Pre-match Thread

[JoshVilla]

One thing I do want to see is us coming out of the blocks a bit faster. Past few games where we've had a longer rest period we've come out looking sluggish and given ourselves a mountain to climb.

Although Barkley's work rate the past few games has come under scrutiny, and rightly so, I feel like he could be the most likely to come up with that moment of magic that could see us through, especially with Grealish out. Only issue is that we need the midfield to be busting their lungs to counter their high intensity.

Seeing quite a bit of arrogance from Leeds bloggers on social media so I'd love to finally shut them up a bit.

Edited February 26, 2021 by JoshVilla
Typo

[BOF]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

The Villa - Leeds rivalry is weird, I think it comes from us having to play each other in the Championship at a time when I don't think either of us belonged there - we each reminded the other of something we'd prefer to forget and so took that frustration out on each other, then we managed to find a flashpoint and suddenly there's a chip on each shoulder and a simmering resentment. I might be wrong, I'm not sure how it started, or even why it continues, but it's there, I can feel it.

It's great.

It's all the things I like about football in a lot of ways, it's so much more interesting than Villa - Southampton or (I presume) Leeds - Southampton for example. To have a little spite in your heart makes the excitement of following the team all the more acute. When one or the other team scores tomorrow, that moment of joy will be punctuated by a vaguely threatening sweary outburst aimed at the opposition through a TV somewhere in Birmingham or Leeds, not just the celebration of a goal but the spite of seeing another man suffer a pain that you know very well - it's a joy that a lot of people don't get to experience.

I like it, long may it continue. I'm happy that we get another chance to show this bunch of jumped up, media fuelled neanderthals exactly what their place is in the scheme of things tomorrow and I look forward to raising my fingers to a screen at the depressed, defeated faces of Yorkshire's third finest. 

And hey, if there's some bloke in Meanwood who's looking forward to doing exactly the same thing to me, then fair play to him, at least he gets it, at least he understands - even if he is an arsehole.

 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, striker said:

Can’t see anything other than a heavy defeat tonight for the Villa. Leeds are just too good at the moment and will run Villa’s midfield ragged unless Smith benches both McGinn and Barkley.

I don't think they are too good for us as a whole......they are just too good in certain aspects of the game, that we struggle with....we struggle with their style and application.

On past performances, I can only see a defeat, but would be happy to be proved wrong.

[TRO]

30 minutes ago, BOF said:

I think Savo's pearler in the cup final, never really endeared us to them

[PaulC]

1 minute ago, TRO said:

I don't think they are too good for us as a whole......they are just too good in certain aspects of the game, that we struggle with....we struggle with their style and application.

On past performances, I can only see a defeat, but would be happy to be proved wrong.

All depends which Leeds and Villa turn up.  We are both a bit Jekhyl and Hyde. I have not got clue myself. See the team selection and how we start the game. 

[TRO]

48 minutes ago, JoshVilla said:

One thing I do want to see is us coming out of the blocks a bit faster. Past few games where we've had a longer rest period we've come out looking sluggish and given ourselves a mountain to climb.

Although Barkley's work rate the past few games has come under scrutiny, and rightly so, I feel like he could be the most likely to come up with that moment of magic that could see us through, especially with Grealish out. Only issue is that we need the midfield to be busting their lungs to counter their high intensity.

Seeing quite a bit of arrogance from Leeds bloggers on social media so I'd love to finally shut them up a bit.

yep,spot on.

[PaulC]

1 minute ago, TRO said:

I think Savo's pearler in the cup final, never really endeared us to them

What a cracker that was and what a cracking team team performance. Good days with Brian Little as manager. 

[TRO]

7 minutes ago, PaulC said:

All depends which Leeds and Villa turn up.  We are both a bit Jekhyl and Hyde. I have not got clue myself. See the team selection and how we start the game. 

I think some teams have an ability to nullify them and frustrate them.....I am not sure we have the personnel to do that.

[It's Your Round]

39 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think Savo's pearler in the cup final, never really endeared us to them

That was a tremendous goal and day out. I was 16 and thought that winning cups was just something we did. How wrong I was. My physics teacher was a Leeds fan, I remember writing Aston Villa 3-0 Leeds across the blackboard. He wasn’t too happy when he saw it. 

[TRO]

2 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

That was a tremendous goal and day out. I was 16 and thought that winning cups was just something we did. How wrong I was. My physics teacher was a Leeds fan, I remember writing Aston Villa 3-0 Leeds across the blackboard. He wasn’t too happy when he saw it. 

To think Howard Wilkinson was supposed to be a bit of a football guru, too...but we dominated them.

Edited February 26, 2021 by TRO

[darrenm]

I'm always wrong about these things but I see Nakamba being a key.

