I don't know whether to be optimistic or pessimistic.

On the one hand, after two back-to-back reasonably decent displays, we see an abject shambles (I won't dignify what happened with the word performance), the likes which we have seen far too often this season. I predicted this game would end in a two-nil defeat a couple of weeks ago so I was four goals out and we've still got Arsenal to come along and give us a footballing lesson.

On the other hand, there are encouraging noises from behind the scenes: the appointment of scouts for various parts of the world to help us find some decent players at a reasonable price, the link-up with Dutch club Utrecht, the change of direction at the Academy, the promises about new players, and of course, the season tickets being renewed.

So, what's it to be? Pessimism or optimism?

Well, let's be fair – Villa have been steadily building up ever since Lerner arrived with his dosh and a lack of noise that emanates at other clubs with American ownership, and coupled with one of the most astute managers in recent times, O'Neill, and spending of around £40 million in the last 12 months, it's no surprise that they were just too good for us. Hard when it matters, pacy up front, and tactically aware, they are deservedly getting close to a coveted place in Europe.

We are none of those things. We have a tired back four, a team that doesn't know how to pass to each other, a losing mentality and a manager who has had his hands tied by the mistakes of the previous one, and you can just about predict that this was a no-brainer.

But, we do have three lots of money - American money, Parachute money and season ticket sales. Any one on its own would be enough to give most teams some optimism for next season. Ask any fan from other Championship teams if they would swop their scarves for that kind of moolah and most would willingly give their grandmothers away.

Now that we are getting some sort of structure in place - although I have to ask why didn't we have scouts before or was Craig Brown that incompetent? And for a team with Premiership aspirations, why didn't we have hook-ups with other foreign teams like most of the rest? It's not rocket science, but perhaps it does demonstrate how badly run we were as a club. And so I am inclined to some sort of optimism - but should PJ fail to get any semblance of a decent first team before Christmas, then that optimism will melt away faster than my ice cream in my microwave.

Photo: Action Images

Derby County Polls