wedge Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 I'd go with Emi Cash Konsa Mings Targett Nakamba Luiz Sanson Traore Watkins Jack Wouldn't even mind Jack central instead of Sanson and Trezeguet out wide. A win here would really get things back on track. Hopefully there are some fresh legs and a reaction to our poor recent performances. Like an earlier poster said since half time at Turf Moor (weirdly enough after our best half of football for a long time) we've looked sluggish and not as creative or combative. Make no mistake though this a different Arsenal side to the one we brushed aside at their place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WakefieldVillan Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 I think we need to freshen the central midfield area, and though (on paper) it may appear a weakened side, I think we need to trust the players coming in and hope their increased energy levels have a positive impact. Martinez Cash Konsa Mings Targett Nakamba Trez Sanson Ramsey Grealish Watkins Up our work rate, be tougher to breakdown and look to a stronger bench with 30 to go if required, with the like of Traore, Barkley McGinn, Luiz. Would be a bold move to replace all 3 and not one I'd expect Smith to make, but in some ways it might be easier "resting/dropping" a few as opposed to just one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 (edited) I don't think I'd change it from last night's starting 11 apart from Traore in for El Ghazi. I know the intensity wasn't there and they perhaps are tired but my thinking is: You need someone to play behind Watkins. You need the person for the 2nd ball there. I'd put Grealish there but against Arsenal he'll be much more dangerous on either wing and he terrifies Saka, to the point he'll keep him pinned back, nullifying one of their attacking threats. Ramsey simply isn't at the level where he can play as our number 8. A few more matches with some goals or great work and maybe. But I'm not seeing anything yet. Traore could play there but he's also more dangerous on the wing. Him and Grealish constantly swapping really unsettles defences too. Another point to consider is that their keeper will still be OK but inexperienced. We need to be peppering him with shots. Who's got a good shot? Barkley. And Grealish. And Traore. Douglas and McGinn both looked leggy last night but I'm not sure Nakamba is mobile enough to compete in there. Sanson looked great so he could very definitely come in for one of them, maybe McGinn. The rest picks itself. Just give everyone a double espresso before each half and spend the next 2 days on shooting practice. We almost never shoot and just get bogged down in working nice openings. Run, cross and shoot. Edited February 4, 2021 by darrenm 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 2 hours ago, Kingman said: Watkins Trez Grealish Traore Luiz Sanson I know we are good but playing a 5 a side team might be a bit tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WakefieldVillan Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 36 minutes ago, darrenm said: I don't think I'd change it from last night's starting 11 apart from Traore in for El Ghazi. All about opinions but we were so far off it last night, have performed poorly in the last 225 minutes of football and given this will be our 6th game in 18 days I think it would be crazy not to make more than one personnel change. You need someone to play behind Watkins. You need the person for the 2nd ball there. I'd put Grealish there but against Arsenal he'll be much more dangerous on either wing and he terrifies Saka, to the point he'll keep him pinned back, nullifying one of their attacking threats. I agree I'd have Grealish left but obviously an option as always. Ramsey simply isn't at the level where he can play as our number 8. A few more matches with some goals or great work and maybe. But I'm not seeing anything yet. I think he has shown that he can do a job for us. And would offer us some much, MUCH needed energy to our game that was missing last night. Him and Sanson could share the responsibility. Another point to consider is that their keeper will still be OK but inexperienced. We need to be peppering him with shots. Who's got a good shot? Barkley. And Grealish. And Traore. And Sanson and Watkins. Douglas and McGinn both looked leggy last night but I'm not sure Nakamba is mobile enough to compete in there. Sanson looked great so he could very definitely come in for one of them, maybe McGinn. I would say Nakamba's mobility, work rate, determination are precisely why he can compete in there. I think there is plenty of opportunity after this game to play our "strongest" line up with the midweek games coming to a halt and it would be a great opportunity to the other players to stake a claim for a shirt. It's why we have a squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenjiOgiwara Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, darrenm said: I don't think I'd change it from last night's starting 11 apart from Traore in for El Ghazi. I understand your thinking, but I am not sure. I am a believer in not changing a winning team and pick players on merit not name. Accepting subpar performances because your name is Barkley is just not wise. Completely agree on Traore mind. Either way I trust Deano on this. I won't pretend I would know more than him on players he sees daily. Edited February 4, 2021 by KenjiOgiwara 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 I’d like to see Sanson start because he looked sharp when he came on. Potentially even Trez. I also think as good as we know Barkley can be he doesn’t deserve to keep his place at the moment. However It wouldn’t be surprised if he does as on his day he is a top player. We’re just not getting those days lately. