Villa blogger Dave Bytheway mulls over the disappointment of Newcastle and the need for fresh faces ahead of the big UEFA Cup test in Prague tonight.

Its been a strange kind of week at B6, highlighted at both ends of the emotional spectrum.

Last Wednesday we beat a weaker-than-last season Blackburn side with what I felt was considerable ease, so we went up to Newcastle deservedly high in confidence.

I felt in the first half hour at St James’ Park, we looked as good as we have done this season, but we failed to convert the chances we created.

As the game went on, we just weakened and weakened, something that is pretty new to the Martin O’Neill era. The main thing I can put it down to is the loss of our player of the season so far, Stiliyan ‘Stan’ Petrov.

Without him, Gareth Barry and Nigel Reo-Coker, Villa looked way out of their depth and the link between defence and attack was clearly missing.

Every time the ball reached John Carew or Gabby Agbonlahor there was a huge gap behind them and in front of the midfield, meaning the ball just ended up back with Newcastle and them launching another attack.

Whilst I dont deny we were poor and didn’t deserve anything from the game, I also feel that Newcastle were equally as bad, with only two good strikes from Obafemi Martins proving the difference.

This has to just go down as experience and we have to move on instantly.

Only three days after playing in the North East, we head even further east to the Czech Repuplic for tonight’s game against Slavia Prague in the UEFA Cup.

Some fans I know went over on Tuesday morning and reports from over there is that everyone is in good spirits, with the locals and travelling Villa army all in good harmony.

I’ve been looking forward to a proper European away test for a while, so with Slavia sitting at the top of their league this should prove to be hard.

I feel after Monday’s lacklustre performance, we will get back to winning ways and come out with a 2-1 win.

If he can score, then Carew will no doubt put the UEFA Cup draw to good use and sample some of the adult entertainment on offer in Prague – to see how it compares to Broad Street. Only joking John!

On a more serious note, we are edging closer and closer to more fixture congestion. If we can actually get any more games in that is and our squad is starting to look pretty thin again.

When January arrives, O’Neill surely this time has his targets lined up by now, and won’t wait until the 31st again to sign an unknown midfielder from Togo.

We need reinforcements up front and its really obvious when we can only field two fit strikers at the moment.

I would love to see Reading’s Kevin Doyle or Wigan’s Emile Heskey here early next year, to give us a few more options.

I’m off for another Budvar! Up the Villa!