Pre match thread

[OutByEaster?]

15 minutes ago, villianusa said:

I think losing the last two games and Kodjia, Hogan, and Gabby all injured, forced Bruce to move back to a 4411. I hope Bruce goes with it tomorrow back to it and give the teams better options in attack while still having plenty behind the ball.

I agree - I checked through and got the same things you did. For me Davis and Hogan isn't a great front two - but with Adomah, Green and Gabby all injured, it's hard for us to play with wide men for this one and I think two up front would be the way to go in a 4-3-1-2 with Grealish adding some creativity for Davis and Hogan and Snodgrass being the wide man who misses out. 

 

[The Fun Factory]

Perhaps the way to go is a 4-3-3 with the standard Johnstone-Taylor-Chester-Elphick-Huttton back with a middle 3 of Hourihane, Jedinak and O'Hare and Davis with Grealish and Hogan. I think it could be the time to start O'Hare. The lad must be full of confidence and most of the senior XI are lacking this at the moment.  However a- I doubt Bruce would play this XI and b- it could be a bit narrow.  don't think the recent form of Snodgrass or Whelan warrant a start tomorrow IMO.

[alreadyexists]

I’d probably go:

                     Johnstone

Elmo     Chester    Hutton    Taylor

Snodgrass  Jedi   Hourihane  Adomah

                 Grealish 

                                 Hogan

 

... but gawd knows, injuries have nailed us.

[villianusa]

2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I agree - I checked through and got the same things you did. For me Davis and Hogan isn't a great front two - but with Adomah, Green and Gabby all injured, it's hard for us to play with wide men for this one and I think two up front would be the way to go in a 4-3-1-2 with Grealish adding some creativity for Davis and Hogan and Snodgrass being the wide man who misses out. 

 

It seems Adomah is fit from latest reports so that is a bonus. I'd bring him in for Grealish and put him back on the bench. Our points to game ratio when Grealish has played a part has dropped from 1.73 to 1.33. He is our most gifted player out of our present first team squad but a luxury we don't seem to be able to afford. I feel he could play as a wide left, or behind a front two. I don't think playing him at #10 behind a number 9 is working. His work rate has picked up from last season, but for the most part, he slows down the game and hangs onto the ball for too long at times.

I wouldn't just blame Grealish for the points to decline ratio as other important players are missing. With Terry's absence the ratio dropped from 1.63 with him to 1.50 without, but more alarmingly, it has dropped from 2.13 to 1.31 when Kodjia is out of the team.

We need them both back ASAP.

 

[OutByEaster?]

If Adomah is fit I think Bruce will go with the 4-2-3-1. 

I don't think Grealish is a luxury at all, I think he's vital to providing some sort of link from back to front - the cohesion between our attack and defence is the weakest part of the side and he makes a positive difference to it. I'd be disappointed to see him dropped, he's been our best player in recent weeks.

 

[StefanAVFC]

I'm going to this. Not sure why.

[villianusa]

2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

If Adomah is fit I think Bruce will go with the 4-2-3-1. 

I don't think Grealish is a luxury at all, I think he's vital to providing some sort of link from back to front - the cohesion between our attack and defence is the weakest part of the side and he makes a positive difference to it. I'd be disappointed to see him dropped, he's been our best player in recent weeks.

 

If we were Man City and players of similar quality around him I would probably agree. 

[Farlz]

I can't think of anything worse than Tony Pulis v Steve Bruce.

[Nigel]

6 hours ago, Farlz said:

I can't think of anything worse than Tony Pulis v Steve Bruce.

Try adding the words leotards, baked beans and bath!

[theboyangel]

Today will tell us a lot about where the squad are in terms of confidence and attitude.

if they serve up the recent turgid insipid play then I fear the dressing room may have been lost. 

I’d love to see us come out all guns blazing and take the game to Boro as we have the players to do that, but fear we’ll sit back and invite them onto us. 

 

[Robtaylor200]

Obviously I want a win for The Villa. But I cant see it. SB has started to lose respect. From now on Its all about supporting the Villa not the manager. WE need a goal early on as I think this will be won by 1-0/ one way or the other. Even a win will not get us back in contention, lost a lot of ground over Christmas. But still time to turn it around. I have not been up to their ground since I went on the Villa special (train put on just for us) many years a go. This time I will be all ears on my ne DAB radio Mrs T got me for Christmas.

[AJ]

1 hour ago, Nigel said:

Try adding the words leotards, baked beans and bath!

Tony Pulis has gone a month without a bath and is now eating baked beans out of Steve Bruce's leotards.

While Bruce is wearing them.

And we still lose.

Could it get any worse?

[Demitri_C]

10 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

I'm going to this. Not sure why.

You poor sod. I feel for you. Its going to be a horrible afternoon

[Villarocker]

Villa have won 3 and drawn 1 of their last four games at 'Boro. 

Bruce has been to 'Boro 9 times as manager - losing 8 and drawing 1.

Pulis has never lost at home to Villa as a manager - winning 5 and drawing 1. 

'Boro have won 4 of their last 5 home games and didn't concede in any of those victories. The loss was 0-3 against Derby. 

Villa have no win in their last 5 games.

So, as a club we have a good record at 'Boro but our manager has never won there and their manager has never lost a home fixture against us. They are doing well at home whilst we are struggling to win. The stats alone make me feel like the best we will do is get a draw however, with our recent form, I think we are staring defeat in the face unless Bruce can conjure up something special. 

I reckon we will lose this 1-2 or 0-2. 

 

[Villarocker]

'Boro have kept 4 clean sheets out of their last 5 so I don't think us playing conservatively and trying to snatch a goal will not work today. I think we need to try to take the game to them and get them on the back foot and to do that we need to lose Jedinak and Whelan from the team and play younger, more dynamic footballers in there. 

I'd start with:

                           Johnstone

Elmohamady  Elphick  Chester  Taylor

                    Hourihane  Onomah

Snodgrass          Grealish          Adomah

                               Davis

Subs: Steer, Hutton, De Laet, Jedinak, Hogan, O'Hare, McKirdy. 

Edited December 30, 2017 by villarocker

[sidcow]

On 27/12/2017 at 13:54, rjw63 said:

I know we're shit but there's more chance of this Adama scoring.

And he's dead.

I am glad we are only playing The Galactica's and not the Galacticos 

[Guest av1]

Pulis v Bruce.

I predict a goal fest.

6-6 draw. 

[wedge]

GK Johnstone

 

RB De Laet

CB Chester

CB Elphick

LB Taylor

 

RM Elmo

CM Snodgrass

CM Hourihane

LM Adomah

 

CAM Grealish

 

 ST Davis

 

Steer, Hutton, Jedinak, Whelan, Hogan, Onomah, Thor.

[villa89]

11 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

I'm going to this. Not sure why.

You enjoy misery? 

I have little doubt that Bruce will try to set us up to grind out a draw (which we'll fail to do) and he'll think a draw would be a fantastic result.

My prediction for the team:

GK Johnstone

RB Elmo  CB Chester CB Elphick LB Taylor

RM Snodgrass   CM Whelan  CM Jedinak  LM Adomah

CAM Grealish

ST Davis/Hogan

Edited December 30, 2017 by villa89

[sne]

4-4-2 with Whelan & Jedi in CM and loads of RB's and as many players as possible playing out of position please!

Either way, Pulis Vs Bruce has all the hallmarks of being and epic classic to end the year on.

Very fitting. Should end with a 0-0 win. But just because it'll probably end 5-5...

Edited December 30, 2017 by sne