WakefieldVillan

Very difficult line up to predict with Chelsea a few days later and ultimately 4 games in 10 days. I think start strong however and hopefully if we are comfortable, make the changes HT or aroud the hour mark. Martinez Cash Konsa Pau Digne McGinn Tielemans Luiz Zaniolo Diaby Watkins Subs: Moreno for Digne Bailey for Diaby Kamara for Luiz Duran for Watkins Dendoncker for McGinn Going for 1-3 Villa, then re-assess everyone's fitness for Chelsea.

Hopefully Guehi doesn't make it for them, it would help our cause - Having said that, we have a good record against this lot at VP, so hopefully that continues. I don't think they will come out all guns blazing, which probably suits us. Keep Eze quiet (no mean feat) then I think we might have too much for them. 2-1 Watkins, Diaby

Martinez Cash...... Konsa...... Torres....... Digne JPG.... Kamara.... Luiz..... McGinn Diaby...... Watkins Most of that lot owe us, I think (hope) they will up for it and we will get a win (and a good performance). I don't see wholesale changes, Mings injury a sickener, but chance for Pau to show his class. Coutinho / Tielemans on the hour if we need a spark from elsewhere. 3-1 Villa!.

I think we have the better "footballers" but they have the physicality (has that been mentioned yet?! ) A combined team would be hard to do, but here's mine. Martinez. Trippier. Schar. Botman. Moreno. Guimaraes. Kamara. Joelinton. McGinn. Watkins. Wilson. Not much between many of the players though! I'd take a point. UTV

Bailey was dire the other night and for a while now, he gives away possession way too much. I'd much rather a confident Traore start over Leon. But hopefully Kamara back fit is the best option. I think we're OK with Ashley Young starting, he did well the other night despite their (really good) goal. On paper, this is easier than Leicester away. Doesn't mean it's a gimme but one we should be winning. 3-0.

Felt confident all week. Saw our team, thought, I'd take a point. Saw theirs, thought, nah, we can take 3. I'm thinking a low scoring game now (completely changing my tune ) 1-0 or 0-1

I'd stick with the same eleven that started the game against Arsenal. Match them for work rate and then let the football do the talking. I think we will win. Either 1-3 or 2-3. Depending on our defending from set-pieces.

Made every team so far, but hardly surprising I'm guessing it's not just our fan base that think he's a total word removed!!

Pickford Ayling Mee Martinez Trippier Fernandes McTominay Thiago Vardy Kane Salah Subs: Cody, Ayling, Antony, Azpilicueta, Bamford, Richarlison, Guimaraes. Manager: Pep (followed closely by Klopp / Rogers)

Update on the above - Christmas was tough, really thought I was losing my dad (as you can see in the post above) - Thankfully he pulled through. He's now in a care home and much better than he was though now the dementia seems to be kicking in I wasn't ready to lose him so suddenly but now I am worried that I am going to watch him deteriorate like my mum which is equally as painful. No happy ending (KM) with this one - but hopefully he can be pain free for as long as possible and one day be reunited with my mum (I have to believe that this will happen to get me through). Thoughts with everyone that's gone through or going through the same kind of situation. Life eh! UTV

Hope so mate Looking back at the Man Utd game which you rightly mention as the blueprint for tomorrow, we had Cash, Digne, Dendoncker and Bailey starting and I don't think any of these 4 would be selected by many going into this game. The tactics though were absolutely spot on. Let's hope Emery gets it spot on. I'm sure he will give us the best chance possible, just hope the players have the belief they can get something from it.

Ha, without the (ridiculous) booking!

Great news! Hopefully fit for tomorrow and another crunching tackle on Saka please

Yes, I agree. I'd hate for us to be camped at the edge of our own box all game but I am also wary that if we play 2 up top that it will leave us a bit open in midfield for them to pick us off, which they are more than capable of doing. It's a difficult one getting that balance right. I'd still like us to play on the front foot, with the likes of Watkins, McGinn, Ramsey in their faces and pressing when it's on, but then on the ball we need to be much better too. I think Coutinho can be that spark (looked a different player against City when he came on).

Oh I agree for sure. He was barely noticeable against City (the penalty decision aside) and he's been off it a while. He gets in my side purely to add extra legs which I think will be important against Arsenal's midfield - also if you start with Coutinho (like I have) then you need energy around him. I get the calls for Duran, he had a lively cameo, I just wouldn't want to put too much pressure on him too soon and think he provides us with a good option from the bench.

Apparently - Burnley, Wolves, Leicester, Newcastle, Spurs, Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Martinez Young Konsa Mings Moreno McGinn Ramsey Kamara Luiz Coutinho Watkins I know we don't play the above formation but I think it might make us a bit more solid (on paper) whilst still having an attacking threat. The above is based more "out of possession" and can easily morph into a 4-2-3-1 when breaking forward. We have conceded 7 in 2 so unless we improve defensively we are always going to be up against it. If Mings is injured I would play Kamara at CD and bring in Buendia. Need at least 7/8 out of 10's from everyone to get anything from this but I will go 2-1 Villa (Watkins, Coutinho) late goal from them but us to hold on. UTV.

MOTM for us, great cameo, hope he's found a bit of form. Probably earned a start against Arsenal - but not convinced he will have the same impact and that's the conundrum (with a lot of our players - Inconsistency).

The fact I put £20 on us to lose 6-0 as soon as I saw Mings wasn't playing (and Chambers was) says it all really. I know that score line didn't happen but it looked like it could after the first half, when the damage had already been done. Yes Tyrone makes mistakes, sometimes costly, but we are a MUCH better side when he plays. That said I would love Konsa and Mings to be our stand-in centre halves because we have two BETTER ones starting (Carlos may be one of them - depending how he recovers).

I hope I'm wrong but I fear this is a bad time to play them. Sound like a broken record (in this kind of fixture) but it's so important not to concede early or I fear a possible rout. It's important not to be camped on our own penalty box but I would definitely set up with a low block and hope to hit them on the counter. Goes without saying we have to be fully on our game to have any chance of picking up any points. I'd go... Martinez Young Konsa Mings Digne McGinn Kamara Luiz Ramsey Buendia Watkins Head 4-0 Haaland (2) Foden, Gundogen Heart 1-2 Grealish 90+2, McGinn 88, Ramsey 90+5

Congratulations The first few weeks are very draining mate, but it does get easier It is hard to really enjoy it when you are just so tired, but you've got to try cos time goes so quickly, even more so as a new parent. Ours is 6 months now and he was a nightmare to get to sleep but currently he's going to bed at around 7.30pm and up around 7.00am - It's fantastic. But I know there will be regressions and many other challenges on the way. Good luck!

I know they aren't going to come out and say "Yep, we're guilty as sin" but Ci£y's statement does sound pretty blasé about it all. They don't seem worried at all. I'd love to see titles stripped, relegation, players leaving etc but I just can't see anything more than a fine, maybe a transfer ban or two

Bosnich McGrath Laursen Barry Merson Taylor Petrov Grealish Platt Angel Yorke

Scored the winning penalty in a penalty shoot out in the FA Cup in 98-99... (Ok, ok, it was only the 1st qualifying round but I'll take it )

To be honest I'd consider Sanson, Nakamba or bleeding Chambers in midfield at the moment, that was dire. Goal aside, we've been poor, very lucky to be in front. Kamara, Martinez, Young only 3 performing. Moreno growing into it a little. Midfield, Kamara aside anonymous.