John Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 This really is a “must win” game for us. A win would take us to double figures points-wise at long last and we really need to start winning games if we are to have any hope whatsoever of staying up. Is it asking too much to think we can win a home game this season before the New Year? We face a team on Boxing Day that we actually beat at Villa Park last season and we cannot say that about many teams. West Ham have only won twice at Villa Park in the last 20 years. Surely we can put one over Sullivan, Brady and Gold again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 West Ham didn't offer much going forward today but they didn't let Swansea create much either so it will be a trouble to see us scoring more than 1 here I think. Also worried that a midfield of Song-Kouyate with Antonio who's massive aswell out wide will be too much for our powerpuff trio in the middle. Collins was excellent today and he'd want to play against Gestede so that's an issue there as much as Rudy probably deserves to start after his cameo. Still they are missing Reid, Moses, Sakho, Payet and probably Lanzini who are all first choice players so there are worse times to face them this season. John you are right this is the sort of opposition we usually beat in seasons we stay up. Beating them 2-1 in Lambert's first season started the momentum to keep us up and last season was the game that kept us up so another nail in our coffin if we don't beat them. It does point to a draw really, two low scoring teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 I think West Ham have had three 0-0's in a row. I think its a game we can win. I thought Collins was lucky today. Def hand ball and probably a red card too but the ref missed it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arj Guy Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) I think we'll get a draw because of West Ham's injuries. What a disgrace it will be if we fail to win a single home game in the first half of the season Edited December 21, 2015 by Arj Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberman Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Taking 8 of us across 3 generations to this for a rare trip to VP and a farewell to the premier league. Really hope it won't be too depressing for the kids - they already get enough grief from their Chelsea and Arsenal supporting mates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Must win version 723. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Barney_avfc Posted December 21, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2015 Must win, will win and start to turn our fortunes around. Our season takes off from here. 2-0 or 2-1. UTV 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyVillans Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I think this is the game we finally get a win. Would like to see ayew grab a late winner as his celebration would be amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted December 21, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) 1 hour ago, Barney_avfc said: Must win, will win and start to turn our fortunes around. Our season takes off from here. 2-0 or 2-1. UTV Edited December 21, 2015 by fightoffyour 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfctom89 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Guzan Hutton okore Lescott bacuna Westwood gana Veretout Traore sinclair Ayew This is the team I would love to see but I think Gestede in for traore . But I think we have enough 2-1 and a kickstand over the festive period..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHV Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 1 minute ago, avfctom89 said: Guzan Hutton okore Lescott bacuna Westwood gana Veretout Traore sinclair Ayew This is the team I would love to see but I think Gestede in for traore . But I think we have enough 2-1 and a kickstand over the festive period..... Garde will start with the same XI as he did against Newcsatle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfctom89 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Which won't be to bad bad but I feel like we will need more pace up front . But won't be disapointed with the same team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Gestede probably deserves to start, but that will probably just play into West Hams hands as they have Collins who likes to play against a physical but immobile forward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I think Garde will start the team that played the majority of the 2nd half against Newcastle, meaning Sinclair will either be on the bench or dropped entirely. The only other change may be Richards in for Okore. Gestede and Ayew certainly had their moments on the weekend. .....................Guzan Hutton.Richards.Lescott.Bacuna ..................Sanchez ...Westwood.Veretout.Idrissa .............Ayew.Gestede This has to be a win to stand any slim chance of survival. Sticking my neck out and hopefully not jinxing the match but I predict a squeaky bum 1-0 to us (Veretout) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One For The Road Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 0-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OutByEaster? Posted December 21, 2015 Moderator Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2015 There's a tricky tactical question for Garde in this one - West Ham are in some ways similar to Newcastle - they're physical, powerful and strong - so packing the midfield, like we did against Newcastle might well be the way to go - but there are three things against that. Firstly, we didn't beat Newcastle - the point we got and the way we played in the second half will give us more confidence, but it worked to the extent that we found it difficult to score - which is where the second difference becomes important - West Ham can defend. If we pack the midfield, we might find it difficult to register. Thirdly, we're at home. We're at home and we're bottom of the league and I don't think there's an audience for patience - playing a more solid formation with a counter attacking threat won't put us on the edge of our boxing day seats. So change it right? But then they might just overpower us through the middle - our weakness is physical weakness. Tricky - and an opportunity to earn his managerial corn. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Gestede for Sinclair otherwise unchanged. Our central midfielders are so poor that we need many of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Predicting Villa wins is a mug's game. Every pre-match thread, huge numbers of posters show up predicting Villa victories and inevitably end up proven wrong, optimism dashed for another week. So I'm not going to predict a Villa win - if any group of players can fail to win a game, this group can. What I will say, though, is that this represents probably one of our better chances to win a game in the rest of this cussed season. The team they put out against Swansea was rank: Zarate is a one-game-in-ten talent, Antonio was good in the Championship but is totally unproven at this level, Jelavic is a third-rate plodder who looks to have lost several yards of pace over the last two years, Song is an excellent talent but looks ponderous on his return from injury, and Collins always has the potential for a needless red card. They may be 8th in the table, but they haven't scored for four games and they're a much much much worse side without Payet, Lanzini and Sakho. Again, I can't and won't predict a win with any confidence - how could you? But this is a chance. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakid007 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 3-1 villa Guzan Hutton Richards Okore bacuna Sanchez Westwood gana Veretout Ayew gestede Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmirch Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 The run starts here!!! #banter 1-0 West Ham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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