Old boy urge to ruffle feathers

Steve Sidwell goes back to his old club Arsenal with the message to his Villa team-mates: 'Let's ruffle a few feathers.'

While the Gunners pulled off a stunning victory over Manchester United last weekend, defeats to Fulham, Hull and Stoke have exposed their soft underbelly.

The loss to Stoke particularly riled boss Arsene Wenger, who accused the Potters' players of deliberately setting out to injure his players. Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and Bacary Sagna all suffered injuries as a result of challenges.

Sidwell, who was a Gunner from the age of nine to 20 before joining Reading to gain first-team football, insists that should not deter Villa from adopting an aggressive approach.

He said: "I don't think you can go to Arsenal and say 'right, we'll come and play you at your game.'

"We are a good footballing side, there is no doubt about that, but to go there and play them off the pitch at their own stadium is going to be a tough ask.

"Whatever means it takes to win the game then we have to take it. If that means ruffling a few feathers in the first five or 10 minutes then so be it. It has worked for other clubs."

The midfielder rejected suggestions he could suffer stagefright, after last week's mistake against Middlesbrough. He believes Villa can be satisfied, if they leave the Emirates with a point for a third successive season.

Sidwell said: "I won't treat the game any differently. It's just a matter of trying not to let it affect me. I'm sure it won't, because I'm a strong character.

"I've always been a believer that if you get knocked down, then you come back stronger and learn from your mistakes. I'll go into the game full of confidence.

"We have got to go there and be resilient. First of all we have to go there and try to win, but even if we got a draw it would be fantastic.

"They haven't won anything for a while, so that is why they are going to be hungry enough to get something from every game to try and get some silverware. They are very talented."