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 8 hours ago, Kingman said: Watkins Trez Grealish Traore Luiz Sanson This is the one for me. Sanson looked to me like he'll be comfortable getting the ball off defenders, we were ponderous and suicidal doing that against West Ham. I'd like a more dangerous option than Trez, but he deserves a go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCollins29 Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 29 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: This is the one for me. Sanson looked to me like he'll be comfortable getting the ball off defenders, we were ponderous and suicidal doing that against West Ham. I'd like a more dangerous option than Trez, but he deserves a go. Yep. Although part of me thinks we'll just see the same line up from last night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 3 minutes ago, GingerCollins29 said: Yep. Although part of me thinks we'll just see the same line up from last night McGinn and Barkley probably both deserve to be dropped, I think only lack of viable options saves one of them. To start El Ghazi after than would be a real honker from Smith. He rarely makes decisions like that, one of the things I like about him. 95% of the time he describes what you've just seen as fans and him hooking Anwar at HT speaks volumes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCollins29 Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 42 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: McGinn and Barkley probably both deserve to be dropped, I think only lack of viable options saves one of them. To start El Ghazi after than would be a real honker from Smith. He rarely makes decisions like that, one of the things I like about him. 95% of the time he describes what you've just seen as fans and him hooking Anwar at HT speaks volumes. I agree with you. I was thinking more barkley and mcginn tbh, thinking he might let them redeem themselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashingqwerty Posted February 4, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted February 4, 2021 We all know the team needs freshening up, but you can almost guarantee DS will stick with his favourites, and we will put in yet another uninspired, inept performance. No changes, and we lose 3-1. I'd drop Barkley, McGinn and AEG. Bring in Nakamba, Sanson and Trez. This will firm up our cm position and make it harder for them to play through us like the last 2 opponents have done. Trez will offer better protection for Cash and better workrate to combat their good fullbacks. If its all square at 60, then bring in Traore, Ramsey and/or Barkley to push on a little. But i would not be starting them. But lets face it, DS wont do that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCollins29 Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 It would be a fantastic addition to Barkley's all round game if he knew he had to really fight to get in the first 11. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedClaretAndBlue Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Watkins has look isolated again lately. Trezeguet adds that second layer of pressing to back him up and can get back to help defensively too. Think we’ve missed that in recent weeks. For all his lack of quality, he’s very important to the way we were playing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zab6359 Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 On 04/02/2021 at 06:27, Villaphan04 said: Bring in Nakamba and Sanson for McGinn & Barkley. Also Trez for Ghazi No chance DS will make that many changes I reckon one at most. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Would take a draw. In fact we have hardly drawn at all this season, which is very un Villa like. In my early days of regularly watching Villa in the early 2000s every week we seemed to be drawing 1-1 to either Fulham or Portsmouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VBM Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 The West Ham game really brought me down to earth. Seeing us totally outplayed means I now think we'll struggle in this one - we just looked shattered. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 A draw tomorrow will keep us above our visitors, but a win would take us four points above them, with two games in hand. It would also to some extent compensate for the points that we dropped on Wednesday and boost the team's confidence once again. We simply cannot afford to lose. Doing so, would bring us within reach of clubs who are currently in the bottom half of the table and would see us having lost five of our seven games this year. A win would also give us our first double over the Gunners, since the first PL season (1992-93), when a goal by Dean Saunders at Villa Park (programme cover below) and one by Tony Daley at Highbury gave us our two 1-0 wins. A win would also increase our chances of finishing above our visitors in the league, for the first time since season 1995/96. We beat Arsenal at Villa Park in our vital penultimate game of last season. Overall, we have won 63 and have drawn 39, of the 177 league games that have been played between the two clubs. This will be a tough game to win and Arsenal have players that on their day can punish any defensive errors. A draw would be obviously better than a defeat, but a win is what we need. A clean sheet would be nice as well. Just win it for us Villa! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herman22 Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 There's no doubt we looked tired midweek. I think we need to consider a change up. Especially in the engine room. I think I'd start with this team: Emi Cash Konsa Mings Targett Luiz Tres Jack Sanson Traore Watkins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villa87 Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Emi Cash Konsa Mings Target Luiz Sanson Traore Jack Trez Watkins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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