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!.

1 hour ago, Zhan_Zhuang said:

I truly think being objective Villa have the better team 

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

1 hour ago, tinker said:

We need Bailey on to create, the problem with Forest will be breaking them down as they will all sit behind the ball and defend and try and hit us on the break. Bertie is to erratic to start (imo) he will give the ball away cheaply,  Bailey has started to improve in that way, he just needs to add creativity back into his game, he's capable of it. 

Having one right back is a problem for us and it won't be lost on them either, they will target that area no matter who starts.

This isn't going to be an easy game, harder than a no manager Leicester team. 

We should win but I just can't help thinking we may not......3-1 to the villa, Duran to score his first goal.  

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. 

On 24/02/2023 at 13:30, romavillan said:

Still away from home though, I'd expect us to be very cautious and play on the counter. If we win it'll be by the odd goal, nice solid performance and a point would do me.

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.

14 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Because "Team of dickheads" isn't a nice title for a thread.

Simply put - the Premier league's current eleven biggest arseholes.

I'll start you off.....

---------------------------------XXXXXX------------------------------------

XXXXXXX-------XXXXXXX------XXXXXXXX------XXXXXXX

XXXXXXX---Fernandes(C)----XXXXXXXX-----XXXXXXXX

-----------------------XXXXXXX------XXXXXXXX-----------------------

Fire away!

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) 

32 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

We got it bang on v Man. United in terms of getting around the pitch so that's the template. Ramsey was excellent in that game but miles off it since. Personally I've come round to putting Duran in for an hour and see what he does as he was lively v Man. City and Arsenal won't have a clue what to expect from him. Also gives us more physicality in final third.

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.

7 minutes ago, Wainy316 said:

Completely fair tackle that he ends up getting booked for you mean?

Ha, without the (ridiculous) booking!  

Great news! 

Hopefully fit for tomorrow and another crunching tackle on Saka please 

13 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

That's the key when you're playing the top teams, you need two players who can get you up the pitch quickly as there will be space to exploit. If you don't and it's a slow midfield you just get camped near your own box.

We certainly need someone mobile off Ollie otherwise he's going to be very isolated.

Kamara v Odegaard is a key battle of course and hopefully McGinn can get his backside amongst Jorginho and disrupt his passing. 

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).

1 hour ago, TRO said:

Ramsey needs to find some form.

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.

41 minutes ago, Tommo_b said:

Who are the nasty 9…. Surely they mean the nasty 19?

And how convenient only City have hold of this controversial recording.

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  

2 hours ago, rodders0223 said:

First time father to a 2 week newborn boy.

He's been home a week due to some birth complications.

I've read some horror stories about crying and am aware how things can change with babies sleeping patterns for better and worse but so far he's been pretty good, he only cries when he is hungry and being changed and sleeps somewhat regularly in 2 or 3 hour spurts. I hope this continues and improves.

Despite this I feel incredible guilt, I actually think we've got a good one. I told him last night at 2 a.m he's a good boy and it's me failing him because I just can't shake the negativity that sleeping in shifts and waiting constantly for the next feed and nappy change is so draining. Plus I go back to work next week and there is anxiety there though I know we will all cope. I can work from home half the week or when I require.

It gets better doesn't it that's what people say. Enjoy the newborn stage they won't be young forever.

I just want to fast forward my life 6 months.

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 

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.