Sheriff Kimbo's Thursday Thoughts #7

With me being a Villa fan, the big event this week was the Manchester City game. The fact that we didn't play brilliantly, coupled in with some questionable tactics made the fact that ultimately we got a fairly comfortable draw with a team that is now apparently strides ahead of us (according to the media and their own fans, as well as some of our own) quite pleasing.

What I didn't find pleasing was the booing of Gareth Barry. Barry will know that it's the vocal minority that booed him. But I still thought the treatment of a player who consistently gave us his best for 12 years was absolutely out of order. I won't pretend that I haven't been hurt over certain things to do with Barry leaving (the, "I left to guarantee my England place" comment I found particularly galling) but ultimately, this man gave us a hell of a lot and I think the fan that booed should be more thankful for what he did in a Villa shirt for over a decade.

An international break awaits us. *YAWN*. There will undoubtedly be lots of talk about Jermain Defoe/Emile Heskey yet again. Personally I would play Agbonlahor but I am biased... (Yes, I am aware that Heskey is also a Villa player). I have said on many occasions to many different people that the reason Heskey gets picked over Defoe is that while Defoe is undoubtedly a better goal scorer, he offers nothing else to the team and when he doesn't score, we may as well be playing with ten players. Say what you like about Heskey but the fact is that he follows the ball across the line, he DOES help the likes of Rooney and Gerrard to play, and ultimately if Fabio Capello can see this then who are any of us to argue? The bloke has one heck of a record in football, he has an England side that qualified by winning every game and with games to spare, and yet people still want to tell him how to do his job. Brilliant! Put it this way; Defoe is a top class finisher. But there are very big reasons why none of the top 4 will go anywhere near him.

I will not be watching the game against Ukraine due to the fact that it is on the internet. Sure, it is cheaper than going the pub but I wont be doing that either. We have already qualified and I am quite open about the fact that international football is not really something I feel that passionate about anymore anyway. I may watch the U-21's, as that is free. To me, the fact that this game is being covered in this way is just another reason that modern day football winds me the hell up. Chris has already covered the reasons why the whole saga is a short-sighted experiment in a very good article on this very site and rather than me rehash what he wrote, just scroll down and read it you lazy buggers!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Old Firm clash on Sunday; possibly because if I have any loyalty it is to Rangers. If you're really interested you can ask me why but I won't go into too much detail because, well, I think it's not that interesting! But it was a proper game, I thought it was quite well refereed and there wasn't really any of that rolling-around-on-the-floor-like-I've-been-shot malarkey. Celtic were denied a clear penalty before they actually got the one they scored from, which was a bit of a theme this weekend. Ask the Wolves fans!

Right, have a good week everybody. I'll be back next Thursday with more irrelevant drivel to waste some space on this otherwise fine website!