next. Death's finger pointing at them one minute, then picking its nose and flicking the bogies towards Reading the next.

In fact their whole season has been a cocktail of trips to the vet punctuated with the occasional chance to enjoy a carrot and a bit of lettuce. Hmm, I think this rabbit metaphor has gone too far.

Anyway, I'm taking them to make it to Wembley by delivering a thumping to Bradford. This is an absolute job-definer for Paul Lambert and there'll be no midfield keep-ball nonsense from the Scot, just a barrage of balls forward for the likes of Benteke and Agbonlahor to have fun with.

Even the meekest rabbit can deliver a lethal kick when it's this badly threatened.