Pre match thread

[fightoffyour]

Sounds like they’re trying to get the games on, so ours should be fine. London matches in doubt but there’s even talk of playing the reverse fixtures if possible.

Ironically, Brighton vs Palace was postponed due to a train strike which has now been cancelled and so could in theory be reinstated, but probably won’t be.

[wedge]

1 hour ago, Peter Griffin said:

I get the thoughts on policing but I just don't really see it as an issue myself. The police are very experienced and capable of policing football matches and have always managed to multitask with other major events happening at the same time

You don't get to many games then?

 

Actually, maybe it's that I wish they were as capable at policing other areas as over-zealously as they do at football matches, but that's a discussion for another thread!

 

Back on topic, I agree with you about the game being on or off, obviously nothing would surprise me but I can't see how calling Villa v Southampton off three days before the funeral in a city 100 miles away from where the funeral would be which would mean rearranging it in what it already the most congested season in memory makes any sense.

 

 

[OutByEaster?]

I'm increasingly optimistic on this one - I think the league may take the opportunity to cancel Sunday's games, which will get rid of the big threat and the thing they really don't want, which is the world seeing 'the Liverpool reaction' but I reckon there's a good chance we might be in here. The Championship haven't cancelled their fixtures Tuesday and Liverpool are at home in the CL then too, it's worth keeping a good eye on those games.

Practice your sad faces just in case gents, we could be on the telly.

 

[limpid]

53 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I'm increasingly optimistic on this one - I think the league may take the opportunity to cancel Sunday's games, which will get rid of the big threat and the thing they really don't want, which is the world seeing 'the Liverpool reaction' but I reckon there's a good chance we might be in here. The Championship haven't cancelled their fixtures Tuesday and Liverpool are at home in the CL then too, it's worth keeping a good eye on those games.

Practice your sad faces just in case gents, we could be on the telly.

If they actually believed that the fans would cause a problem this weekend, imagine what those fans will be like after another five days of this wall to wall "news" coverage..

[VillaChris]

6 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

I think the biggest issue is policing

You're talking like at every VP game we have endless police swirling around every corner of VP.

Reality is West Midlands police rank our games in terms of categories and high risk are obviously games v SHA and other local derbies and then slightly down is playing likes of Man. United and Liverpool.

Would imagine from this season's teams likes of Fulham and Bournemouth would be lowest category due to no history of ill feeling between two teams and lower travelling support.

Guess Southampton will be ranked slightly higher due to it being played on Friday night and Southampton selling out their allocation but it's very low risk in terms of any flashpoints between sets of fans unless I've missed anything obvious in meetings between them.

I just don't see the issue, this is game we can get by with adequate levels of stewarding, police and emergency services so if they're all around the game will certainly be played.

[pacbuddies]

20 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

This wont go ahead surely if funeral is 19th

Why?

[Brumstopdogs]

On 10/09/2022 at 12:04, VillaChris said:

Fair play to them if they've sold both tiers! 2.8k on a Friday night and six hour round trip not to be dismissed. Did we sell out down there last season for DS last match?

Just read an article online that premier league intention is to try to get as many matches as possible played next weekend and only London fixtures in doubt (and probably Man. United-Leeds) so yes we really should be playing on Friday night as I can't see a genuine reason not to play given the test match is going on as we speak.

https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/topic/59575-villa/

Sounds like they may only have sold the bottom tier:

Quote

Saw we initially took the full allocation then reduced it to bottom tier only which has now sold out.

 

[VillaChris]

Makes it even more likely to go ahead then if only 1.5k Saints fans are coming up.

[Kingman]

When will official decision be made? 

[pacbuddies]

I assume that there will be no 2 minutes silence or singing of the national anthem at this weekends fixtures as the reason they called off last weekend was because they were worried that the moronic elements amongst football fans would have booed and jeered throughout thus embarrassing the football authorities!

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

EFL going ahead this midweek so see no reason why our Friday night game wont. We simply have to win this one

[weedman]

On 11/09/2022 at 09:14, AVTuco said:

All games should be re-arranged to be played on Friday and Saturday. That way they could all be played. SKY won't like it, but hey-ho.

I'm not even sure sky would be that bothered, as long as the games aren't moved to 3pm Saturday (or perhaps the PL will allow a one off 3pm screening due to the circumstances), they'll take a small hit but still get the games on or they start at 5 or 7 or even 9pm. They manage regular night games in Spain perfectly fine. 

 

Its a unique situation that sky/PL will be allowed to find a one off solution for. The hit of reduced viewing figures is less than the hit of cancelling games then cramming them in midweek somewhere on the red button if we're lucky. 

 

I agree that London games will be in doubt though, although again I'm sure the clubs would agree to swap the home/away games to facilitate them where possible 

[omariqy]

Gregg Evans thinks it should go ahead.

[a m ole]

even bigger farce that it hasn’t been confirmed yet

[Vive_La_Villa]

59 minutes ago, Villarocker said:

Personally, I think they will sack him if we lose at home to Southampton on Friday night. I do not believe for one second that Villa Park will be anything other than toxic on Friday if he plays the same old faces, the team looks clueless and we lose. I can even see a cabbage making its way into the ground just in case it needs to be thrown. I'd do it myself but I'll be with the prawn sandwich brigade on the opposite side and my throwing arm isn't quite what it used to be. 

If we go 2 goals down or behind late on the place will be very toxic. A stadium full of pissed up angry fans turning on Gerrard won’t be a great sight.
 

But I think we’ll win comfortably.

Edited September 12, 2022 by Vive_La_Villa

[nick76]

Expect they have discussed together with PL and thus the PL will release a similar statement about our game shortly

Edited September 12, 2022 by nick76

[wedge]

Presuming Bednarek can't feature against his parent club?

[Vive_La_Villa]

15 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

I think we will win against Saints assuming we don't concede 3 free kicks 25 yards out.  I wonder whether Nas and Wes might be more worried if they see empty seats (my lord) with the stadium expansion coming up.  They won't want to see complete apathy from the fans creeping back in.

A lot still available but they may get snapped up by the end of the week. I wonder if people are waiting to see if the game is on. Maybe a few can’t be bothered because of Gerrard. 

[Follyfoot]

47 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

If we go 2 goals down or behind late on the place will be very toxic. A stadium full of pissed up angry fans turning on Gerrard won’t be a great sight.
 

But I think we’ll win comfortably.

I pity you being sober, it will be horrific  

 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by Follyfoot

[jim]

14 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

A lot still available but they may get snapped up by the end of the week. I wonder if people are waiting to see if the game is on. Maybe a few can’t be bothered because of Gerrard. 

Or could just be down to pricing/people tightening their belts in the current climate.