THOSE callers to Danny Baker’s 6.06 radio show who demand more honesty from players and managers need look no further than Shaun Teale.

Villa s bargain buy central defender, brought up on the bread and butter of non League football, gives it to you straight.

And even if his blunt verdict is not printable in a family newspaper, he was spot on with his assessment of Villa's shocking performance at the City Ground.

When asked to elaborate on his one word appraisal, roughly interpreted as “rubbish”. Teale added that Villa were not tight enough at the back, didn’t make enough challenges in midfield and didn’t capitalise on the chances that came their way.

No-one could argue with that. least of all manager Ron Atkinson. who skipped the journey to Nottingham to pursue his search for a new striker.

Atkinson could hardly have chosen a better match to miss. Everything Teale said was painfully accurate.

At a stage of the season when Villa could afford to express their talents without inhibition, they were almost totally outclassed by a Forest side still coming to terms with their Rumbelows League Cup final disappointment.

Villa were a shadow of the team who scored five at Tottenham two weeks ago and who followed that result up with a morale-boosting victory over Liverpool.

Villa never got to grips with the home side's slick passing and movement off the ball and their own distribution was more akin to a parks pitch than a match which will next season be played under the grand banner of the Premier League.

Paul McGrath did his best to stem the Forest flow, while skipper Kevin Richardson produced an admirable midfield workload, but otherwise there was little to commend Villa.

True, the windy conditions were not conducive to attractive football. but Cloughie's boys didn't seem too perturbed about the elements as Forest stroked the ball around with consummate ease.

As Teale will readily confess, the truth can hurt. Hopefully his colleagues will be equally honest with themselves.