This team is shredding my nerves. Just last week, I was feeling pretty good despite consecutive 4-0 maulings at the hands of Chelsea, because hidden in the wreckage was a solid 45 minutes. Unfortunately all that has evaporated with this capitulation. It was a spineless performance.

I had thought that Villa were there for the taking. I know that Bolton have been dismal at Villa Park recently, but I thought that there was a chance for a result this time. After all, Villa had struggled against West Ham in an odd midweek game and their form had dipped after they beat Chelsea last month.

But what do I know? Bolton were inadequate and Villa simply had their way with them. It was a shameful performance, a grim reminder of the unrest that bubbled to the surface after that unsatisfactory home performance against Stoke in September.

In the last ten days, Bolton have lost 13-1 on aggregate, and I'm left wondering if the relief provided by some good performances - two wins and a draw from four tough games - was a mirage. I thought that Bolton had finally turned a corner under Gary Megson, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was a blip.

If it was a blip or a hiccup or whatever, where does that leave Megson and that noisy portion of the fans that remain to be convinced by him? Probably right where we were after the Stoke game.