duke313 Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Let's go for 11 home wins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeroy Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Make no mistake about it, they are a good side and underperformed last season. Look through their starting 11 from the last game and players like Alvarez, Paqueta, Bowen, Ward Prowse and Soucek in midfield, a solid central defence, and a very good and underrated goalkeeper. Kudus, Benrahma and Fornals were on the bench, they have internationals right across their squad. Where they are weak is up front, Antonio is getting on now and Ings as we know is not fit enough for the intensity of the Premier League any more. I bet they'd love a Watkins in their side.  Having said that, they come across as a bit delusional looking on their forum. They seem to oddly think they are a bigger club than us because, as one fan puts it, he sees more people abroad wearing West Ham shirts than Aston Villa shirts. I don't think I've ever seen a West Ham fan when I've been on holiday. One fan also likes to think they have a better side than us, but again I'm not sure where he's got that from. They're a good side but I'd have more of our players than theirs in a combined 11 even with our current injury list, plus we're at home where we are pretty God damn formidable these days. Another says the game is important so we don't catch them up, but the last I checked we were 2 points and two places above them and finished 7 places above them last season.  My worry is they are a bogey team and as we saw with Wolves we struggle to play against certain teams and West Ham are one of them. I wouldn't be too unhappy with a draw and wouldn't be surprised if it happened, but we're at home and we need to be beating rivals for a top 6 position at home and West Ham are definitely in that category I'm afraid. We have drawn 3 games and lost 5 since being promoted against West Ham, it is an appalling record although the two seasons they did the double over us they finished in the top 7 and we finished bottom half. I feel like a win here would be huge because we need to be aiming to win all of our next four games before Spurs away and West Ham is the best team of the those four teams we have to play. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted October 10, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted October 10, 2023 We've got more physicality about us than previously, or at least we seem to be able to battle a bit better anyway. We've got two weeks to prepare nearly, not with the full compliment of players but a good chunk aren't travelling. Another 3 points at home would be massive going into a decent run of fixtures, but I'd take a clean sheet and extending the undefeated at home run. You'd think we could then pick up some points from the fixtures that follow and be in a good position when it's time to play spurs. They look better than they did last year in the league, they're certainly dealing with the number of games a lot better than last year. They've got some good players, Soucek hitting some form before the international break as well. Should be a good game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 This fixture is the only game I took my 8 year old last season and it was probably one of the worst home performances I’ve seen in years. She’s going with me next week…. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted October 10, 2023 Moderator Share Posted October 10, 2023 If we're Brighton's bogey team then West Ham are ours. With seemingly no rhyme or reason, their approach just seems to nullify ours time and time again. I could say we're due a result against them, but football doesn't work that way. Maybe our form will carry us through and we'll beat them all things being equal, although they're a bloody good side on their own merit this time around. That hasn't always been the case. A draw wouldn't surprise me. But I'll be positive and say we can do this. We'll hopefully have Moreno back by then. Not that Digne has been bad by any stretch, but Moreno gives us another dimension. Villa 2-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinebro Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Moyes is so predictable when playing the better teams. Just sit back and counter. Give away the initiative and just wait to pounce. It's why he can never succeed at a big club. They will give us all the ball which means if we're at it like we were against Brighton we'll blow them away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 17 hours ago, BOF said: If we're Brighton's bogey team then West Ham are ours. With seemingly no rhyme or reason, their approach just seems to nullify ours time and time again. I could say we're due a result against them, but football doesn't work that way. Maybe our form will carry us through and we'll beat them all things being equal, although they're a bloody good side on their own merit this time around. That hasn't always been the case. A draw wouldn't surprise me. But I'll be positive and say we can do this. We'll hopefully have Moreno back by then. Not that Digne has been bad by any stretch, but Moreno gives us another dimension. Villa 2-0. I think the crowd being the 12th man for 90 minutes and have Villa Park rocking in this one and make it uncomfortable for them, we have a good chance. It wont be an easy game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 One way or another, a run is coming to an end. Well either overcome our hoodoo against them and beat them, or they'll end our run of home wins. West Ham will either revert closer back to the norm on xGA, and Watkins improves his goals per npxG even further beyond its current excess or they move further beyond reasonable expectations and Watkins drops back below.  