We really struggle against teams who high press. Mings and Konsa playing it to each other, then to full backs who get quickly pressed, back to Mings, ends up in a hoof, they win it, sometimes after we've pushed up and we're under break style pressure.

The out ball to Dougie is almost never on because he's either been tracking someone and is too far up the pitch or knackered. He's the only CM who goes back for the ball because we overload the attack with 5 players. It means we can build pressure but against solid defences that's not much of an advantage.

When we play Nakamba he always gets space because he never joins the attack. He's always sitting deep allowing our defence another option other than the hoof. And he doesn't tend to get marked. Having him doing that tends to drag the other 2 CMs back a bit so the gap in between defence and attack where we're always exposed isn't there any more.

I haven't checked but I reckon if you look at win % with Nakamba in the team, it would be higher than the average.

Edited February 26, 2021 by darrenm

[Paddywhack]

12 minutes ago, darrenm said:

I haven't checked but I reckon if you look at win % with Nakamba in the team, it would be higher than the average.

You're spot on. Of the three games he's started this season, we won two and kept a clean sheet in all three. 

In the three games he's been subbed on for the last few minutes, we've won all three and kept a clean sheet in each.

[Dave-R]

The injury we seem to be getting wouldn't be so much an issue if wed of pulled in a couple more players in January. We seem to have made our own mess here so if we have a few first team players out against Leeds it's now more obvious to me that we should of had more depth, hopefully something that will now be corrected come summer.

I dont have much hope for a win against Leeds to be fair, they have it in them but the set up has to also be bang on. Wouldn't surprise me if Leeds try the same they did last game against us and the only way to nullify that is probably park the bus all game and hit them for the counter, reserve our energy and take it to them in last 30 minutes.

Leeds have alot of energy, energy we may not have ourselves and to get to the stage we do have more energy we do need do make there players run alot, run more than ours are.

Were going to need everyone on fire come Leeds, if we have missing players then Leeds will win. We need our midfield to work more than they have ever done and our defence and keeper to continue to do the great job they have done for alot of games this season.

If I were Smith I'd probably say to our players keep wing swapping the ball (smartly), wear there RB and LB out and the moment they get into that routine of chasing the ball to the wings have the ball go through the middle fast, that way the RB and LB wont be so supportive of the CBs,may even make mistakes. Leeds can be caught out but we just need a decent enough game plan now given the fact we have players who we need out.

Just dont let Bamford score Villa.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Dave-R

[Dave-R]

21 minutes ago, darrenm said:

I haven't checked but I reckon if you look at win % with Nakamba in the team, it would be higher than the average.

He does always run alot and does chase the ball down which may explain the good results. 

[ender4]

5 match form:

Villa - W2 D1 L2

Leeds - W2 L3

If we can cope without Grealish and Cash, this could still go either way.

 

[Indigo]

8 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I personally think it’s a ridiculous suggestion from fans to throw an 18 year old with zero Premier League experience in against Leeds.

Not only that, but you can just imagine so many of the same people suggesting it writing him off as not being good enough if it went badly.

[Villa87]

Emi

Elmo Konsa Mings Target

Luiz Nakamba

Trez Sanson/McGinn Traore

Watkins

Hard call between McGinn and Sanson. The key here is making changes at the right time when we begin to tire. Very tough game - can’t see beyond a loss to be honest. 

[flashingqwerty]

16 hours ago, TRO said:

I think the balance of the squad doesn't help him tactically.

When he signs some players of more varying characteristics.....He might seem better at his tactical decisions and in game management.

How long does he need though?  Its not like he has only had 1 season.  He's our longest serving manager since MON so if the squad is still what is holding him back, that's on him.  He's had more than enough time.

[flashingqwerty]

9 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I personally think it’s a ridiculous suggestion from fans to throw an 18 year old with zero Premier League experience in against Leeds.

More ridiculous than a has been who looked completely out of his depth last time out?

If we, as a club, are serious about promoting and developing youth, then these are the times we need to be using them.

If he isn't ready, don't put him in the squad.  Elmo might get injured in the first minute then he'll 0lay the game anyway, so I don't see your point at all.

[Vive_La_Villa]

34 minutes ago, flashingqwerty said:

More ridiculous than a has been who looked completely out of his depth last time out?

If we, as a club, are serious about promoting and developing youth, then these are the times we need to be using them.

If he isn't ready, don't put him in the squad.  Elmo might get injured in the first minute then he'll 0lay the game anyway, so I don't see your point at all.

So Elmo had a bad game after playing for the first time in over 2 months.  So let’s play the 18 year old kid that’s never played in the top flight before because obviously he can’t be any worse.  I just don’t agree with that attitude mate.   I probably shouldn’t have used the word ridiculous though. My bad.