thunderball Posted August 8, 2019 Share Posted August 8, 2019 6 hours ago, KMitch said: Probable Starting Line Up for Spuds (Based off Preseason Performances): Heaton Guilbert Engels Mings Targett Hourihane McGinn Grealish Jota El Ghazi Wesley Bench: Steer Elmo Hause Nakamba Douglas Trezeguet Kodjia Exactly this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted August 8, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 8, 2019 The biggest thing we have going for us is them taking us too lightly and catching them cold. Lets make nothing light of the fact they are years ahead of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Ponky Posted August 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2019 We need to be careful. This is a potential banana skin for us.... 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 If history tells us anything then we will lose and the officials will play a major part. Probably a red card to one of our more aggressive players , Ming's , McGinn , Marvelous ......reckon we score first and they get a late winner or two . 4-1 to spurs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 Bookies giving 11.5 or 12 on a win for us suggests it will be a hard task. We are very much the unknown quantity though, I don't mind losing here if we hit the ground running, look like a well prepared team and play well with no passengers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenjiOgiwara Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) I am so hyped about this. Will be difficult to sleep tonight Edited August 9, 2019 by KenjiOgiwara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I haven't watched a full Premier League match since we were relegated. Looking forward to seeing what I've missed 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) 11 hours ago, Zhan_Zhuang said: Sounds like Luiz is pushing for a place according to Smith's comments today? I mean if he is bossing it in training and is fit then why not? Could really use his physicality on Saturday. That being said, big difference in being fit and being match fit. Edited August 9, 2019 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Any points will be amazing, but its a big ask.....I can't see beyond a defeat, However all I ask is that we make a good account of ourselves. If we show a good performance and give them a game, I will be happy and it will set us up for the season. I will be disappointed with a heavy defeat. On a positive note......Good to get this one out of the way early.....They will be wary of our momentum, which could be the one thing that gives us a chance,to make a game of it, if we can capitalise on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberman Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 A tough start, but pretty much a gimme - if we get anything it'll be a bonus. Much prefer this to a 'must win' home game against teams we will be scrapping with. Make it hard for them, hope they've underestimated us and enjoy being back where we belong. Flip-flopping between worry that we'll getting a thrashing and thinking we can sneak a win - pretty sure the whole season is going to be like this now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 First game of the season between a high-flyer and a newly promoted side is always a hard one to call - it often throws up a 'freak' result, and the 'natural pecking order' doesn't settle down until a couple of weeks in. This is probably our best chance to pull off a surprise, rather than playing them later. However, I never make predictions (or, if I do, they are superstitiously pessimistic ones). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post John Posted August 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) Jack starts the new season at Spurs, but he does so a year later than Levy had smugly anticipated and he will still be wearing his claret & blue shirt with pride as he leads the new look Villa team out next Saturday. Starts to a season don't get much tougher than this one, but if Spurs take us too lightly they may be in for a shock. Manchester City and Liverpool will view their visit to Spurs this season, as one of their toughest games. Anything other than a defeat would therefore represent a tremendous start to the new season for us. We have brought in a lot of quality in the summer transfer window, so this will be a much changed team from the one that so recently won us promotion. We have however, retained the heart of the team in Jack, John and Tyrone. These and the other players that we still have in our squad from last season, will with Dean and his team mould our new squad into one that can soon adapt to it's new surroundings. Our first aim is the 38 points that should provide us with safety, we can then aim to finish outside of the bottom six and once those two goals are achieved we can perhaps consider more lofty ambitions. We last won at Spurs 4 years ago. We last beat them at Villa Park in 2008, but that is something we can aim to put right in February. Overall we have won 50 and have drawn 34 of the 146 league games that there have been between the two clubs. We drew our first away league game with Spurs 1-1 in 1910. A repeat of that result on Saturday would do nicely. Edited August 9, 2019 by John 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 19 minutes ago, John said: Jack starts the new season at Spurs, but he does so a year later than Levy had smugly anticipated and he will still be wearing his claret & blue shirt with pride as he leads the new look Villa team out next Saturday. Starts to a season don't get much tougher than this one, but if Spurs take us too lightly they may be in for a shock. Manchester City and Liverpool will view their visit to Spurs this season, as one of their toughest games. Anything other than a defeat would therefore represent a tremendous start to the new season for us. We have brought in a lot of quality in the summer transfer window, so this will be a much changed team from the one that so recently won us promotion. We have however, retained the heart