I'm going for a 2-1 to us. Don't think think we'll stop them scoring, probably a JWP free kick, but feel like we're an unstoppable scoring force at home. A rested Luiz in the middle, and rested Digne and Konsa at the back will be huge for us. A potential Moreno option off the bench. Kamara likely won't play all the minute of France's matches so should come back with less miles in his legs than if we'd had two games. Yes, West Ham likely have some first teasers getting a rest too, but at our respective bests and with us having home advantage it should play into our hands more. Now just need to wait 11 days ... UTV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 6 hours ago, Pinebro said: Moyes is so predictable when playing the better teams. Just sit back and counter. Give away the initiative and just wait to pounce. It's why he can never succeed at a big club. They will give us all the ball which means if we're at it like we were against Brighton we'll blow them away. See I think the opposite. I don't think we're particularly adept at attacking low blocks. We came at Brighton because they played the same way they did every game. High risk and open in transition. Moyes will not play that way. Last year at London - they refused to even press us until we were beyond the halfway line. And then in attack, they just tried long diagonals from their own half to catch us out to make sure they always had numbers behind. I expect much of the same here. If we're on it, maybe a 1-0 or 2-0 to us. But realistically, probably a dire looking 1-1. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongo Waring Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 This is a tough tough match. But I think the better the opposition at Villa Park the better we play and I think we will turn it on once again just like we did against Newcastle, Spurs and Brighton x2 at Villa Park. 11 home wins a row. 2-0 Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 On 09/10/2023 at 12:21, Kingman said: Our international lads also get an extra 28hrs recovery as its 4.30pm on Sunday compared to Liverpool v Everton 12.30 on Saturday Presumably Klopp will be making a noise about it! clapping them wheel trims together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 On 11/10/2023 at 07:52, Pinebro said: Moyes is so predictable when playing the better teams. Just sit back and counter. Give away the initiative and just wait to pounce. It's why he can never succeed at a big club. They will give us all the ball which means if we're at it like we were against Brighton we'll blow them away. Never. That is what everything is borne out of....winning the initiative and then turning the screw. what do we pounce with, if we give up the intiative? do you mean pounce and win the ball back?, but that is seizing the intiative. you have me a tad confused. We secured the initiative against Brighton and Newcastle at home....and subsequently dominated the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Moyes will give away the initiative and invite us to push on with numbers to try and break down his miserable low block and then try to pounce on us in transition. It's much of the same every time. Boring, dumb, but effective. Moyes one of the last of his kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 On 11/10/2023 at 07:52, Pinebro said: Moyes is so predictable when playing the better teams. Just sit back and counter. Give away the initiative and just wait to pounce. It's why he can never succeed at a big club. They will give us all the ball which means if we're at it like we were against Brighton we'll blow them away. Not sure we will. They have more pace at the back with Zouma and Aguerd than Brighton. Not looking forward to Antonio backing into Pau and doing what Mateta did to lead to the Palace goal. Bowen has also started the season in ominous form. Where we can get at them is fullback as they're average there and safety first. Hopefully Diaby will get back to his August level as this is where a 50m signing can win a big game for us. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinebro Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 (edited) 14 hours ago, TRO said: Never. That is what everything is borne out of....winning the initiative and then turning the screw. what do we pounce with, if we give up the intiative? do you mean pounce and win the ball back?, but that is seizing the intiative. you have me a tad confused. We secured the initiative against Brighton and Newcastle at home....and subsequently dominated the game. It means Moyes exclusively plays on the counter in big games. Which also means he is more than happy with giving the majority of the possession to the opponent, hence giving away the initiative. This is what he also tried to do whilst at Man United. Why he failed there because he tried to bring with him a small club mindset ,and the Man Utd players used to being brave and attacking under Ferguson were not having it. Edited October 13, 2023 by Pinebro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 7 hours ago, Pinebro said: It means Moyes exclusively plays on the counter in big games. Which also means he is more than happy with giving the majority of the possession to the opponent, hence giving away the initiative. This is what he also tried to do