Villa (A) build up

[Lycan]

Snitches get stitches.

Last nights win takes the pressure off us massively so realistically id settle for a draw and a good performance to maintain the 10 point gap but my God it would be good to do the double over these scabs.

Ruddy

Batth Coady Boly

Doherty Saïss Neves Douglas

Cavaleiro Bonatini Jota

SUBS: Norris, Bennett, Miranda, N'Daiye, Gibbs-White, Afobe, Costa

Harsh on Alfie but Neves just has to play. Apart from missing the 1v1 Leo played well last night so I'd start him again, get Helder & Benik on to run at tired legs with half an hour to go. Would prefer Bennett to Batth but there's no way Nuno drops Batth after one game where Danny played really well.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I’ll trust Nuno. Only position up for debate is CM though, rest picks itself. Saiss is certainly more solid defensively and probably more reliable in possession,but Ndiaye offers a bit of pace, power and drive against a pedestrian Villa midfield. Depends which way Nuno wants to go.

 

[Lycan]

Who have Villa been playing in midfield? Whelan and the Icelandic guy?

 

[Siggy]

Alf stays in for me, one because its a derby and his physicality will be important, also because he was the better of the 2 last night despite the goal from Saiss. I would also bring Afobe in I think with Villas lack of pace at the back Afobe will cause them all sorts of problems otherwise everything else the same.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Whelan is out. It'll be Jedinak and Hourihane probably.

I hate their weirdo grass of an owner and sheepheaded manager, I hope we thump them.

 

[lemonjelly]

Just posted this on the verdict thread:

Neves has to come back in for me. It is a nonsense for anyone to suggest he shouldn't start. He's far and away the best player in the division, and can control games. Alf can have a rest, and maybe we can rest Saiss in the Reading game. When is the yellow card amnesty, as Saiss might make it?

Essentially, agree with Lycan.

 

[lemonjelly]

In addition, I really want to beat them to shut my old man up, as the past couple of weeks he's inferred they're coming after us.
To be able to go 13 points clear of them saturday would be immense, and a proper statement imo.

 

[Kenny]

Neves in for Alf. He had a good game last night but has been hit and miss in his spell covering Saiss and then Neves.

On the yellow card - I think it is after the Reading game (FT on the 37th game of the season is the cut off I think). It was meant to be the Villa game but the snow ruined that

 

[Langers]

Same team as Lycan for me as well. Leo played well and didn't do much wrong with his 1 v 1, the keeper made a very good save. But his link up play was excellent. Him, Cav and Jota should give Terry and Chester a torrid time.

CM is a tricky one and although N'Diaye was excellent, I think we need our strongest pairing and you simply can't leave out the best player in the league.

Despite my previous comments on Villa where I said I wouldn't be too upset if they finished 2nd, they can fuck off now. The comments made in the media about us have been disgraceful - this week's bullshit has been the final straw for me - so fuck 'em. I'd love us to beat these - if we do, they're not going to bridge a 13 point gap with 10 games remaining so it's a massive game. I'd take any sort of win, a flukey 1-0 having been battered all game, a repeat of the game at Molineux, a repeat of last night, I don't care.

I think Nuno is going to get them really fired up for it.

 

[playtheace]

Nicked off somewhere else.


"Dr Xia are you listening?
To the song that were singing
We're so fucking rich
So fuck off you snitch
Walking in a fosun wonderland"

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Nicked off somewhere else.


"Dr Xia are you listening?
To the song that were singing
We're so $#@!ing rich
So $#@! off you snitch
Walking in a fosun wonderland"

In the morning we will be promoted
Baggies and the Blues are going down
Villa getting beaten in the playoffs
ABSOLUTE DELIGHT FOR ALL AROUND

Repeat chorus!

Couldnt help myself sorry!

 

[Johnny75]

Whelan is out. It'll be Jedinak and Hourihane probably.

I hate their weirdo grass of an owner and sheepheaded manager, I hope we thump them.

1 (G) S Johnstone
3 (D) N Taylor
5 (D) J Chester
26 (D) J Terry
27 (D) A Elmohamady
6 (M) G Whelan (60) Jedinak
7 (M) R Snodgrass
14 (M) C Hourihane
37 (M) A Adomah
9 (F) S Hogan (67) Grealish
45 (F) L Grabban (76) Bjarnisson

Straight 4-4-2 to start with Grealish coming on for Hogan and going just behind Grabban. Hourihane and Whelan in midfield to start, Whelan got injured and Jedinak came on. I would think Neves and Saiss would dominate a midfield with Jedinak and Hourihane in it. And Steve Bruce went 4-6-0 after 76 minutes by bringing on a midfielder for his last forward.

