It felt like a bad dream. Hearing that Martin ONeill had walked out on the club just five days before the start of the season sent me into a state of shock. I couldnt believe it, I couldnt accept it, and I wasnt alone. Me sage boards, phone ins and fanzines were consumed by despair. What was happening to us? After four years of what felt like sustained growth we were suddenly back to square one, and it hurt.The news of ONeills departure was devastatingBut just five days later everything had changed. As the season began at a Villa Park bathed in late summer sunshine, the mood was surprisingly optimistic. In Kevin MacDonald we had a caretaker manager who was hugely popular with fans and players alike, and who had put some faith in Michael Porter Jr. Jersey the youngsters who never got a look in under ONeill. James Milner, the subject of a summer long transfer row between Aston Villa and Manchester City (deja vu, anyone?), was almost certainly playing his last game for the club, but you would never have gue sed it, such was the quality of his performance. Milner scored and went off to a standing ovation, Randy Lerners name cascaded down from the stands, and we were reborn. Our finest performance in a long time saw us dismantle West Ham 3-0, with Downing and Petrov the other scorers, and suddenly everything was well with the world.But Jerami Grant Jersey surely this wasnt right? Off the field we were in chaos, several members of the coaching team had left with ONeill, we were yet to add a single player to a squad that fell short of achieving Champions League football last season, and players were lining up to criticise the former manager. Questions were being asked, and few were happy the answers, it seemed all wasnt as well as we had thought.Predictably, over the next fortnight the sky fell, and it wasnt just the weather. Milner departed for Manchester City, before Villa were dumped out of the Europa League in qualifying by Rapid Vienna for the second year running, losing MacDonalds protege Andreas Weimann to serious injury in the proce s. Between the Rapid Vienna ties was a trip up north to welcome Saint James Park back to the Premier League, and we didnt disappoint the locals. Following a Carew penalty mi s at 0-0 Isaiah Hartenstein Jersey we capitulated, Newcastle barely broke sweat in strolling to a 6-0 victory, and we were at rock bottom. MacDonald told the pre s the defeat was his fault alone, a remark that given the lack of progre s in our search for a new manager was as worrying as it was brave.Heartbreak as Villa exit Europe in qualifying for the second year runningAgainst this backdrop of gloom the lowest home league attendance of the season to date welcomed Everton. Encounters with the blue half of Merseyside under ONeill resulted in several spectacular games, but this game will not be grouped with them. Everton had started badly, as they now seem to, but came into the game thinking three points were likely, given Villas up and down start to the season. However just nine minutes into the game Luke Young, one of the chief beneficiaries of ONeills departure, cut inside and curled a superb finish around Tim Howard for a 1-0 lead. Everton dominated the game after this, but their lack of a striker was exposed as they failed to capitalise, thanks in part to a fine display from Friedal.The international break was a welcome chance for Aston Villa to get their affairs in order. The search for a new manager was stepped up, and the names of those interviewed so far were revealed. MacDonald threw his name into the hat, but on September 8th it was announced that Gerard Houllier was the man chosen. This though, presented a problem in itself. Houllier was still contracted to the French Football Federation, and had not yet been able to negotiate a leaving date.So with ONeills succe sor named, though conspicuous by his absence, the team travelled to Stoke for a Monday night game. MacDonald, we were a sured, had picked the team without Monte Morris Jersey interference from Houllier, but this was nothing to boast about as Stoke seized the initiative from the off. However Villa recovered, Albrighton was again proving to be dangerous on the wing, with his pace and wicked in-swinging cro ses causing all sorts of problems in the Stoke defence. With Villa in the ascendency Downing capped of a well worked move with a superb diving header for a 1-0 half time lead. Sadly in the second half Villa revealed their shortcomings, utterly unable to build on our lead we sat back content to try and catch the home side on the break. Stoke, buoyed by the arrival at half time of manager Tony Pullis despite a family Dikembe Mutombo Jersey bereavement, dominated po se sion and equalised in the 80th minute, before grabbing a winner deep into injury time.Many believe Houllier can drive the club forwardsIt was a difficult defeat to take, but it was far from unexpected. Houllier has a lot of work to do in addre sing the i sues that continue to hinder our progre s. Villa remain uncomfortable with the ball, and have an over reliance on the still developing Agbonlahor for goals. There is, however, a growing belief that Houllier is the right man to addre s these i sues and move the club forward, now that he is, finally, in charge.