whilst at Man United. Why he failed there because he tried to bring with him a small club mindset ,and the Man Utd players used to being brave and attacking under Ferguson were not having it. sorry, I got it the wrong way around. I'm happy with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 (edited) On 10/10/2023 at 15:19, Leeroy said: Make no mistake about it, they are a good side and underperformed last season. Look through their starting 11 from the last game and players like Alvarez, Paqueta, Bowen, Ward Prowse and Soucek in midfield, a solid central defence, and a very good and underrated goalkeeper. Kudus, Benrahma and Fornals were on the bench, they have internationals right across their squad. Where they are weak is up front, Antonio is getting on now and Ings as we know is not fit enough for the intensity of the Premier League any more. I bet they'd love a Watkins in their side.  Having said that, they come across as a bit delusional looking on their forum. They seem to oddly think they are a bigger club than us because, as one fan puts it, he sees more people abroad wearing West Ham shirts than Aston Villa shirts. I don't think I've ever seen a West Ham fan when I've been on holiday. One fan also likes to think they have a better side than us, but again I'm not sure where he's got that from. They're a good side but I'd have more of our players than theirs in a combined 11 even with our current injury list, plus we're at home where we are pretty God damn formidable these days. Another says the game is important so we don't catch them up, but the last I checked we were 2 points and two places above them and finished 7 places above them last season.  My worry is they are a bogey team and as we saw with Wolves we struggle to play against certain teams and West Ham are one of them. I wouldn't be too unhappy with a draw and wouldn't be surprised if it happened, but we're at home and we need to be beating rivals for a top 6 position at home and West Ham are definitely in that category I'm afraid. We have drawn 3 games and lost 5 since being promoted against West Ham, it is an appalling record although the two seasons they did the double over us they finished in the top 7 and we finished bottom half. I feel like a win here would be huge because we need to be aiming to win all of our next four games before Spurs away and West Ham is the best team of the those four teams we have to play. trust me, there is no such thing, as a bogey team, its a figment of the imagination, and garnered by the pusillanimous. when you get most things right, chances are, you win.....If you let other teams play, you make it hard for yourself. When we go "after" opponents we look unbeatable.....when we "wait" for opponents we look iffy. I just hope we go after them, like we did against Brighton and Newkie at home. Every team in the Prem, has players who can potentially hurt us......The trick is, don't let them...throw them off their game. Easier said than done, sure....but it works. Edited October 13, 2023 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 On 10/10/2023 at 11:15, duke313 said: Let's go for 11 home wins lets try and win every game....and see where is takes us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 (edited) On 10/10/2023 at 15:30, romavillan said: We've got more physicality about us than previously, or at least we seem to be able to battle a bit better anyway. We've got two weeks to prepare nearly, not with the full compliment of players but a good chunk aren't travelling. Another 3 points at home would be massive going into a decent run of fixtures, but I'd take a clean sheet and extending the undefeated at home run. You'd think we could then pick up some points from the fixtures that follow and be in a good position when it's time to play spurs. They look better than they did last year in the league, they're certainly dealing with the number of games a lot better than last year. They've got some good players, Soucek hitting some form before the international break as well. Should be a good game. We have, and we had to, with our ambitions. Most teams want to put us off our game, we have to be able to resist that, and that extra bit of muscle helps to negate it. Edited October 13, 2023 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 On 10/10/2023 at 16:20, BOF said: If we're Brighton's bogey team then West Ham are ours. With seemingly no rhyme or reason, their approach just seems to nullify ours time and time again. I could say we're due a result against them, but football doesn't work that way. Maybe our form will carry us through and we'll beat them all things being equal, although they're a bloody good side on their own merit this time around. That hasn't always been the case. A draw wouldn't surprise me. But I'll be positive and say we can do this. We'll hopefully have Moreno back by then. Not that Digne has been bad by any stretch, but Moreno gives us another dimension. Villa 2-0. In recent years they have gone for a more robust style as opposed to the flamboyant styles in earlier years with Brooking, Devonshire and Peters..etc. West Ham were always known as a good footballing side schooled by Ron Greenwood and later John Lyall.....but they also had a soft underbelly, in those days....they could beat you well and be beaten well. West Ham now are durable and can go anywhere and give you a game.....it will be tough, but if we apply ourselves, like we can, we can be victors.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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