 

[Norman Deeley]

I'll be in a minority of one here but I'd play Bennett over Batth. I think he's just a better defender and Coady is 10 x the captain. Batth didn't do much wrong last night but just seems to have a calamitous error or a penalty in him. Midfield? Whatever Nuno decides. But the thought of Neves and Alf - and now even Willy Boly - stroking these 40/50 yards passes around is just unreal. There was one last night where Boly had it in the LB position and pinged a pass about 60 yards out to Doherty. Awesome.

 

[Lycan]

On Léo's 1v1, it was a good save but he misses the chance with his first touch. He should've let the ball run across his body, by taking it the way he did he allowed the keeper to rush out and narrow the angle.

 

[jd1981]

As I’ve said on another thread pressure is all on Villa this one for them starts to become must win especially in the probability that Cardiff will 7 points clear of them come kick off.
Ends a draw thank you very much the gap is still 10 points.

 

[Johnny75]

On Léo's 1v1, it was a good save but he misses the chance with his first touch. He should've let the ball run across his body, by taking it the way he did he allowed the keeper to rush out and narrow the angle.

To be fair to Leo the ball is into his feet and at the speed they were all moving he had to adjust to get the ball out of his feet and couldn't let it run across his body without stopping. I thought the pass should've been further in front so he could have hit it first time.

 

[Langers]

I'll be in a minority of one here but I'd play Bennett over Batth. I think he's just a better defender and Coady is 10 x the captain. Batth didn't do much wrong last night but just seems to have a calamitous error or a penalty in him.

I wonder if part of the reason why he was brought back was for some extra leadership skills? I noticed how well him and Coady were communicating with the rest of the team - after some lacklustre displays at the back, it was good to see us looking relatively untroubled.

I don't think the last line here is fair though TBH. Although I agree that Coady is a better leader. Batth had a very good steady game, the shirt is his now as far as I'm concerned. If he fails to maintain those standards, Bennett (or Miranda) are waiting in the wings. With Batth, I get the feeling that there is a section of our fan base waiting for him to make an error.

As I’ve said on another thread pressure is all on Villa this one for them starts to become must win especially in the probability that Cardiff will 7 points clear of them come kick off.
Ends a draw thank you very much the gap is still 10 points.

I certainly don't think Villa can take the same approach on Saturday as they did at Molineux and as long as we play well, it could benefit us. We looked really good on the counter attack and our pace up top should cause their back line plenty of problems. I don't think Villa are as good as Fulham, and I don't think we'll play as poorly as we did at Craven Cottage either. Should be an exciting game and you're right - they can't afford to sit back and take a point, especially if Cardiff win earlier in the day.

 

[Langers]

On Léo's 1v1, it was a good save but he misses the chance with his first touch. He should've let the ball run across his body, by taking it the way he did he allowed the keeper to rush out and narrow the angle.

I think it was a decent attempt at a finish but the keeper read it brilliantly. Leo was unlucky - it was a better attempt than Jota's very easy chance from Doherty's excellent low cross.

 

[Norman Deeley]

I wonder if part of the reason why he was brought back was for some extra leadership skills? I noticed how well him and Coady were communicating with the rest of the team - after some lacklustre displays at the back, it was good to see us looking relatively untroubled.

I don't think the last line here is fair though TBH. Although I agree that Coady is a better leader. Batth had a very good steady game, the shirt is his now as far as I'm concerned. If he fails to maintain those standards, Bennett (or Miranda) are waiting in the wings. With Batth, I get the feeling that there is a section of our fan base waiting for him to make an error.



I certainly don't think Villa can take the same approach on Saturday as they did at Molineux and as long as we play well, it could benefit us. We looked really good on the counter attack and our pace up top should cause their back line plenty of problems. I don't think Villa are as good as Fulham, and I don't think we'll play as poorly as we did at Craven Cottage either. Should be an exciting game and you're right - they can't afford to sit back and take a point, especially if Cardiff win earlier in the day.

Yes, on reflection you might well be right on Batth being brought in for that reason. Him and Coady were very much a pair last night. Deep in conversation before the game, warmed up together as well

 

[playtheace]

I don't think Villa are as good as Fulham, and I don't think we'll play as poorly as we did at Craven Cottage either.

Hell NO!...i said it before but go back and watch the 10 minute highlights of Fulham v Villa and then re-evaluate our Fulham Performance.
Villa got battered in the 2nd half by Fulham and how it wasnt 5 or 6 was the only surprise.

On last nights performance, we still seem to be a bit hesitant to fucking leather the thing, not saying we are still trying to walk it into the net but
sometimes lets take that shot and not look for another pass.

Thought Leo played well last night, when he came deep his touch was fine but it seemed to desert him infront of goal.The shape is so much better with him and Jota next to each other though.