Stevomanila

Hoping Chelsea will find us a lot harder to break down than Leeds were and still hopeful we can come away with a result- would be happy with a point but still think we could nick it.

Obanken, good spot on the yellows for Bale and Defoe too, when you wrote, I thought 'I hope they are playing Stoke' and sure enough, they are. Should be quite the battle.

What I love under Lambert now is that I honestly don't go into any game any more thinking we are going to lose it, like I did last season. I honestly think on our day, we have the players to beat any team in the division. I too will be a happy with a point, but am optimistic about going there and beating them! Why can't we? If we are solid at the back again, work our nuts off in the middle and with the threat of Benteke and Weimann up top, we can do it. Benitez is under a lot of pressure but if we can get an early goal, I can see the crowd turning on them and their tired heads could drop. Depending on their midweek performance against Leeds, this could be a great time to play Chelsea away.

I would go:

Guzan

Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Lichaj

Bannan, KAE, Delph

Gabby, Bent, Benteke

2-0 to the Villa, Gabby and Vlaar

Oh shit, I was there when they spanked us 4-0 Xmas 2010 and Balotelli got a hat trick if I recall correctly. He must love playing us. Would love the win and think we will go all out to get it and there will be a positive response after the Saints game. The optimist in me reckons we will knick it 1-2 with a Bent double!

3 0 away win to the mighty villa. Optimism through the roof after Saturday and loving it!

I'd pack the midfield, hope for a draw, then avoid VT for a couple of days after we lose.

Lineup as follows:

---------------Given-----------------

Lowton--Vlaar-----Baker-----Bennett

Holman----KEA-----Herd----Delph

-----------------Ireland---------------

-------------Bent-----------------------

Agree with all this, would be very happy with a point from today's difficult match and I think that team can achieve it.

Well I have been placing bets on us finishing top 8 (behind the likes of Man City, United, Chelsea, Arse, Spurs, Liverpool and Newcastle) meaning us needing to finish ahead of Everton, Stoke, QPR etc etc- feasible but yes hoping we get in a left back and a striker before season starts...

Having said that, the lads I bet against were so confident Villa would be nowhere near the top 8 they tried betting me 500 quid! (I had to decline that bet)

But yes, top 8 and a decent cup run in either cup and I would be over the moon! Up the Villa!

We may aswell have a go at them cos sitting back trying to defend and get a 0-0 will achieve **** all and lead to another defeat.

I really think qpr will lose last day of season to man city anyway so i think we will be safe.

I'd go with:

Given

Lichaj Dunne Cuellar Warnock

Herd Ireland Clark

Carruthers Gabby Weimann

More out of hope than reason, but I think we will win 2-1 and think we are capable of this if we can manage to play our best across the team and ignore the tactics of Given hoofing it long to Heskey as per the 2nd half of the Bolton game (a tactic we continued even when Heskey had been subbed)

Come on you villa boys!

Think the away support will be crucial for this game too. I hope any of you who make it have a **** brilliant day out!

I'll be tuning in from over in Manila for a 2.45 am kick off which will make work rather unpleasant tomorrow but I agree with many on here, this is a massive game for us and I would not miss it. I reckon we will battle to a bottom clenching 2-1 victory, moving us closer to safety. Up the Villa! We can **** do this.

I think it will be a cracker which we'll win 4-3.

I think Lawro is a word removed

But it did raise the issue, how do we define a 'big club' these days? I think we are still a 'big club' due to our fan base, proud history, successful youth policy, stadium and facilities, global name and so on but maybe I'm wrong?

Are there other factors that separate 'big clubs' from us? I just think the term should be defined first before we can say whether we are a 'big club' or not? ie a top ten list of what 'Big Clubs' are or have or do or possess and then assess how many of these top ten features Villa already possess? and then do you need all 10 to be a 'big club'?

Anyway up the Villa! Looking forward to tomorrow's game

2-1 villa in a tight game, we get the late goal for a change

Ireland must play in my opinion. It's a shame Lichaj only just came back into training, probably a week too soon for him this game, would've been perfect to ease him back in. Warnock should play to regain some confidence after his horror show the other day. Think Delph should play too after sittting out a few weeks.

-------------Guzan----------------

Hutton--Clark--Dunne--Warnock

Alby---Gardner---Delph---Nzog

-----------------Ireland----------

------------Bent------------------

Weimann on after 60 mins. Petrov and Gabby on the bench just in case.

Agreed, like it

0-1 to the Villa, late own goal from Ashley Cole.

Love it, that really would be a happy new year

Given

Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock

Makoun, Petrov

Albrighton Ireland Heskey/Gabby

Bent

Agreed- and I reckon we'll win it 2-1

If anyone has a live stream would greatly appreciate it being posted, cheers

Tipping Villa to win 3-1

Bollocks, should have had a bet on it!! Sounds like a good performance though by the lads. Bring on the Asia Cup!

If anyone has a live stream would greatly appreciate it being posted, cheers

Tipping Villa to win 3-1

I'm still holding out hope for Moyes and the rumours going around on Twitter sound promising. He's 9-1 on William Hill at the moment. One link from NewsNow said there's been a big bid in Brum placed on Moyes (according to MM) and bookies odds will soon drop. I guess we'll see as the day goes on...

MOTM- can I vote for Pavlyuchenko?

2-0 Villa! Gabby and Downing bring home the 3 points!

Agreed with HolteEndRob and roadoftrinity with line up:

................Friedel....................

Cueller..Collins..Dunne..L.Young

.....................NRC......................

........Makoun..........Delph..........

A.Young.......................Downing

...................Bent.......................

The away support will be fantastic as always, I think it'll be tight, we won't keep a clean sheet but we'll defend like lions and will nick it 2-1 with a thumping collins header being the winner for us late on!

We can do this and I think we'll also stay up.

Need to stop the rot and think we'll draw this one 2-2. And I'd certainly take a point! Not sure who'll be back for us at the back? Maybe start Walker, Dunne, Cuellar and Delph, but would play reo and makoun in front, with ash and downing on wings, heskey and bent up front, with gabby and albrighton hopefully both figuring at some stage.

Utter gash so far, but I still think we can pull this around and get a win. 2-1 Villa result. I'd get Young off and get Gabby on and go 2 up front. But I agree with many on here, IF we play like that for our remaining games, we're down.

I'm more positive about this one than I usually am. Still think we will lose mind but think we may give it a good go.

Friedel

Cuellar-Dunne-Collins-Clark

Young-Petrov-Reo-Coker-Downing

Agbonlahor-Bent.

THIS

highlights if you've not seen them yet: http://www.footytube.com/video/aston-villa-v-blackburn-rovers-71586

Another great win, really pleased to hear we were still the better team even with 10 men.