of the team in Jack, John and Tyrone. These and the other players that we still have in our squad from last season, will with Dean and his team mould our new squad into one that can soon adapt to it's new surroundings. Our first aim is the 38 points that should provide us with safety, we can then aim to finish outside of the bottom six and once those two goals are achieved we can perhaps consider more lofty ambitions. We last won at Spurs 4 years ago. We last beat them at Villa Park in 2008, but that is something we can aim to put right in February. Overall we have won 50 and have drawn 34 of the 146 league games that there have been between the two clubs. We drew our first away league game with Spurs 1-1 in 1910. A repeat of that result on Saturday would do nicely. That's very much the size of it, given all that for me 12/1 is long for any team in a football match surely? I think we're better than that, doesn't mean I think we'll win but maybe the bookies will take a while to price in just how good we actually are and there might be some value in that. Spurs will not have really been able to prepare for how we play quite as well as we will have been able to for how they play. They have no idea of our starting eleven really, at least not completely to be able to fine tune a shape or attack what they see as weaknesses. We are definitely the surprise package. Completely agree that 38/40 points is the target, home wins is the key to that and so an away fixture against the Champions League finalists is a free hit, I'm expecting Smith to go for it all guns blazing too. If we look like a team and everyone busts a gut then getting beat by a couple here is not in any way a disaster. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I'm cautiously optimistic about the season ahead but worried a bit about this game. I'd snap anyones hand off offering a draw now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted August 9, 2019 Moderator Share Posted August 9, 2019 I'd be very surprised with anything other than a defeat here, and yet I'm quietly hopeful of giving them a scare. The benefit of having the closest thing to a free hit on the opening day. Obviously the main thing is to avoid having our pantaloons pulled down and limping home with a 5-0 drubbing. I'd be deliriously happy with a 1-1. The head says 3-0 but it would be nice to bag a goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted August 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2019 Anything from this is a bonus. However I'll be absolutely delighted if we can spoil the party even slightly. A repeat of the last time we were part of the curtain raiser at a new stadium in North London would be excellent. Despise Spurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 31 minutes ago, romavillan said: That's very much the size of it, given all that for me 12/1 is long for any team in a football match surely? I think we're better than that, doesn't mean I think we'll win but maybe the bookies will take a while to price in just how good we actually are and there might be some value in that. Talking of bookmakers it seems they are starting to run scared of us now. Coral have us up to 11th in the PL betting and have reduced our odds from 15/1 to 10/1 on the handicap betting (+52 points). Perhaps we might not be this season's Fulham after all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talldarkandransome Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Feeling positive about this, we know it won't be boring and we won't be sitting back. If we go 1 up we will probably try and get more, I think that will surprise Spurs a bit. Amazing to win here but I'll bite ya leg off for a draw right now. Never happy with a defeat, regardless of who we play but a 1-0 defeat isn't a disaster. The club and its leadership have a different attitude now and they will be trying to win every game. Deano wants the same and JT is a winner full stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 2-1 Spurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, John said: Jack starts the new season at Spurs, but he does so a year later than Levy had smugly anticipated and he will still be wearing his claret & blue shirt with pride as he leads the new look Villa team out next Saturday. Starts to a season don't get much tougher than this one, but if Spurs take us too lightly they may be in for a shock. Manchester City and Liverpool will view their visit to Spurs this season, as one of their toughest games. Anything other than a defeat would therefore represent a tremendous start to the new season for us. We have brought in a lot of quality in the summer transfer window, so this will be a much changed team from the one that so recently won us promotion. We have however, retained the heart of the team in Jack, John and Tyrone. These and the other players that we still have in our squad from last season, will with Dean and his team mould our new squad into one that can soon adapt to it's new surroundings. Our first aim is the 38 points that should provide us with safety, we can then aim to finish outside of the bottom six and once those two goals are achieved we can perhaps consider more lofty ambitions. We last won at Spurs 4 years ago. We last beat them at Villa Park in 2008, but that is something we can aim to put right in February. Overall we have won 50 and have drawn 34 of the 146 league games that there have been between the two clubs. We drew our first away league game with Spurs 1-1 in 1910. A repeat of that result on Saturday would do nicely. John I say this guardedly....because I never like to see Villa lose......but if we are engaged in a fiercely fought contest and lose by the odd goal, who can be critical of the boys? If we give a good account of ourselves, I will be pleased......The Spurs game is one, and as you rightly say, every team will not fancy their chances there.... a defeat will not define our season as a whole. Edited August 9, 2019 by TRO 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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