Meh, I'd like to call Benitez pathetic but he does have a lot of injuries, however, he didn't have to sell Keane did he. AS I said after the last game it took a whole 50 hours(and what 45mins of football) to see what a massive mistake that was. A injury prone Torres whose missed a lot of the season and has no form to speak of being the only "real" striker at the club.
But even then surely they have someone better than playing an out and out defender in midfield, if not, why not. Maybe he shouldn't have ditched Pennant aswell, he basically handed the title away when ditching two players with mostly no replacements.
As for Villa, they dominated the game today, yes Blackburn had a few chances, the penalty appeals were poop to be honest, and Villa should have had another 3-4 goals at least in the game but were very good. As I've been saying since about 2 weeks into the season, I don't see them as contenders for only the 4th place spot at all. They are title contenders and have Bouma to come back aswell which will only strengthen them aswell as Carew just getting back. Winning it isn't that likely, but with WH a bogey club for Man U, end of the weekend they could be only 2 points off the top with really the only side to increase in strength/depth, with 2 first teamers back from injury and a new signing.
Starting to think it will end up as Man u, Villa, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea this year, mostly because Arsenal have goals, Chelsea have lost theres with afaik, none of their injured players to come back before the end of the season while Arsenal could have 4 first teamers back in the action, Eduardo, Theo, Fabregas, and Rosicky............. well he has a 1 in 100 chance.